Launch of the Lawson books
On 17 April 2013 Paul Eggert’s monograph Biography of a Book and his linked edition of Henry Lawson’s While the Billy Boils: The Original Newspaper Versions, with explanatory notes by Elizabeth Webby, were launched. The venue was the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales where most of the research for the two books was done.
Paul Brunton, Emeritus Curator of the Mitchell Library, launched the two volumes: click here for his speech. Peter Kirkpatrick of the University of Sydney gave a spirited reading of Lawson's 'In a Dry Season' whereupon Paul Eggert gave the speech in reply. The wine was flowing. Lawson would surely have approved.
The launch was hosted by Sydney University Press, the publisher of both books. A special deal of $60 for the pair of hardbacks is available for a limited time.
Second launch – in Wagga Wagga
The Lawson books were given a second launch during the conference of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature in July 2013 at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. Click here to read the text of Prof. Philip Mead's speech in which he makes a number of significant comments about the role of editions and book history in the study of Australian literature.
