Participants will get the chance to discuss and review their favourite Penguin titles and learn about other beloved Penguin works, through anecdotal and informal analysis, in workshops led by Bristol academics associated with the Penguin Archive Project.

Whether it's a collection of poems by Roger McGough, Homer's Odyssey, a cult science fiction novel, or Saville-Sneath's Aircraft Recognition: A Penguin Special, Penguin has published books for everybody's tastes.  Participants in the Readers’ Day can choose to attend a morning workshop on one of the following subjects: Classic English and American Fiction; Poetry; Greek and Roman literature; Puffin and children’s books; Science Fiction; Non-fiction, Pelican and the Penguin Special.

In the afternoon, there will be a guest lecture by Jeremy Lewis, biographer of Sir Allen Lane, the Bristol-born founder of Penguin Books.

The Penguin Archive Project began in May 2008 with a grant from the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC).  It is a four-year project with an aim to produce an on-line catalogue of the Penguin Archive, which is held in the University of Bristol Library Special Collections.  The project also undertakes research in the archive, particularly in the areas of modern poetry, Penguin 'specials' and their socio-political impact, and Penguin translations of the classics.  The Project also aims to engage with the public and the larger academic world via a series of events, conferences and exhibitions.  

The Readers’ Day takes place on Saturday 24 October from 10am to 4pm at the University of Bristol, 3/5 Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1TB. Price £15/£10 (concessions).  Lunch provided. 

If you would like to book a place, please complete and return the 'Introducing Penguin' booking form (Pdf, 98Kb).  The deadline for booking is Monday 12 October.