Our books will bear witness for or against us, our books reflect who we are and who we have been, our books hold the share of pages granted to us from the Book of Life. By the books we call ours we will be judged.

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Alberto Manguel

 

 

This video work features 42 Tasmanians from all walks of life reading a passage from a book of their choice about Tasmania or by a Tasmanian author. The readings are set against black and white scenes of Tasmania's richly varied and dramatic landscape -  beaches, forests, rocky peninsulas, mountains covered in mist, waterfalls, the city, the rural countryside, Port Arthur and the swirling sea. The stories are diverse and offer a unique cross-section of perceptions about Tasmania through the individual selections of the readers. 
 

42 was developed in conjunction with the production of the audio track for A Tasmanian Reading Room, also commissioned by Detached Cultural Organisation.  Both works invite reflection about the State through its published historical, scientific and fictional writing.

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It is worth noting that the number 42 has particular significance for two reasons: Tasmania's latitude is 42 degrees, and according to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, 42 is the answer to the meaning of the universe.