The Original Monster

Join the University of Sydney Library for a special talk celebrating our acquisition of a rare first edition of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Published in 1818, this extraordinary novel pioneered science fiction and remains culturally significant over 200 years later.  

Presented by Professor Vanessa Smith, a distinguished scholar on literature and culture spanning the late eighteenth to early twentieth centuries, this talk will explore the fascinating circumstances of the novel's creation, its cultural impact, and the significance of our unique copy, which has provenance connections to both Jane Austen and Mary Wollstonecraft. 

Following the talk, we invite you to enjoy refreshments and view this remarkable first edition up close. This free event is part of the University's 175th Anniversary celebrations, with the Library.

• Date: Wednesday 7 May 2025

• Time: 6 – 7:30pm 

• Location: Lecture Theatre 1130, Level 1, Belinda Hutchinson Building (H70), University of Sydney 

Registration is essential as places are limited.