Celebrating Books in Maleny

It's that time of the year again, when folk head to the hinterland to sit by log fires and read books - and join in the Maleny Celebration of Books.

Maleny is a great town for books and booklovers and our small festivals been running now for five years! This year's theme is around women writers and readers.

I will be away teaching for part of it, but one part I have been involved in is selecting the books for, and setting up the display of, the  First Edition books by Australian Women authors.

We are fortunate that a local, Neil Glover, has the most astounding collection of First Edition books and he kindly collected the best of his women's writers books for us to display in Maleny Library.

There are a load of children's books and fairies feature a lot which is gorgeous.

And Oodgeroo Noonuccal's poetry and a children's book.

Blinky Bill and Jacko.

There are some famous books and some rare and unknown books. I think what I loved the most about working with these books was doing the research into the women writers and discovering what amazing women they were; what adventurous and ground-breaking lives they had led; and how they went about being a woman writer when it was not fashionable nor really welcomed.

Judith Wright, Eleanor Dark, Oddgeroo Noonuccal, Emily Bullock, Edna Walling, Dorothy Wall, the Durack sisters Mary and Elizabeth, and the Outhwaite sisters Ida and Annie are just some of the women we researched and their stories are told alongside their books.

 

It is shaping up to be a great weekend, with a children's authors' workshop; a children's film (Peanuts) and an adult film (The Daughter) both based on books. There will be an Outspoken event on the Friday night following an artists' book projection on the trees on the main street.

The Library will have children's bookmark-making activities and a Bumper Book Sale as well. The  Big Book Club will discuss "The Natural Way of Things" and the Sunday gathering will feature some serious Australian women writers - Jane Caro, Susan Johnson, Ellen van Neersen and is hosted by another write Krissy Kneen.

Tired just thinking about the feast of bookish things coming our way!

On a lighter note, I am also proud to say that I was involved in the winning window for the Maleny Show Society last month! The theme was recycling and our fabulous book shop Rosetta Books asked if I would contribute some of my folded books for inclusion in their display. Along with the many other wonderful ways they recycle in the shop it was lovely for the books to get another outing. Last seen here at the 2013 Celebration of Books!

It is very hard to photograph a shop window on a sunny day - but you get a hint of the books and best of all, the blue ribbon!!