E.W. Cole - Chasing the Rainbow

by Lisa Lang

Pocket-sized (10cm x 15cm). Illustrated.

Pass beneath the painted rainbow and enter a world where a million books are held, where bright parrots flash through the fernery, and where monkes swing from the rafters. Welcome to a place where gentlemen and street urchins read side-by-side, where thieves aren't prosecuted, and where Chinese tea ceremonies and exclusive seances are routinely conducted. This is Marvellous Melbourne, the home of E.W. Cole and his famous Book Arcade.

Lisa Lang introduces us to Melbourne's most eccentric entrepreneur, from his humble beginnings selling cordial on the Victorian goldfields to the establishment of the world's largest bookstore and the publication of the iconic and enduring Cole's Funny Picture Book. Rediscover the quirky pictures that delighted children and adults for generations, visit the city's markets and arcades where every day was a carnival, and meet the man behind a million rainbows - passionate advocate for education, staunch idealist, retailier extraordinaire and Melbourne's own utopian.

Genres: Biography, Historical

90 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Sarah Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pocket-sized version of E.W. Cole and the establishment of the Cole's Book Arcade in Melbourne..

[Smitchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting look at gold rush era Victoria and Melbourne and a very interesting character