The Luminaries headlines latest library exhibition

Eleanor Catton’s Man Booker Prize copy of The Luminaries has been loaned to Auckland Libraries for its latest exhibition.

‘For the love of books’ opened today in the Central City Library’s Sir George Grey Special Collections exhibition room and Catton’s unique personal copy of the prize-winning novel takes pride of place.

“’For the love of books’ celebrates fine and interesting book making, so Eleanor Catton’s specially bound one-off copy of The Luminaries is an exciting addition to the exhibition,” says Sir George Grey Special Collections manager Georgia Prince.

Every year, the six Man Booker shortlisted authors' books are specially bound by six Fellows of the Designer Bookbinders society. The bound books are then presented to the authors on the night of the award ceremony.

“We are privileged to have Eleanor’s own copy on display and it is right at home among the other examples of inventive, imaginative and highly skilled work from our special collections,” says Ms Prince.

The books selected for the exhibition are from New Zealand and overseas, printed and made by hand in very limited editions, and often with unusual structures or three-dimensional elements.

Catton's special copy, presented to her when she won the Man Booker Prize in 2013, was bound by Rachel Ward-Sale in dark blue goatskin with squares of onlaid gilded leather.

For the love of books
When: 20 October 2014-22 February 2015
Open weekdays 9am-5pm, weekends 10am-4pm
Where: Sir George Grey Special Collections, Level 2, Central City Library
Cost: Free

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