The Anzac Book

[MartinWills]

Anyone with a significant interest in Gallipoli will have come across "The Anzac Book". It stands out amongst trench magazines, art and humour as a fine example of humourous pastimes on Gallipoli. Unusual for such a work it was collated from many submissions by Charles Bean and produced as a hardback volume. As well as one or two more serious accounts there is much by the way of art and humour from the trenches and a number of the illustrations have become iconic. Much material was submitted and much was not used at the time - though some later appeared in "The Rising Sun".

The volume has now entered a third edition and is calculated to seduce even those possessors of originals or reprints of the previous versions. Australian experts have raked through the archives and the new Edition now includes additional material originally excluded from publication.

I have yet to see a copy of this edition, but read with interest the speech by Les Carlyon from the launch (see link below). What did unsettle me about this introduction is the focus on it as an Australian outpouring. Whilst Australian contributions make up the vast majority of The Anzac Book as first published it is too easy to forget that the New Zealanders form the NZ of ANZAC and the more astute readers will have noted that the original also includes contributions from the odd British combatant.

I will be interested to hear what others think.

Anzac Book 3rd Edition & Launch Speech

[Krithia]

Are you saying NZ is not part of Australia? :-)

[Waddell]

Martin,

Les Carlyon was interviewed about the book on the ABC tonight.

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2860562.htm

Scott

[IanA]

Martin,

Les Carlyon was interviewed about the book on the ABC tonight.

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2010/s2860562.htm

Scott

Interesting that 'coulda' appears to be an acceptable word.

[truthergw]

Interesting piece and I wouldn't mind a skim through the book. Is Carlyon unaware of the trench magazines of the Western Front? Wipers Times is the best known but not the only one.

[moggs]

Just picked up a copy today. It is truly beautiful. I look forward to reading it and will cherish its origins. The AWM have done a great thing with this.

Jonathan

[judy7007]

Interesting that 'coulda' appears to be an acceptable word.

In spoken English it is, I guess in transcribing an interview they've decided to stay with the spoken word. It wouldn't really be my choice to do so however.

I wish I could get this (and other books from the AWM) sent over but as I understand there are import duties on goods above £18 from outside the EU, although someone did tell me the limit has been raised slightly but not much.

Hopefully it will be available in UK (or else I'll once again come back from my next visit to Canberra with half my luggage allowance in books).

Judy

[Krithia]

The original 1916 printed Anzac Book is not that difficult to come by, check the UK book dealers lists and internet auctions, price circa £50-75. The originals will always hold their value, reprints will not.

[MartinWills]

I perhaps ought to reiterate that this is not simply a reprint but a third edition including additional material which had been excluded from the original - that does differentiate it from other reprints - such as the 1970's Australian reprint.

[green_acorn]

Interesting that 'coulda' appears to be an acceptable word.

Remember Les is one of us Australian's and so many of us use could'a instead of could have and yeh instead of yes in our spoken strine version of English, dare I say a fault of the speed at which we often speak, at least the ABC do honest literal transcriptions. Or should we all be still writing shewing instead of showing and so on?

Cheers,

Hendo

[River97]

Bought the book at the Adelaide markets today and for 55 dollars, thought it was quite reasonable.

I've read a fair bit already and it has the feel that, when reading this, you should have the white gloves on, as not to damage the pages. It has been produced to look and feel old. I would say it's photocopy-printed from the original edition, as the type-face is the original format. Obviously there are additions to the original and a new forward.

I don't buy many books these days but it fits rather nicely into the library between 'Gallipoli Revisited' and 'The ANZACs'. And a fitting memorial to those who were there.

Cheers Andy.