''Come In Spinner'' is an Australian novel by

Dymphna Cusack Ellen Dymphna Cusack Order of Australia, AM (21 September 1902 – 19 October 1981) was an Australian writer and playwright. She also wrote as Atalanta. Personal life Born in Wyalong, New South Wales, Cusack was educated at Saint Ursula's Col ...

and Florence James, originally published in 1951 and set in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

at the end of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Name

The title refers to a phrase used in the Australian gambling game of

two-up Two-up is a traditional Australian gambling game, involving a designated "spinner" throwing two coins, usually Australian pennies, into the air. Players bet on whether the coins will both fall with heads (obverse) up, both with tails (re ...

. "Come in spinner" or "Righto, come in spinner" is the call given by the game manager when all bets are placed and the coins are ready to be tossed.

Plot

The book tells the story of three women, Claire, Guinea and Deb, who are co-workers in the beauty salon of an exclusive Sydney hotel. The story weaves together these characters with their familial and romantic relationships, as they struggle to manage the realities of working for the privileged upper classes, to whom no rules apply, while their own families cope with wartime deaths and losses, rationing, government manpower recruitment and stiflingly conservative attitudes surrounding the role and perception of the "acceptable" behaviour of women.

Publication

Cusack and James entered their manuscript in the ''

Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was foun ...

''s £1000 novel competition, whose closing date was October 1946. It was judged the winner and the prizemoney handed over, but no announcement was made, and ''The Telegraph'' reneged on its commitment to publish the novel, which covered such topics as abortion, adultery, prostitution and rape, as well as promiscuity and the black market. Heinemann published an expurgated version in 1951. The book was reworked from the original MS by Florence James, and was republished in 1987 for Richard Walsh of

Angus and Robertson Angus & Robertson (A&R) is a major Australian bookseller, publisher and printer. As book publishers, A&R has contributed substantially to the promotion and development of Australian literature.Alison, Jennifer (2001). "Publishers and editors: A ...

, partly due to the interest caused by the development of a television adaptation of the book. Cusack was not able to take part in this restoration or witness the renewed popularity of the novel as she died in 1981.

Radio adaptation

In 1954 the novel was adapted as a serial for radio. It was popular but controversial, and was axed by 3UZ Melbourne after two episodes due to viewer complaints.

Film and television

In the 1950s, film director Jack Lee expressed interest in making a movie out of the novel. A

miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...

was made in 1989.

References

External links

''Come In Spinner'' novel"Revisiting the 'Mystery of a Novel Contest': The Daily Telegraph and Come in Spinner"

Bridget Griffen-Foley Bridget Griffen-Foley (born 27 June 1970) is a professor in the Department of Media, Communications, Creative Arts, Language and Literature, Macquarie University, New South Wales. She is author, co-author or editor of a large number of reference w ...

(2000), ''Australian Literary Studies'' {{Dymphna Cusack Novels by Dymphna Cusack 1951 Australian novels Novels set in Sydney Collaborative novels Australian novels adapted into television shows 1954 Australian radio dramas Australian radio dramas set in Sydney Australian radio dramas about World War Two