Heritage et AL

I discovered a Mary Scott display in Pirongia on a recent road trip following a compulsory coffee stop plus a walk across the highway to the Pirongia Heritage & Information Centre / Te Whare Taonga o Ngaa Rohe o Arekahanara. Ref: Mary Scott display, Pirongia, 22 February 2017. A Notable Display The display features a gingham frame and artefacts from Scott’s writing life – notably her third typewriter. The adjacent bookcase features her prolific output. They even had some editions for sale. We left with It’s perfectly eas y – one of Mary Scott’s great titles published by Paul’s Book Arcade in Hamilton, 1962. The striking dust jacket was designed by Geoffrey Ridall. Ref: Mary Scott, It's perfectly easy.

The 13 September was Roald Dahl Day. Each year, the focus of this day is on celebrating the life and work of Roald Dahl , one of the world's most popular and beloved writers for children. Ref: AWNS-19140122-52-4, picking friend at an orchard in Henderson, Auckland, 1914, Sir George Grey Special Collections Dahl's picture books, novels, short stories, poetry and memoirs are all classics and popular not only with children but adults too. His timeless works such as 'James and the Giant Peach' (1961), 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' (1964), 'Revolting Rhymes' (1982), 'Tales of the unexpected' (1980) and 'The Witches' (1983) are of enduring interest and relevance to all readers. Ref: 7-C1813, advertising poster for 'Somerdale Cube Block Milk Chocolate', made by Fry, c.1920-1949, Sir George Grey Special Collections Roald Dahl Day is a great opportunity to discover re-read a favourite or discover something you haven't...

New Zealand writer Jane Mander (1877-1949) lived overseas for 20 years, spending time in New York and then in London. During this period she published six novels. She returned to New Zealand in October 1932, with the intention of writing further fiction novels. However, due to the poor health of her elderly, demanding father (who lived to be 95) she ended up having to balance being a care giver with journalism work. Since she had no other income, she took on a strenuous workload of magazine articles, book reviews and radio talks. Ref: 7-A9827, Jane Mander, 1890s, Sir George Grey Special Collections