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Nostalgic delights of bookworms' paradise
10-year-old James Kilpatrick, of Kambah, engrossed in one of the offerings at Lifeline's Book Fair. Photo by Peter Wells. Help
10-year-old James Kilpatrick, of Kambah, engrossed in one of the offerings at Lifeline's Book Fair. Photo by Peter Wells.
New Idea asks "Is your husband
straying?" Woman's Own solves a
teenage dilemma — "Am I too
young to love?"
These are not advertisements for
this week's offering from your local
newsagent, but two of the cover
stories from magazines in Lifeline's
Spring Book Fair collectables' cor-
ner.
The edition of 1947 New Idea
was slimmer and less glossy, with a
woman on the front cover who was
not a member of a particular Royal
Family in the midst of crisis.
It showed, however, that what
was considered by its editors to be
the major preoccupation of its fe-
male readership has not changed
much.
The collectables' corner made its
first appearance at the Book Fair
this year, and was one of a number
of changes, including the name — it
used to be the Lifeline Mini Fair,
not to be confused with the big fair
in May.
Kathy Sheehan, community rela-
tions coordinator for Lifeline, says
the fair has been extended from one
to two days for the first time, and
has been very successful. Takings
have more than doubled, from
$7000 last year to about $18,000.
The collectables' corner has been
very popular. As well as being able
to trace the rise in circulation of the
Women's Weekly (500,000 in Sep-
tember, 1943, to 700,000 in 1948), a
browser could pick up Australiana
and biographies, old childrens'
books, or even take a 1930s physics
text book home for a little bedtime
reading.
The venue has also changed. The
traditional Albert Hall has been
swapped for St John's Church hall,
Reid, because "it is more central".
It is also lighter and airier, making
perusal of books a little easier for
those whose eyes need a little help.
This year, the table-loads of
books were more thoroughly sorted
and separated, making particular
topics easier to find. Categories
such as philosophy, military, music
and English language, proved very
popular, and were taken home by
the cardboard box-full.
The fair helps Lifeline, but as
Ms Sheehan says, it is also a valu-
able recycling service for the com-
munity.
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