If anything could justify a visit to London in August, this just might. Entry to the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association Summer Exhibition, Women and the Book, (full details here), is free. So are the lectures.
Created jointly with the Women's Library, it's full of literary gems. Every item is for sale, apart from the Women's Library exhibits, including first editions of Karen Blixen's Out of Africa and Virgina Woolf's The Years, not to mention a copy of Jane Eyre (yours for £22,500). The exhibition also looks at the part women have played in the history of the book trade, including the work of printers, engravers and bookbinders.
Now that I'm a woman with a rail pass and a free national bus pass, I can whizz up to central London (with a copy of Penelope Fitzgerald's small masterpiece, The Bookshop, in my bag) without taking out a second mortgage.
See you there.
How I would love to attend this. Unfortunately the timing is wrong for me. Please take lots of notes and pictures to share.
Posted by: Maureen | August 01, 2008 at 04:09 PM
Oh Oh Oh! Wait for me! Am madly scrutinising my diary . . .
Posted by: Juliet | August 01, 2008 at 05:42 PM
Oh, how I wish. I really miss things like this.
Will be in UK end of August, 4 days for niece's wedding outside Leicester but, alas, no time for anything else. Shame.
Posted by: Pamela | August 01, 2008 at 07:50 PM
£22,500 for 'Jane Eyre'! I suppose if diamonds are 'the solid state of love' these volumes are the solid stae of literature.
Posted by: Janet | August 02, 2008 at 05:14 PM
What a wonderful thing. I happen to be listening to The Years right now. Maybe you could pop in and pick me up that first edition or her pocket diaries would be okay, too. :<) I hope you'll post photos of your visit.
Posted by: Nan | August 05, 2008 at 04:17 PM
Ooooh. Thanks for this. Will pop in during my lunch break.
I was once offered a job in the Women's Library in its old home (long time ago, now). But it was in the basement of the building and I could not face the troglodyte existence.
Posted by: colleen | August 06, 2008 at 08:18 PM
Hello Colleen - do hope you enjoy it. (Try not to spend too much . . . .) I know what you mean about that basement, by the way.
Country living has many benefits but being able to pop into an exhibition in a lunch break (or at almost any time) isn't one of them, sadly. It's one of the things I miss most about living in London.
Your blog is an absolute delight and I can see that it's going to be one that I just can't help visiting every day. Particularly loved your post on the Mile End Park dog show and found myself almost soggy with nostalgia for buddleia sightings in the city.
Posted by: 60 Going On 16 | August 06, 2008 at 09:44 PM