Classic Vintage

The best things in life – wine, clothes and books never go out of fashion and continue to be loved and useful. One of the joys of working on the Vintage imprint is the venerable history we have to call upon and be inspired by. Over the fifteen years Vintage Australia has been around it has provided a home for wonderful new authors such as Deborah Forster and authors we have long-loved like David Malouf.

Have you noticed the fabulous array of Vintage Classics in your local bookstore? Ebooks are a wonderful invention, but the response to a line of Vintage classics on the shelf in their muted and vivid glory is visceral and covetous. My house is tiny and I hate dusting but I want to own every single one of these beauties and don’t forget to look out for the Australian Vintage Classics, you can spot them by their eucalyptus green spines.

We had some passionate and exciting discussions over which titles to include in the Australian Vintage Classics list. We would love to know which books you think should be added.

Another way of bringing new life to a classic book is through film tie-in editions. Fred Schepisi has returned to Australia to make a film of Patrick White’s challenging and compassionate novel The Eye of the Storm . The cast includes Geoffrey Rush, Charlotte Rampling,, Robyn Nevin, Colin Friels and John Gaden. I have seen clips and the cinematography is luscious and the performances outstanding. I am busting to see the film.

All of Patrick White’s books have recently been converted to ebooks and are now available from your e-retailers. As his long-time agent and friend Barbara Mobbs said ‘Patrick White used to say “I wonder if they’ll read me when I’m dead?”  Twenty years on he is still being read and his novels are now available as e-books.  For a man who never owned a television or a computer he would find this positively intriguing.’



Meredith Curnow, Publisher – Knopf, Vintage.