In this new series, Rarities & Treasures from the Publishers’ Archives, we are working with Malta’s publishing houses to bring you the most special artefacts they have in their possession, be they rare first editions, out-of-print tomes, and even correspondence.
This time, Joseph Mizzi from Klabb Kotba Maltin (KKM) and Midsea Books shares with us a retro and historic brochure that was sent as a general mail-shot to attract member for KKM in 1971. The addresses were copied by Joseph’s mother and sisters straight from the telephone directory.
On top of giving us a real sense of nostalgia thanks to its yellowing pages and sepia printing, the eight-page brochure is also a wealth of information when it comes to Malta’s publishing scene.
Firstly, it showcases Frans Sammut’s Il-Gaġġa, which was KKM’s first-ever publication, as its book of the month. Then there are some pretty interesting biographies of literary heavyweights like Achille Mizzi, Oliver Friġġieri, and Mario Azzopardi, back from when it was starting to become obvious that their contributions would have a lasting impact on Malta’s literary scene.
Finally, it also lays down the club’s mission statement and ethos, which includes things like encouraging people to read more books in Maltese, publishing international books in our mother tongue, and creating a beautiful library of Maltese books – all things they have, in our opinion, achieved.
You can check out the full brochure below.
