The young lady of Caversham - Christine found an old brochure with some limericks from Otago Punch 1866 and more information about early Otago writers.

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Before the meat market it was a library - The original Athenaeum building (down in the Exchange) was never really fit for purpose and the Athenaeum soon moved on leaving the building to become a bank before ending it's days as a meat market. Beth and Christine discuss the buildings sad fate and then talk about the new books.

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Back to the beginning - Christine was approached by a family who where wanting any information about their ancestor who family lore said was involved in the Athenaeum. She was able to find mentions of him in Jim Sullivan's history of the Athenaeum 'Reading Matters' and he had been on the Athenaeum's first Committee.

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The Wonderful Lansburys - Last time Christine started to tell the story of George Lansbury a British politician and his son Edgar Lansbury but she ran out of time and she promised to blow your socks off with more information about the Lansbury family in this show. I don't that Beth's socks were blown off but there is an unexpected addition to the Lansbury story. Plus Christine reviews the latest books in the Athenaeum library.

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At last, we are open - The Athenaeum reopened on Wednesday when we entered Level 2 just in time to record another episode of Wireless Books.

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Dinah Mulock Craik - Dinah is a forgotten Victorian writer who at one time was only outsold by Charles Dickens. Her life story was full of amazing twists and turns and Christine gives us a short run through of some of them.

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Eleanor's Home Economics - Eleanor Roosevelt was the American First Lady for over a decade and during her time the White House became notorious for serving truly horrible food, we look at the reasons why this was so. Also Christine and Beth talk about new books.

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It's all Greek to Christine - Christine gets classical and outlines the life and tragic/funny death of Greek playwright Aeschylus. Plus we have new books to review.

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Old Fashioned Humour - It sounds as if Christine and Beth are telling Victorian jokes but it's a book called That's Life - a hilarious collection of quotable quotes, incredible incidents, comical facts, and amazing blunders published in the 1980's that has not aged well. Beth pulls the plug after hearing what sunk a German couples attempt to divorce but it is available to borrow for those of you with a stronger constitution. We also review some more recently published books.

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The Regent Book Sale will not be in the Athenaeum - A recent letter to the ODT suggested the Athenaeum as the venue for the Regent Book Sale, Christine outlines all the reasons why this will not be happening.

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