For those lucky enough to be in Melbourne or unlucky enough not to be able to hear her speak in Dunedin, you will have a chance to hear Rosamond McKitterick on “Roman Authority in Early Medieval Europe” when she delivers the Foxcroft lecture on Tuesday, 7 February at 6 pm at the State Library of Victoria.

Cambridge scholar Rosamond McKitterick will examine the role books played in creating a cultural link between ancient Rome and its medieval inheritors.  She is Professor Emerita of Medieval History at the University of Cambridge, formerly Director of Research in the Faculty of History, a Fellow of Sidney Sussex College and, since 2011, Chair of the Faculty of Archaeology, History and Letters of the British School at Rome.

And for those of us who are in Dunedin, we hope you can join us as Prof. McKitterick kicks off the Centre’s 2017 public lectures at 5:30 on Wednesday, 1 February in Archway 2.  Her talk has also been notified to the University of Otago Classics Association and will be a highlight of the 2017 Rare Book School week.

Just a quick post to say thank you to all our loyal Centre for the Book supporters.  2016 has been a bit of a distracted year for both co-directors, but we are eagerly planning activities for 2017, starting with a public lecture on Wednesday 1 February by Professor Rosamond McKitterick of Cambridge University on “The Authority of Rome in the Manuscripts of Early Medieval Europe.”  We’ll also have the annual World Book Day lecture and dinner on Thursday 2 March, and our usual symposium later in the year, on the theme of “Books and Users.”  That event is likely to dovetail with a City of Literature UNESCO-sponsored symposium, so stay tuned.  In the meantime, enjoy John Grisham’s “10 Reasons for Giving Books as Gifts.”  We wish you all a very festive and relaxing holiday season, with plenty of time to read and talk about books.

Many thanks to Jackie McMillan for her report on last month’s symposium.  Her report, entitled “On Getting Fed for Free,” appeared in Library Life.  You can download a PDF here, or read the entire issue online at http://www.lianza.org.nz/library-life-issue-451-november-2016.

Rosi Crane, Lucy Sussex and Katherine Milburn (2nd row) enjoy the presentation.

Last Friday’s gathering on “Book and Place” made Saturday’s ODT, along with a nice shot of the venue and participants.  Thanks to everyone who spoke, especially our two keynotes, Neville Peat and Ingrid Horrocks, and thanks to all who attended and made up such an attentive and engaged audience.  We look forward to announcing the 2017 World Book Day and research symposium themes before the end of the year, and full details about public lectures during Rare Book School on Sunday 29 January and Wednesday 1 February.  So be sure to sign up for our RSS feed or check back often.

The Centre for the Book is delighted that Prof. Stavans, visiting Dunedin to deliver the Dalziel lecture, will also be able to spend some time with us.  He has agreed to talk about how Cervantes’ masterpiece, Don Quixote, went from a relatively unknown novel to one of the literary masterpieces of the world.  Join us from 5 pm for drinks and nibbles and his presentation next Tuesday, 11 October, in the Staff Room of the Central Library.  Talk will start at 5:30.

The Centre for the Book is delighted to congratulate Dunedin’s own Christopher de Hamel for his recent identification of one of the Parker MSS as almost certainly originally part of Thomas of Becket’s shrine at Canterbury Cathedral.  You can share Christopher’s enthusiasm in making the connections in this story from the Guardian.  Well done, and a true treasure for all book lovers.

And if you’d like to read more about Christopher, see this feature from the Economist about his most recent book.

As part of the Department of English staff seminar series, Shef will present his initial findings on a study of the prices of books published in English 1701–1800.  All are most welcome to attend.  The study is part of a joint project with Prof. David Fielding in Economics and David will also be in attendance.

The seminar takes place in Burns 4 of the Arts Building at 4pm on Friday, 7 October.

The Dunedin Rare Book School returns to Dunedin for the fourth time from 29 January to 3 February 2017.  On offer are three classes taught by three superb scholars: Claire Bolton, David McKitterick and Scott Schofield.  Claire will be working with John Holmes to elucidate the still somewhat unexpected methods that printers adopted during the incunable period as they experimented with typecasting, two-colour printing, and more efficient layouts.  David will bring to bear his wide-ranging historical expertise to examine how the whole concept of “rare” books has developed over the past three centuries, while Scott will explore the relevance of the history of book design for contemporary book production, both paper and electronic.  For more details, click on the second item in the blue ribbon, where you can read full descriptions and find advance reading lists for all three classes.

Prof. Bill Sherman was originally scheduled to deliver the 2016 Dalziel Lecture on 20 September, but will now be visiting the Centre in early 2017.  Instead, we are delighted to announce that the 2016 Margaret Dalziel Lecture will be delivered by Prof. Ilan Stavans, the Lewis-Sebring Professor in Latin American and Latino Culture at Amherst College.  His topic will be “Shakespeare in Prison,” a reflection on his experience teaching the Bard to a combined group of Amherst students and prisoners.  His talk should provide much food for thought about what books do in the world.  While he is in town, Prof. Stavans will also give a Centre for the Book talk about Cervantes’ Don Quixote and how that not very special book at the time of publication became a classic.  Further details about rooms and times will appear shortly.

Please join the Dunedin Public Libraries’ extended celebration of last year’s symposium theme.  This free evening discussion group gathers at 7 pm to talk about the wonders of children’s literature and fairy tales. There will also be an opportunity for a tour of the City Library’s children’s stacks, full of treasures still enjoyed by children and those young at heart.  Bookings are recommended: phone 474-3690 or email library@dcc.govt.nz.  For more information, contact Jackie McMillan.