He then moved to London where he encountered a group of writers, which included his friends John Middleton Murry, J. S. Collis and Stephen Potter.

John Fowles wrote an enthusiastic introduction to the Book, it was very favorably reviewed by William Golding, among several others, and Harold Bloom included it in The Western Canon.

It has been adapted for a BBC Radio 4 series, as well as a stage play by Anthony Wilkinson The Islander which premiered at the Theatre Royal, Lincoln in 2002.

In both of these adaptations, the role of Ebenezer was played by Guernsey-born actor Roy Dotrice, who also reads the unabridged audiobook of the novel, in an old man's voice and Guernsey accent.

It had been the subject of numerous rejections during his lifetime, but attempts to get it published were continued after his death in 1976 by Edward Chaney, who had befriended the author in his old age.

Christopher Sinclair Stevenson asked John Fowles to write an introduction which no doubt helped to draw attention to the publication.

The novel was originally intended to form the first part of a trilogy, entitled Sarnia Cherie: The Book of Ebenezer Le Page.

The Italian version translation, Il Libro di Ebenezer Le Page was published by Elliot Edizioni, Rome in 2007.