Heritage et AL

Keri Hulme’s masterpiece the bone people became the Auckland Writer’s Festival’s inaugural Great Kiwi Classic last year. The novel took 17 years to write and was rejected by every publisher in Australasia until the feminist collective SPIRAL brought it out in 1984 with a cover illustration by the author. The following year the bone people won the Booker Prize from a shortlist that included work by Peter Carey, Doris Lessing and Iris Murdoch.  Ref: the bone people, Cover, c1983, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 823 HUL. 

1899 was the year of prize winners! Animals, plants, decorated boats and carts and ponies, this year saw award them all with winners at fetes, agricultural and flower shows around New Zealand. Here for your viewing pleasure from the Heritage Images database are some of the highlights. Animals: Ref: AWNS-18990630-3-5, fantail at the Auckland Poultry Show, 1899, Sir George Grey Special Collections