Clunes Booktown Festival 2016

Well here we are 2016, and it's time for the annual Clunes Booktown Festival. This years motto/slogan is “Journeys through time & place”. …obviously not Huc & Gabet time and not Huc & Gabet place, as once again the festival organizers have chosen to keep this bookseller out of all of their festival literature both on line and in print. Yep, once again this bookseller and his business are out of the programme*. Nothing on line and nothing in print about The Huc & Gabet Bookotorium, it's as if I don't exist. I am a little dissapointed.

Well I do exist and I am here and I will be open over the booktown weekend despite not existing on any map and there being no indication that I am a permanent bookseller here in Clunes all year round. For the first time ever The Bookotorium will be open all day**, ready and waiting for anyone who may stumble upon us. (Without any advertising it really will be a “stumble upon us”.)

If you are reading this and are heading to Clunes for the festival and want to visit the Bookotorium (that's code for Huc & Gabet headquarters), go to the IGA (Supermarket), continue along Fraser Street away from the festival on the same side of Fraser Street as the IGA. Continue along for approx 10 metres and you will find a drive way. I'm at the end of the drive way. It should be fairly obvious. Entry is free, you won't need a festival pass. 

If you get really lost phone me 0437 444 212.

I look forward to seeing you...

* They did the same thing last year.

** Normally we are only open by appointment

Slaughterhouse Five or The Children's Crusade: A Duty Dance with Death by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.. The Folio Society 2008

Slaughterhouse Five or The Children's Crusade: A Duty Dance with Death by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.. Hardcover book with pictorial boards (no dust jacket) with slipcase published by The Folio Society 2008, 170 pages with a few colour illustrations.

I wrote about Kurt Vonnegut a while ago (click here) and despite my best efforts was unable to sell the book in question on line at the time. It has sold since then and despite the length of time it took to sell, I wouldn't hesitate in picking it up again (...or any other Kurt titles) as all it ever takes to sell a Kurt Vonnegut book is for a fan to realise that this bookseller has something they don't have, especially in hard cover.

Talking about something most people don't have... The Folio Society have done this great repackaging/reissue of Slaughterhouse 5. This is the first copy i've ever found of this edition and as with many of their publications, they have done an excellent job of it. It's the sort of thing that would look good on any bookshelf... even my bookshelf.  Over the years I have found Folio Society publications to be a bit of hit and miss. Some titles sell incredibly well and some don't. Some have an aesthetic that appeals to this bookseller and some don't. This one does appeal, it's also a title that I have read and have recommended to others to read. Yep, i'm a fan. The movie (1972) is fairly watchable as well.

I won't go too much into the bombing of Dresden at this point in time but I can tell you that each time I have visited there (I have family that live there) I do reflect on Slaughterhouse 5... not so much the alien stuff but more about Billy Pilgrim's (the main character) experiences during the firebombing and thereafter. In case you didn't know, Vonnegut was a prisoner of war in Dresden at the time of the bombing and witnessed the whole thing. He was also one of the first (possibly the first) writers to write about it which all gets really interesting as the book was published 24 years after it happened... and it is a science fiction novel, not non fiction. If you want to know more about the bombing click here.

If you're not a fan of Science Fiction then i'm not sure if this book is for you. If you are a fan of Science Fiction and have an appreciation for nice looking books that have stood the test of time...

A History of Australia (6 volumes) by C.M.H. Clark (Manning Clark)

A History of Australia (6 volumes) by C.M.H. Clark (Manning Clark)

A History of Australia I: From the earliest times to the age of Macquarie by C.M.H. Clark. Hardcover book published by Melbourne University Press 1971, 422 pages with a few black and white illustrations and maps.

A History of Australia II: New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land 1822-1838 by C.M.H. Clark. Hardcover book published by Melbourne University Press 1968, 364 pages with a few black and white illustrations and maps.

A History of Australia III: The Beginning of an Australian Civilization 1824-1851 by C.M.H. Clark. Hardcover book published by Melbourne University Press 1973, 491 pages with a few black and white illustrations and maps.

A History of Australia IV: The Earth Abideth For Ever 1851-1888 by C.M.H. Clark. Hardcover book published by Melbourne University Press 1978, 427 pages with a few black and white illustrations and photographs.

A History of Australia V: The People Make Laws 1888 to 1915 by C.M.H. Clark. Hardcover book published by Melbourne University Press 1981, 448 pages with a few black and white illustrations and photographs.

A History of Australia VI: 'The Old Dead Tree and The Young Tree Garden' 1916-1935 with an Epilogue by C.M.H. Clark. Hardcover book published by Melbourne University Press 1987, 522 pages with some black and white photographs.

“Charles Manning Hope Clark (1915 – 1991), an Australian historian, was the author of the best-known general history of Australia, his six-volume A History of Australia, published between 1962 and 1987.”

Manning Clark is a bit of legend here in Australia. If you went to school and did Australian History at any stage, you were bound to stumble upon Clark. I remember studying some historical controversy between Clark and Blainey... possibly something to do with hemp (used in the making of rope) and the growing thereof here in Australia. Blainey suggested this was the real reason why Australia was settled and Clark disagreed... at least that's the way I remember it. I also remember that we didn't read a six volume set of Manning Clark's A History of Australia.

I don't know that I know anyone who has read the six volumes. It's a bit of a thing to read and according to some and despite being of epic proportions and having near legendary status here in Australia, it's a little dry in parts. There's some controversy about the opening lines of Volume 1 as well. From my bookselling experiences (yes, I have sold a few over the years) all of this does not deter many readers from trudging through and i'm sure there are Clark fans out there who would dispute my flippant remarks re dryness and controversy. … and lets be honest, even with wear it looks good on the shelf.

I recently posted the image above on Instagram and have had some hits and even a request for volume 6 by itself if available. Besides this set, I am collecting another set and I am always happy to sell individual volumes if they don't already contribute to the making up of a set. Unfortunately I don't have a spare volume 6 but I am anticipating unearthing one soon(ish).

Ferny Creek Collectors Fair 2016 Easter Saturday and Sunday

Last year I participated in the Mountains of Books book fair at Ferny Creek in the lovely Dandenong ranges at the edge of Melbourne. I had so much fun and sold so much stuff that when asked if I was interested in participating in a Collectibles fair at Easter, which includes books and booksellers, I didn't hesitate in jumping at the opportunity. … and so here we are a few days before Easter and I thought I'd give anyone who is vaguely interested a heads up about the whole thing. Yep, i'll be there selling books second hand, old, very old and very, very old.

Here are some photos of some of the items I had on sale at Mountains of Books last year at the same location... 

I will of course have different books to the one's pictured above.

It's a nice drive up to Ferny Creek and the scenery is quite stunning. Lots of nice little cafes, restaurants, collectors fair, Huc & Gabet: Books of interest... it's a day out.

Here are some details:

Entry is by gold coin, and there is wheelchair access. Plenty of parking available.

When: Saturday 26th March 2016 and Sunday 27th March 2016

Times: Saturday and Sunday - 9.30 - 3.30 daily.

Where: Ferny Creek Reserve Hall
Corner Hilton and Clarkmont Roads
Ferny Creek,
(Melways Map 75 D1)

Enquiries: (03) 9762 0862 

The Return Of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

The Return Of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Hardcover book published by Methuen & Co. 1950, 246 pages.

The Son Of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Hardcover book published by Methuen & Co. 1950, 245 pages.

Jungle Tales of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Hardcover book published by Methuen & Co. 1949, 250 pages.

The Return of Tarzan is a novel written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the second in his series of books about the title character Tarzan.  The novel picks up where Tarzan of the Apes left off. The ape man, feeling rootless in the wake of his noble sacrifice of his prospects of wedding Jane Porter, leaves America for Europe to visit his friend Paul d'Arnot. On the ship he becomes embroiled in the affairs of Countess Olga de Coude, her husband, Count Raoul de Coude, and two shady characters attempting to prey on them, Nikolas Rokoff and his henchman Alexis Paulvitch. Rokoff, it turns out, is also the countess's brother. Tarzan thwarts the villains' scheme, making them his deadly enemies. etc

The Son of Tarzan, the fourth in his series of books about the title character Tarzan. Alexis Paulvitch, a henchman of Tarzan's now-deceased enemy, Nikolas Rokoff, survived his encounter with the ape-man in The Beasts of Tarzan and wants to even the score. He lures Jack, Tarzan's son, away from London and into his clutches, but the youngster escapes with the help of the ape named Akut. etc

Jungle Tales of Tarzan is a collection of twelve loosely connected short stories, comprising the sixth book in order of publication in his series about the title character Tarzan. Chronologically the events recounted in it occur within Chapter 11 of the first Tarzan novel, Tarzan of the Apes, between Tarzan's avenging of his ape foster mother's death and his becoming leader of his ape tribe.

These volumes caught my attention mainly because they still have their dust jackets. Sure, they are just hanging in there but dust jackets they are and pulpy artwork they have. I've put some nice removable plastic around them and they now look like a million $... ummmm... maybe not quite. They do look better than without the plastic and as a bookseller I feel fairly confident that whilst they are on my shelves they wont deteriorate any further.

3 Tarzans, none of them firsts. That's OK. I'm happy to have anything from this era and genre as I am aware that even these later editions are sort of sought after, mainly by those wishing to relive their teen and young adult reading experiences. Yes, nostalgia for a by gone time when Tarzan was Tarzan and Jane was Jane... and the ape was the ape... and the dark side was just a glint in George Lucas's eye.

I haven't read any Tarzan, but I have read some of Edgar Rice Burroughs' science fiction novels and have enjoyed them. The martian series is one of those reading experiences that I occasionally consider and then decide that later would be a good time to consider again. I did see the recent movie (“John Carter” 2012) and despite it bombing at the box office, I quite enjoyed it. Tarzan movies are another thing that I have encountered over the years and if you look them up on the interwebs, you'll see that there are a lot of them and as with many of my generation, they all sort of got drummed into us via TV repeats over the school holidays. Sadly I can't remember a single one of them, they probably weren't that sort of film. I think there was a TV series as well... All of which i'm sure has helped create more nostalgia for Tarzan the ape man.  

That Ragged Mob: The Service Record of the 3rd and 4th Victorian Bushmen Contingents in the Boer War with a brief biographical sketch of each man who served by Robin Droogleever.

That Ragged Mob: The Service Record of the 3rd and 4th Victorian Bushmen Contingents in the Boer War with a brief biographical sketch of each man who served by Robin Droogleever. Hardcover book (no publisher listed, probably self published) 2009, 705 pages with black and white photographs and maps. SIGNED COPY.

In February 1900 the raising of the Bushmen Contingents in Australia was met with a mixture of cynicism and optimism. It was thought that men without militia training would be a disaster on the battlefield. They might even shoot each other! The optimism lay in the faith many had in the character of the Australian bushman — his riding skills, self-sufficiency, adaptability to extremes of climate and living conditions, his courage and his pride. As it turned out the optimists were right. Soon the Imperial authorities were calling for more Bushmen to be enlisted. ‘That Ragged Mob’ follows the Victorian 3rd and 4th Contingents sent to the war in South Africa. It tracks their recruitment, organisation and exploits. It looks at their courage, principles, humour and weaknesses. These are the men who fought at major battles such as Elands River Post, Koster River, Hartebeestfontein, Rhenoster Kop, Wolvekuilen and a host of minor skirmishes, enhancing their and Australia’s reputation. The story relies upon the words of the men who were there. They were a literate lot and wrote many letters home which the local press published uncensored. When they came home they were welcomed as heroes. Many were to ‘give it another go’ in the Great War of 1914-18. In the campaign they rode into battle with Western Australians, New South Welshmen, Queenslanders, South Australians, New Zealanders and Imperial Yeomanry.

If you have a look at a map you'll see that Australia isn't really that far from South Africa. …. OK, it's a bit far to swim there and there are a lot of sharks between here and there, but Australia is still just that little bit closer to Cape Town than Old Blighty is and i'm sure that when the Boer War kicked off, this was in the minds of the powers that be when it was decided that Australia should send some of it's own over there to show that we were part of the greater whole. Excluding Tasmania, Victoria was as far as you could get from South Africa and i'm fairly certain that most of the people from here who went and fought, didn't really have any idea of what they were heading towards other than a vague cliched concept of African tribesman and lions*.

Like all wars, The Boer War was a nasty affair. The Boers were nasty. The British and their allies were nasty. In case you didn't know, this was the war that helped develop the Concentration Camp. The British also practiced a Scorched Earth policy and if you read enough about the war** you get the feeling that they were desperate (hence Scorched Earth and Concentration Camps) and that the Boers were tough and confident.

People here don't commemorate the Boer War... at least not in the same way they do with WWI and WWII and that's why I think this book is particularly interesting in that it fills a gap in our military and general history. There are of course other books about Australians in the Boer war and there is the Breaker Morant episode that has been written about and filmed, but for most of us everything else is a little vague, particularly if you compare it to the war that began 14 years later. This book fills a very specific gap in the history of us and that war in South Africa.

* Probably elephants as well.

* The Boer War by Thomas Pakenham is a good place to start... and then you can read this book.

Duncan's Masonic Ritual and Monitor; Or, Guide to the Three Symbolic Degrees of the Ancient York Rite and to the Degrees of Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master and the Royal Arch. by Malcolm C. Duncan.

Duncan's Masonic Ritual and Monitor; Or, Guide to the Three Symbolic Degrees of the Ancient York Rite and to the Degrees of Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master and the Royal Arch. by Malcolm C. Duncan. Hardcover book (no dust jacket) published by Dick & Fitzgerald, New York 1866 (third edition), 281 pages with some black and white illustrations.

“This book presents details of Masonic initiation rituals, along with grips, passwords and regalia. It includes the three basic degrees of the Ancient York Rite, and four additional advanced degrees. There are over a hundred illustrations which show important details of the rituals, including gestures and symbolic pictures. Duncan's Ritual is careful to note known variations where they exist.”

Secret handshakes, funny walks... goats!!!

Yep, I know very little about the Freemasons. Fortunately this book has some nice pictures which should help clarify the mysteries of the “Three Symbolic Degrees of the Ancient York Rite and to the Degrees of Mark Master, Past Master, Most Excellent Master and the Royal Arch.”

… and yes they are a friendly bunch.

There were no goats harmed in this book.