materialistic values and the self-importance that riddled the aristocracy at the time. Another major issue surrounding Boyd's values was his disapproval of the supposed blind patriotism encouraged during his education and military service. In his autobiographies he notes how such practices took attention from required skills and left many students disillusioned, particularly many of the young Englishmen facing the possibility of life on the street with no employment opportunities.This may in part be related to the sense of estrangement between Boyd and Australia as he found himself torn between the old world and the new one. Critical reception and recognition In 1928 Boyd won the Australian Literature Society Gold Medal for his novel The Montforts. The novel, written under the pseudonym Martin Mills, is based on the history of Boyd's à Beckett ancestors. In 1957, he again won the ALS Gold Medal award for A Difficult Young Man, published in his own name. Boyd wrote extensively, with early poems, autobiographical books, an essay pamphlet on modern youth, an extensive list of novels, five short stories, and articles on varying subjects, to his name. He is, however, most renowned for his novels, which were inspired, according to many critics, by his own life and family experiences. Often described as a witty author, Boyd is recognised as one of the most important Australian novelists of the 20th century although responses to his novels vary. Early works Verses The following novels were written under the pseudonym of Martin Mills, though Boyd later gave his birth name to The Montforts. First publication details given below. Love Gods (London, England: Constable, 1925.) Bangrane: a memoir (London, England: Constable, 1926.) The Madeleine Heritage (Indianapolis, USA: Bobbs-Merrill, 1928.) This is the American edition of The Montforts (London, England: Constable, 1928.) Dearest Idol (Indianapolis, USA: Bobbs-Merrill, 1929.) Published under the pseudonym Walter Beckett. Later works While almost all of Boyd's novels were written in England, some regard his earlier novels as less refined when compared to his later works, those being: Scandal of Spring (London, England: J. M. Dent, 1934) The Lemon Farm (London, England: J. M. Dent, 1935) The Painted Princess (London, England: Constable, 1936) For Children. The Picnic (London, England: J. M. Dent, 1937) Night of the Party (London, England: J. M. Dent, 1938) Nuns in Jeopardy (London, England: J. M. Dent, 1940) Lucinda Brayford (London, England: Cresset Press, 1946) Such Pleasure (London, England: Cresset Press,