Author news
Alastair Humphreys to talk at Adventure Show
Serial adventurer, he’s currently walking around the M25 in the worst winter conditions in 50 years, and Eye Books’ author Alastair Humphreys will be talking at the Adventure Show at the end of this month, Sunday 31 January 2010.
Described as “The first great adventure of the 21st Century” by Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Alastair will be talking about his epic circumnavigation of the world by bike recounted in his two books: Moods of Future Joys and Thunder & Sunshine. (Alastair will also be talking at the National Geographic this month, details to come). You can check out Al’s blog, read about his cycling adventures by reading Moods of Future Joys and Thunder & Sunshine, or read about the wisdom he gained on his journey by reading Ten Lessons From the Road. Buy by using the buttons below.
For details on the adventure show go here: http://www.adventureshow.co.uk/visitor_information_show_features_talks_best_adventure.php
Time : 14:00 till 14:45
Where : Theatre 2
Around the world by bike. By Alistair Humphreys, Adventurer
Aged 24 Alastair Humphreys left England to cycle round the world. His journey along the length of the Earth’s three great land masses [Africa, the Americas, and Eurasia] took more than 4 years to complete. He has written three books about his adventure.
Jungle Beat – Drumming up Sales
We always appreciate readers’ reviews for our books whether good or bad. Feedback on what we publish is an invaluable tool to improving our selection process as well as the editorial and production work we undertake to challenge the way we see things. This year is the tenth anniversary of the publication of The Jungle Beat: Fighting Terrorists in Malaya, written by Roy Follows and published by Eye Books.
Sales of this book continue, especially on line where a cadre of enthusiasts, academics and people interested in military history have found and appreciate Roy’s book. This is just one example of a recent review, reproduced here in full from Amazon:
I can’t think of enough superlatives for this book. It is exciting, funny, informing and very very observant all at the same time and written without the swaggering testosterone that is so evident in so many military accounts that one can read today (not saying that that is bad, just different). It harks back to the sunset of the British Empire and is a first hand account of a down-to-earth, no-nonsense individual who conducted exhausting and nerve racking operations deep into communist terrorist jungle territory. From the events and actions detailed in this book you would initally have thought this was some special forces unit, but in fact these were all the actions of the then Malayan Police, who were every bit as tough and uncompromising.
The book is quite short, but that in itself is a redeeming feature as they prose is kept short and sweet. It never goes into minute by minute break down of events but nevertheless paints a vivid picture.
I highly recommended this book.
Thank you for all the support that you provide to our “back catalogue”.
Eye author Charlotte Metcalf
Check out Eye author, Charlotte Metcalf’s article on Marrakech in the Spectator magazine out this week.
Charlotte Metcalf is now the travel editor for The Spectator and has contributed to The Daily Mail, YOU Magazine, The Times, The Sunday Times, The Independent on Sunday and The Daily Telegraph.
She is the author of WALKING AWAY: A FILM MAKER’S AFRICAN JOURNAL, published by Eye Books.
In addition to writing, Charlotte is a renowned filmmaker and has filmed, directed and produced an impressive list of documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4: CHINATOWN (Films of Record/BBC), LIVING WITH HUNGER (Insight/Channel 4/Discovery Time/CNN), GLOBALISATION IS GOOD (Freeform/Channel 4); THE TROUBLE WITH CORPORATE AMERICA (MBC/Channel 4); THE END OF AN AFFAIR (BBC). UNREPORTED BRITAIN was a 3-part documentary series for Channel Four, uncovering crime and violence on the streets of Britain. Charlotte produced, directed and operated camera for two films in the series.
Eye Books acquires world rights to Morgan Tsvangirai official biography
EYE BOOKS ACQUIRES WORLD RIGHTS TO
OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY OF
MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, PRIME MINISTER OF ZIMBABWE
Morgan Richard Tsvangirai: A Villager’s Journey to Prime Minister.
Proposed Publication Date: Spring 2010.
All rights available: enquiries contact Dan Hiscocks – dan@eye-books.com Tel: UK: 0203 239 3027
At Frankfurt Book Fair contact: Jill Hughes Foreign Rights International Rights Centre Y3
Nominated for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Morgan Tsvangirai is the first non-lawyer recipient of
The 2009 International Bar Association human rights award
International Lifetime Achievement Award 2009 from the Spanish Foundation Cristobal Gabarron
The worldview of Zimbabwe is a country in turmoil. Despite being rich in natural resources and minerals, the country has been run down by a Dictator and wracked with massive corruption, inflation and conflict. Zimbabweans have constantly called out to the world to intervene and end the rampant racism and “black-on-black” oppression that it strangling its chance to contribute to the world and provide a fair democratic society to its people.
The view of Morgan Tsvangirai is one of hope and change. A man who despite beatings and charges of treason and a personal tragedy of losing his wife, Susan, in a car accident, has stood by his resolve and strength to run the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and a country which can lead Africa out of political and social mire.
What made the son of a rural bricklayer, who dropped out early from high school to help his family look after his eight younger siblings, feel equipped to challenge Robert Mugabe, the liberation war icon who turned into one of the most feared dictators in history?
Through a simple and consultative leadership style, which has parallels to US President Barrack Obama, he earned the simultaneous respect of the poor, academics and the famous. His nimble-footed and smart approach to rally the nation against serious odds surprised many, propelling him into the club of young, promising African leaders with as yet unexplained capacity to navigate through a murky political terrain for public good.
Tsvangirai is neither a Mahatma Gandhi nor a Nelson Mandela but very much his own man. This book gives us the insight to Morgan Richard Tsvangirai a new force on the world stage.
About the Author
As his personal assistant, advisor and spokesperson, T. William Bango and Morgan Tsvangirai have shared alot together over the last 6 years – not least the recent infamous beatings which nearly cost both their lives at the hands of Mugabe’s Zanu militia. Prior to this, Bango’s spent 23 years in journalism which took him as an aide to Robert Mugabe, a founding editor for the banned Daily News, and a Masters in journalism from University of Cardiff, and a three-year stint as a journalism lecturer at the Institute for Advancement of Journalism. He has recently completed a sabbatical to complete an MPA from Harvard University in Cambridge, MA.
T. William Bango lives in Harare, Zimbabwe.
First Contact
Cannibals and Crampons the award-winning film of Eye Books’ author Mark Anstice’s book First Contact is broadcasting tonight on ITV at 1:20 a.m. If you can’t be bothered to set your VCR, PVR or other broadcast recording device the film is available for free on DVD when you buy the book. Books are available here: www.eye-books.com
Book of the Month at the Architect’s Journal
Eye Books’ hilarious Crap Cycle Lanes is the book of the month in this Month’s Architect’s Journal. http://tinyurl.com/archjourn “Architects come up against short-sighted planning on a daily basis – not least when they get on their bikes”. An appropriate choice as the 2009 Cycle Show has just opened at Earls Court. See our special 2009 Cycle Show offers for special discounts on all Eye Cycle titles.
Alastair’s talk at Chester Literature Festival
The Shell Chester Literature Festival is in its 21st year, and they have invited one of our authors, the fantastic Alastair Humphreys, to give a talk. As well as being the author of three books, Al is a talented speaker, with the President of the Royal Geographical Society saying, “with the possible exception of Sir David Attenborough, that was the best lecture, and the longest applause that I have heard in the past 15 years.”
You can check out Al’s blog, read about his cycling adventures by reading Moods of Future Joys and Thunder & Sunshine, or read about the wisdom he gained on his journey by reading Ten Lessons From the Road. Buy by using the buttons below.
Peter Burden in the press
Since The Guardian broke the news of the extent of the News of the World’s phone hacking, our author Peter Burden has been asked for his views on Sky News, BBC News, ITN, Newsnight, Radio 4’s The World Tonight, 5 Live BBC One’s The Big Questions (click here to see this programme on BBC iPlayer) and many others. He has also written an article for The Guardian, (click here to read), for Comment is Free on The Guardian’s website (click here to read), and another article for the Independent on Sunday (click here to read).
He has also been interviewed or mentioned in the below articles:
- The Guardian, “News of the World phone hacking: MPs grill media”
- The Guardian “The biggest media story in years – so why the silence?”
- The Guardian “Masters of the dark arts”
- Yorkshire Post “Hacks and hackers hit the headlines”
- Book Brunch Daily (membership required)
Check out his blog at www.peterburden.net
On Thin Ice
Many of you who are fans of extreme adventure may have been watching the new series: On Thin Ice which follows Ben Fogle and James Cracknell as they prepare to take part in the 2009 Race to the South Pole. It’s cracking stuff! The challenges, the imminent dangers that such an adventure entails, and the emotional roller coaster that these two “fit” men go through in order to prepare for a most daunting task.
Tess Burrows at the South Pole issuing forth her peace messages
Of course they did not go alone, there were other teams. Teams we have yet to meet. One member of another team is our very own Eye Books author – Tess Burrows. I would like to argue that Tess is the better story in this. She is not a former Olympian, SAS trooper or TV celebrity. Tess, if she does not mind my mentioning it, has her bus pass and is a grandmother. What Tess had to accomplish in order to meet the challenge of racing to the South Pole far surpasses anything that our Ben and James had to muster. Her story demonstrates yet again what humankind is capable of physically and mentally whatever your age. Happily for Eye Books Tess is finishing up writing about her adventure – challenging the way we see things! Next time you tune in to the BBC for On Thin Ice spare a thought for Tess, and when the book is out – we’ll let you know – we expect an avalanche of sales.
Peter Burden’s News of the World in The Guardian
The revised edition of Peter Burden’s News of the World, Fakes Sheikhs & Royal Trappings, received attention in The Guardian, today. Burden’s revised publication contains the scoop behind the Max Mosley case and reveals the other side of claims in the Fake Sheikh’s autobiography. It also bares all on the B&B naturists, which is what drew the interest of The Guardian’s Media Monkey, who reported that,
The revised edition of Peter Burden’s book… features two controversial pictures newly inserted by the author, one of which Monkey would rather forget. It shows the paper’s chief reporter, Neville Thurlbeck, reclining in a state of unfortunate undress, his blushes saved only by pixelation. Expect a torn-out page and an errata slip from the publisher if News International heads to the courts once again.
If you wish to view Media Monkey’s full post regarding Peter Burden’s book, you may do so by clicking here.
What a great product!
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