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BOOK LIFE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DAVID SCOTT MITCHELL
by Chanin, Eileen
- Used
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
New Castle, Delaware, United States
128 Copies Available from This Seller
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About This Item
New Castle, Delaware: Oak Knoll Press, 2012. paperback. 6 x 9.25 inches. paperback. 496 pages. Australia's greatest book collector, David Scott Mitchell, gave his extraordinary library and a bequest for its development to the people of Sydney and the world. Book Life: The Life and Times of David Scott Mitchell, by Eileen Chanin, is the first comprehensive account of his life and collecting, told through books, readings, and contemporary correspondence.
Mitchell was a man of astoundingly diverse interests whose collection was not merely for show or posterity, but was, in fact, his own personal reading library. Thus, we can learn much about him by examining his books. Previously labeled as an enigma and portrayed as recluse, Mitchell's true self is revealed through this book. Many books in his collection were written by people he knew, and letters reveal a more socially connected Mitchell than ever seen before. Chanin also delves into the historical events he lived through and their impact on his life and collection.
The growth of Australia from an island of criminals to a legitimate nation happened almost literally during Mitchell's lifetime. Mitchell collected books on Australian history before it was even studied at Melbourne University. Without his contributions, it is unlikely that a full history of Australia could be written.
In the foreword, Bob Carr, former Premier of New South Wales, praises Mitchell's benevolence and hails the Mitchell Library as the "DNA of Australia." The story of his life and collection is important to the story of Australia as a nation and is "in danger of slipping from history."
This book features dozens of color illustrations and black-and-white photographs. Also included are notes, bibliography, index, a list of dramatis personae and several family trees.
The first edition sold out within six months - ahead of news that the book was awarded the 2011 Alex Buxo Prize and shortlisted for the prestigious Waverley Library Award for Literature sponsored by the Copyright Agency Limited's Cultural Fund. The book was also one of five books shortlisted for the 2012 Magarey Medal for Biography, awarded by the Australian Historical Association.
Available in Australia from Australian Scholarly Publishing.
Mitchell was a man of astoundingly diverse interests whose collection was not merely for show or posterity, but was, in fact, his own personal reading library. Thus, we can learn much about him by examining his books. Previously labeled as an enigma and portrayed as recluse, Mitchell's true self is revealed through this book. Many books in his collection were written by people he knew, and letters reveal a more socially connected Mitchell than ever seen before. Chanin also delves into the historical events he lived through and their impact on his life and collection.
The growth of Australia from an island of criminals to a legitimate nation happened almost literally during Mitchell's lifetime. Mitchell collected books on Australian history before it was even studied at Melbourne University. Without his contributions, it is unlikely that a full history of Australia could be written.
In the foreword, Bob Carr, former Premier of New South Wales, praises Mitchell's benevolence and hails the Mitchell Library as the "DNA of Australia." The story of his life and collection is important to the story of Australia as a nation and is "in danger of slipping from history."
This book features dozens of color illustrations and black-and-white photographs. Also included are notes, bibliography, index, a list of dramatis personae and several family trees.
The first edition sold out within six months - ahead of news that the book was awarded the 2011 Alex Buxo Prize and shortlisted for the prestigious Waverley Library Award for Literature sponsored by the Copyright Agency Limited's Cultural Fund. The book was also one of five books shortlisted for the 2012 Magarey Medal for Biography, awarded by the Australian Historical Association.
Available in Australia from Australian Scholarly Publishing.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Oak Knoll Books/Oak Knoll Press
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 108954
- Title
- BOOK LIFE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF DAVID SCOTT MITCHELL
- Author
- Chanin, Eileen
- Format/Binding
- Paperback
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 128
- Publisher
- Oak Knoll Press
- Place of Publication
- New Castle, Delaware
- Date Published
- 2012
Terms of Sale
Oak Knoll Books/Oak Knoll Press
All items are offered subject to prior sale. We accept payment with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, wire transfers in US$, personal or business checks if in US$ drawn on a US bank, and PayPal to orders@oakknoll.com. Invoices and shipments are processed and shipped within 5 business days (excluding weekends and holidays.) Orders in the USA are normally shipped using the US Post office. Other services such as UPS, air mail through the US Post Office and FedEx are available upon request. Foreign shipments are sent via USPS International Mail (either USPS First Class International Mail or USPS Priority International Mail, depending on package weight). In the US, please include US $7.50 for first volume and US $1.00 each additional volume. If ordering outside the US, postage is $30.00 for a single volume unless the book is very large. Postage for heavy books and larger quantities is based on weight. Books are returnable within two weeks. Please notify us before returning a book. Thank you.
About the Seller
Oak Knoll Books/Oak Knoll Press
Biblio member since 2006
New Castle, Delaware
About Oak Knoll Books/Oak Knoll Press
Oak Knoll Books was founded in 1976 by Bob Fleck, a chemical engineer by training, who let his hobby get the best of him. Somehow making oil refineries more efficient using mathematics and computers paled in comparison to the joy of handling books. Oak Knoll Press, the second part of the business, was established in 1978 as a logical extension of Oak Knoll Books. Oak Knoll Books is a thriving company that maintains an inventory of about 20,000 titles. Our main specialties are books about bibliography, book collecting, book design, book illustration, book selling, bookbinding, bookplates, children's books, Delaware books, fine press books, forgery, graphic arts, libraries, literary criticism, marbling, papermaking, printing history, publishing, typography & type specimens, and writing & calligraphy - plus books about the history of all of these fields.
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