It’s getting towards the end of Melbourne Rare Book Week. I have combined the last two days into one blog post.

It will culminate is Rare Book Fair on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Thirty-two Australian and international antiquarian booksellers will offer a rich and diverse array of items catering for all who genuinely love print on paper and who share a passion for books. Millions of dollars worth of rare and collectible books, maps, photographs and manuscript material will be on offer at this major event in the Australian antiquarian book calendar, at prices to suit all levels of collecting.

talks

Criminals, coppers, and columnists: The craft of collecting crime
State Library Victoria
Daniel Wee

From the seedy back alleys of early 20th century Melbourne to the unforgiving landscape of the high country, discover the gritty and sordid underbelly of crime through the State Library’s rich and surprising collections. From heart-wrenching letters to intriguing scrapbooks, Daniel Wee will tell the tale of some of Victoria’s most violent crimes.

Ghastly Gothic reads for kids 
Melbourne Library Service
Jeanette Becklar

Can you remember the first scary story you ever heard?The dark, dangerous, mysterious and spooky have always held a fascination for young readers.Come and listen to some favourite ghastly stories and be inspired to create your own Gothic masterpiece. You will discover the compulsory elements to write or illustrate a Gothic story. Suitable for 10 years and over

My drawing for the posters for this event.

The Gothic novel : A Grand Tour through lurid worlds
Melbourne Library Service
Chris Browne

2018 is the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein and is also the 200th anniversary of birth of Emily Bronte, author of Wuthering Heights. To mark these occasions, we are presenting a brief history of the Gothic novel, highlighting important elements and influences of the Gothic tradition. Readings will be given from key books, and brief clips from influential films will be shown. Chris’s personal choice of collectible editions of Gothic novels will also be presented.