Hitch and the dragon

Not long ago, I described my efforts to track down a copy of "Dragon Island," which Christopher Hitchens says was his favorite book when he was a boy.

Well, I'm pleased to report that I've managed to lay my hands on a copy of the book. Here's the cover:

And here's one of the book's illustrations:

"Dragon Island" looks terrific. I'll be reading it to my own boys this week.

UPDATE: On June 21, 2008, Elaine H. wrote from England:

Following a "google", I found your article in the Boston Globe on your search for a copy of Dragon Island by J Bissell Thomas. As I type my 11 year old daughter is sitting next to me flicking through what she says is her favourite book. Before her, it was one of her father's favourite books, when he was a child. She says the "book is hard to put down" and "the illustrations are absolutely amazing. And no, I am not allowed to even think about selling it, even though there is one currently on sale on the Amazon UK website for £99.99! So I though you might like to know that there's at least two copies of the book here in the UK.

Thanks very much, Elaine.