In this issue we are treated to a tour of Melbourne bookshops in the late l970s and early 1980s - both in the city and the suburbs. We join John Arnold on a typical day of bookshop trawling where we meet the doyen of Melbourne booksellers during that era. Laced with anecdotes, trivia and bibliographical history, with several images, including a sketch by Bill Henson, we see how the Melbourne bookshop scene evolved over that decade.' (Editorial introduction)
Contents indexed selectively.
'The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses by Andrew (Banjo) Barton Paterson, dated 1896, was purchased from a charity ship. This was the first of his three volumes of verse. The second was Rio Grande's Last Race and Other Verses, which was followed by Saltbush Bill, J.P.., and Other Verses.' (Introduction)
Editor's note: 'Happy Dispatches was first published by Angus & Robertson in 1934. It was republished in 1980 by Lansdowne Press, Sydney. The preface is reproduced with the permission of New Holland Publishers which now holds the rights to this publication. It was brought to the attention of the editor by Chris Nicholls.
