One More Chance for Anzac Book Readings

One More Chance for Anzac Book Readings

People will have one last chance to hear readings from The Anzac Book at Highwic, the Heritage New Zealand property in Newmarket, on October 12.

Read by veteran radio personality and storyteller, Merv Smith, the Anzac Book was one of the most famous trench publications from World War I and became an instant best-seller when it was published in 1916, with 100,000 copies sold.

“The response to Merv’s rendition of some of the stories and poems in the book from his first reading was really great,” says the Manager of Highwic, Cheryl Laurie.

“The pieces are often humorous, sometimes reflective – and often quite poignant in their own way. Amazingly, there is even a tribute to the Turks, who the Anzacs were fighting at Gallipoli entitled Abdul.”

Book reviewer Steve Scott, writing in the New Zealand Herald in 2010 after the re-launch of a modern edition of the Anzac Book, described how the publication came about:

“The Anzac Book was painstakingly put together during a cold and bitter winter of 1915, just before evacuation, with Christmas approaching and death a very real companion. The positive tone is surprising but the intention was to provide a diversion for the men, and at its core, it is a book about friendship, loyalty and fond thoughts of home.”

The readings provide a great opportunity for people of all ages to learn more about the humour, hardships and realities of life in the trenches of Gallipoli – straight from the ‘soldier’s mouth’.

“Merv does a fantastic job of bringing this book to life – so much so that you can almost picture the soldiers and hear their voices. Merv also began his readings by playing recordings of music from that era which really set the scene.”

The last Anzac Book Reading will take place at Highwic on October 12 (3-4.30pm).

ENDS

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