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August 4, 2013 posted by Unity Wellington

Launch Update: The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

Launch Update: The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton

August 3rd was special for us this year. We launched Eleanor Catton’s new Man Booker long-listed novel The Luminaries, published by Victoria University Press; a mammoth tome at 832 pages. We had an inkling that it would be a bigger-than-usual launch, and we were right – roughly 200 people showed up and packed the store full to celebrate the publication. Eleanor Catton came down from Auckland to speak about the novel, telling us a bit about her process in writing it and what she had done for research.

She was introduced by Fergus Barrowman, publisher at VUP, and Elizabeth Knox, whose most recent novel we launched earlier in the year.

Photos © Matt Bialostocki // Unity Books

 

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The Luminaries is a beautifully produced book. This is the hardcover edition, currently sold out.

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Fortunately we had an entire wall of the paperback – still in stock at $35.

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Fergus Barrowman introduces the launch.

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Elizabeth Knox wrote and delivered a lovely speech, including sound effects.

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A small section of the huge crowd that turned up.

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Elizabeth and Fergus listening to Eleanor.

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Eleanor Catton tells us about The Luminaries, and shares some stories of her time writing it.

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This was the beginning of the line for signing after the speeches.

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…but of course Eleanor was kind enough to accommodate everyone.

We would like to thank everyone who came out that night to make the launch such a success. And of course, thank you for supporting NZ literature.

ELEANOR’S NEW BOOK The Luminaries CAN BE PURCHASED HERE IN OUR ONLINE STORE

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