Castlemaine writer Robyn Annear is a self-confessed fan of op shops and loves nothing better than the thrill of finding the unexpected within them.
Now she has published a new book – an entertaining history about all things second-hand – dating back through the ages to the now.
Nothing New: A History of Second-Hand is Annear’s sixth book and is published by Melbourne’s Text Publishing.
Annear will be sharing some insights and anecdotes behind the new hardback in her guest writer talk at Castlemaine Library this Thursday evening December 12.
“I had fun writing it,” she says.
The free hour-long talk happens from 5.30pm with audience members encouraged to wear or share an op shop treasure in keeping with the theme.
“The idea is that it will be an interactive kind of affair,” the local writer says.
“I just love secondhand and I was just standing in a queue one day and I thought there’s got to be a book in that,” says Annear who is well known for her previous entertaining history reads.
“There’s the thrill of the chase – but it’s mainly just the improvisational nature of it I think – you’ll never know what you’ll find when you go into an op shop.
“The world is drowning in stuff and we have the hooks of consumerism in us so deep, most of us are aware that we’ve got to try and turn that big truck around so I see it as part of that.
“By looking at the history – in the mid-19th century there was no such thing as waste, every single thing had to be re-used because there wasn’t an over-abundance of stuff – I ‘m just hoping it will set that little flame of ‘maybe it’s possible to think that way again’.”
Her new book is full of quirky facts and surprising anecdotes related to reuse dating back through the decades and Thursday’s guest writer event will include book sales and signings with similar events also planned for Gisborne and Kyneton.
Thursday’s guest writer talk at the library is free to attend but bookings – via the library website – are requested.
