Significance

Happiness is the fifth volume in The Cream of Human Thought Library series edited and published by E.W Cole of Coles Book Arcade in 1915. The volume contains a large number of sayings and extracts from universal literature about happiness. Includes brief biographies for some of the authors as well as black and white drawings and text photos.
Cole published books on many subjects from war and peace to spiritualism, from popular works of adventure and humour to volumes of sheet music and the great literary classics. He also published many book series. Cole's Book Arcade was opened in 1883 and grew into one of the great book businesses of Australia.
The newsagent's invoice is an example of local business process in 1925.

Physical description

Hardback, small, no jacket, good condition, gold embossed green cloth cover, spine a little faded, edges of pages lightly toned, some wear on page edges and cover. 443 + pages. Happiness is the fifth volume of The Cream of Human Thought Library series. The volume is edited and published by E.W.Cole. It presents a large number of sayings and extracts from universal literature about Happiness. It includes brief biographies for some of the authors as well as black and white drawings and text photos. (No date,but mentioned in an advertisement in Melbourne newspaper for December 1915 (Trove). Inside the front cover of the book is an invoice from L.F Bickerstaff, newsagent, in Bridge Road, Richmond, dated 11-4-25 (April 11, 1925), for the amount of 10/6. It displays no obvious link to the volume.