February’s issue of Undercurrent, for example, concentrates on Hall’s technical achievement: “It’s hard enough to take a first-rate photo of reef life in the best of conditions. Try doing it in murky, bone-numbingly cold water while wearing a dry suit with 40-plus pounds of weights around your waist, and thick, insulating gloves making it hard to use the camera controls. That’s what David Hall had to endure while photographing in Canadian waters, but those physical disadvantages make his 160-page book, Beneath Cold Seas: The UnderwaterWilderness of the Pacific Northwest, all the more amazing.” But Hall’s writing is also praised as being as eloquent as his photography. Undercurrentis a highly respected newsletter/magazine for divers that accepts no advertising and publishes thoughtful reviews of equipment, dive destinations and books related to diving; it has sometimes been called “the Consumer Reports of diving”, and most serious divers subscribe to it.

Peter Symes, editor of X-Ray Magazine, is perhaps the strongest proponent of Hall’s work we’ve heard from to date: “Hall has consistently managed to capture patterns, textures and colors…as if they were created on an easel. David Hall is an inspirational master who clearly hasn’t yet gotten all of the recognition that he deserves,” says Symes. And he should know: he has been in the underwater photography business a long time, and freely confesses that he’s pretty hard to impress. He calls the photographer “in a class of his own” and says that the book is “a rare piece of art. Or rather, it is full of them.” He likens the photos to works by the great Impressionists.

Outdoor Photography Magazine‘s Jemima Greaves is amazed not just by the shots but by the richness and beauty of the underwater life he reveals: “Dispelling the myth that cold, murky waters equal boring waters, Hall has captured the staggering beauty and variety of marine life found in the Pacific Northwest. Although the animals themselves are truly amazing, it is Hall’s creative eye and masterful photographic technique that really sets this book apart…”

Beneath Cold Seas has also appealed to people outside the world of photography, marine conservation and diving.

Queens Quarterly‘s reviewer also focuses on the unsung brilliance of the colours and variety of the underwater life in these cold, dark waters. “When we think of vibrant sea creatures, we tend to envision coral reefs and tropical waters. But although temperate oceans are colder and darker, life within them is still bright. Consider the dazzling yellow stripes splashing the flanks of China rockfish or the neon feathered tips of the clown nudibranch.”

Blogger Bensozia agrees: “David Hall’s astonishing photographs show the vibrant colors and teeming life of a part of the world [where]… I never suspected these spectacular wonders. I have never looked through a book of nature photographs that wowed me so consistently. From brilliant anemones to illuminated squid to rococo sea slugs, Hall has documented an Aladdin’s Cave worth of visual wonders.”
]]> http://sarabandbooks.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/reeling-in-the-superlatives/feed/ 0 sarabandbooks http://sarabandbooks.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/chambery-the-best-of-emerging-european-novelists/ http://sarabandbooks.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/chambery-the-best-of-emerging-european-novelists/#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:08:51 +0000 Saraband Books http://sarabandbooks.wordpress.com/?p=149 Continue reading →]]> Organisers of the Chambery Festival du Premier Roman – a festival celebrating Europe’s best emerging literature – have announced the shortlist of the English-language novels for the 2012 season, the 25^th in this popular festival’s history.

Making Shore is one of the 12 shortlisted titles, so our congratulations are due once again to Sara Allerton, who won last summer’s People’s Book Prize for Fiction. Her gripping and moving novel is set in World War II and was inspired by a true incident. Survivor Brian Clarke, now 89 years old, shared his reminiscences with the author. An interview with both can be seen on the video on the book’s page on our website.

The competition for the French festival will be fierce, as the list includes two novels that have collected the Costa First Novel Award: Kishwar Desai’s Witness the Night (2010) and Raphael Selbourne’s Beauty (2009), and a Richard and Judy-selected novel, Elizabeth Speller’s The Return of Captain John Emmett.

The shortlisted novels are published by Mantle Pan Macmillan, Faber and Faber, Virago, Headline, Tindal Street Press, Maclehose Press, Sceptre, Orion, Beautiful Books and Alma Books – an interesting mix of indies and large houses. The festival selections are made by 3000 participants in regular literary events and reading groups. The pre-selections for the English language have been organised in conjunction with Waverton Good Reads, the Chambery affiliate partner in the UK.

So, once again – good luck Sara! Let’s hope you make the final two for the festival’s Europe-wide winners!

ONE
With January 25th less than two weeks away, our Burns Night app has become a hit! From one iTunes download to nearly four thousand in a few short days, we could hardly have hoped for such an overwhelming response. Much of this is no doubt due to a mention in Guardian blogger Stuart Dredge’s apps roundup, and then to getting on to the title screen of the iTunes app store under ‘New & Noteworthy’.  Perfect timing!

Exposure aside, we’re happy that we could include such stellar content (see behind-the-scenes video on Youtube). The app includes Burns songs from acclaimed Scottish singers Annie Grace, Karine Polwart and Corrina Hewat, and a rousing performance of Tam o’ Shanter from Herald Angel winner Aly Macrae. Our very own Kirsty sings the traditional melody of Auld Lang Syne, too. Annie, Aly and Kirsty are now rehearsing for the Burns Supper at the Scottish Parliament. We’re not implying that the app secured them the invitation to sing for our leaders, but we’re very proud to have featured them first!

On top of the songs and performances, Scott Smyth’s design makes the app stand out, and developers Spot Specific built us a compass to point to Burns’ birthplace, which is proving a big hit, and an autocue in case you need prompting when you try reciting Tam o’ Shanter for yourself. And for those who didn’t realise how popular Burns is around the world, we included some voices of non-Scots too. We now discover that no less than the King of Pop himself was a fan! It seems that Michael Jackson recorded his own version of several top Burns songs, and there will be donations to the Burns Birthplace Museum from the proceeds.

For anyone throwing their own party, going to a Burns Supper or otherwise commemorating Burns Night, the app is rich with history, music and poetry. The new update also allows you to tweet our very own @Burns_Night with your interpretations of his poetry, to translate lines of Auld Lang Syne in whatever language takes your fancy (be it indigenous, fictitious or intergalactic), and to tell the world what Burns means to you. So “hope springs exulting on a triumphant wing” for all at Saraband on this ‘blue’ Monday, but what else is there to celebrate?

TWO

This month sees the launch of David Hall’s Beneath Cold Seas, which features breathtaking photography of the marine life of the Pacific Northwest. Having spent over fifteen years in often life-threatening underwater conditions, Hall “combines the inquiring and exacting eye of a scientist with the soul and vision of an artists to produce uniquely beautiful images that educate as much as they inspire” (Christopher Newbert). Today we were sent a glowing review from Outdoor Photography, whose editor said, “Hall’s creative eye and masterful photographic technique really set this book apart… Imaginative shots that capture both the under and above water worlds in a single image take the reader beyond the eerie and transfixing beauty of marine life, hinting instead at the interconnectedness of both environments and our responsibilities for them.”

We’ve also just received a review from the Editor-in-Chief of X-Ray magazine, who called the book “a rare piece of art”. He describes Hall as “an inspirational master” who is  “in a class of his own”: “Like no other photographer I am aware of, Hall has consistently managed to capture patterns, textures and colors and used all of these skillfully in compositions in such a tight and controlled manner, as if they were created on an easel.”

We quite agree!

THREE

©Zhou Mengqi

From marine conservation to black and white bears: We’ve just learned that the editors of BBC Wildlife Magazine have named Panda: Back from the Brink as their Book of the Month for their February issue, saying: “Astonishing photos of giant pandas in their native habitat grace an absorbing overview… [it] is a fitting tribute to these global mascots of conservation”. Outdoor Photography’s editor also gives it the thumbs up in their February 2012 issue: “Featuring wonderful images by Zhou Mengqi – taken at the famous Wolong research centre and in the wilds of the magnificent Qionglai Mountains, in the Sichuan region of China – and insightful text covering their history, behaviour and the conservation effort around them, this book feels like the complete story.”

Panda: Back From the Brink is now the number one best seller at Edinburgh Zoo (on sale from their online shop). Pandas are a hot topic at the moment. As France’s Vincennes Zoo acquires two bears of their own, Edinburgh’s Tian Tian and Yang Guang have settled in nicely, though a dose of colic has meant one of our furry friends has had to take a few days rest from entertaining the public. Get well soon Yang Guang!

Burns Night

Our brand new app for Burns Night is now live on app stores. It features an autocue to help you deliver your own dazzling Tam o’ Shanter performance. The compass will point you to Alloway: use it to face the Bard’s birthplace when raising your toast to his Immortal Memory. Top singers Annie Grace, Corrina Hewat and Karine Polwart have recorded two of their favourite Burns arrangements, and Tam o’ Shanter is brought to life by the inimitable Aly MacRae.

For anyone who thinks Burns Suppers are only for aficionados, download the app and get ready to order your haggis. We had some *interesting* responses when we invited people to translate some of the more impenetrable lines! They help to underline that Burns is for all, and his celebration should be fun. So, tak a right good willie-waught and get ready for Burns Night 2012. (Big thanks to Graeme at Spot Specific for all his work on the app, and to Scott for the design & illustration.)

Beneath Cold Seas

With the launch this month of David Hall’s Beneath Cold Seas, featuring superb photographs of the underwater life of the Pacific Northwest, it’s nice to start the year reading favourable reviews. Peter Rowlands, Publisher/editor of Underwater Photography Magazine, calls the photography “quite exceptional”:  “Beneath Cold Seas has taken more than 15 years to achieve, but the hard work has been worthwhile and it is difficult to imagine that there will ever be a better collection of photographs to come out of this area.” This comes after a top rating from Shelf Awareness: “David Hall has created a dazzling book filled with dazzling sea creatures, showing us an astonishing marine domain.”

The importance of marine conservation is becoming more and more widely recognised. I hope this incredible glimpse of the underwater world will contribute to the cause.

Our tribute to the world’s favourite bear, Panda: Back from the Brink has been a hit with visitors to Edinburgh Zoo (available from their online shop), who have at last been able to meet Tian Tian and Yang Guang. The book is now available as a fixed-layout ebook with exclusive video and audio from the iBookstore, as well as for Kindle, both digital versions featuring HD images.

Just before Christmas, we went to visit the new arrivals for ourselves. The head keeper, Alison Maclean, gave us behind-the-scenes privileges, so we watched Yang Guang having his weight monitored and munching on panda cake. As the new year begins, we hear from China that six captive-bred pandas will be released into the wild from Sichuan’s Chengdu Panda Base, on or around 11th January. This, after all, is the point of the conservation efforts.

Pioneer Women - cover

Continuously in print for more than 15 years, Pioneer Women, by Peavy & Smith, is now due to be published in translation for the first time. Gerstenberg Verlag are shortly to announce their own edition: Westwärts mit gerafften Röcken, which translates to “Women with gathered-up skirts”. The book owes its longevity both to a fascinating text and an outstanding collection of photos, which in themselves tell us stories of women’s resilience and resourcefulness. The English-language edition is available from the University of Oklahoma Press, where a preview can be seen.

‘A new chapter opens for Scots literary entrepreneurs’, announced Louisa McLennan, the Herald’s Assistant Digital Editor, as she presented a round-up of Scotland’s digital publishing scene last month. Along with describing some of our own adventures in ebooks and apps, she included interviews with Blasted Heath, Cargo, Ewan Morrison and Marc Lambert, chief executive of the Scottish Book Trust. It’s great to innovate, but I still love the printed book, too. I hope our volumes on the giant panda and the amazing underwater world Beneath Cold Seas will stand as testament to that.

So here’s to 2012, both for Auld Lang Syne and with an eye to the future!

Yang Guang (from BBC website)

Since the arrival date was announced on Monday, Edinburgh Zoo’s carefully planned system has struggled to cope with the enormous demand for the hottest ticket in town. The media has swirled with speculation and questions. Will the pandas settle in happily? How will they adapt to their new home? Where is the bamboo being sourced? What does the enclosure look like? And most frequently asked of all: will Tian Tian give birth to cubs next year?

But with all the fuss, there’s an underlying conservation issue that many are trying to address – several environmental questions, in fact. To begin with, there’s a significant school of thought that the conservation of the giant panda species is simply too expensive, and in today’s tight economic realities, the iconic bear should not be conserved at all, but should be thrown out of the ‘species conservation’ balloon in favour of ‘more worthy’ priorities – species more deserving of our resources.

This ‘too expensive to save’ (‘too big to fail?’) argument was aired very publicly in 2009, when TV presenter Chris Packham made the case for cutting the resources currently dedicated to panda conservation. The money should go instead, he contended, to protecting habitat such as a rainforest area that supports many species, thereby making a greater contribution to biodiversity on our planet. In an interview by Leo Benedictus of The Guardian, he maintained that concentrating on individual species – as did the 1970s Save the Whale campaign – is an outmoded concept in conservation. The pandas are being saved, he argued, simply because they’re cute and furry, and not for any reason grounded in sound scientific principles.

On the contrary, comes the counterargument. Pandas are increasing in population (albeit slowly) in the wild without expensive support because their mountainous Sichuan habitat has been ring-fenced against development in recent years, thanks to the research effort that China has invested. And with the giant panda comes a whole ecosystem including other rare species equally deserving of protection – snub-nosed monkeys, clouded leopards, takins, egrets and 400 other vertebrate species, not to mention the rich diversity of flora native to this lush, high-rainfall part of Sichuan Province. By protecting the big species, runs this argument, countless smaller species get saved too. Iain Valentine of the RZSS makes a convincing case for the conservation benefits of the panda research programme spearheaded at Wolong, in Sichuan, which you can read in his introduction to Panda: Back from the Brink.

Giant panda cubs

Aside from this debate, there are plenty of environmentalists upset at the thought of the food miles involved in transporting tonnes of bamboo to feed the pandas in their new Edinburgh home. Others disagree fundamentally with keeping animals in captivity in any circumstances, irrespective of their welfare and the conditions they’re kept in. This combination of animal rights and laissez-faire represents only a minority, but it’s all part of the debate.

One thing we can be sure of though: the pandas have got us all talking about conservation and endangered species, so that has to be a good thing. And – well – yes, we admit it, there’s another thing we’re certain of. These furry bears are just damn cute! So get ready to follow Yang Guang on the panda cam. And take a look at our book, featuring amazing photos of pandas at home in Sichuan. Sales of the book help support the pandas in Edinburgh. (Digital versions coming soon.)

Inflatable pandas at Edinburgh Zoo (STV pic)

Cover of Panda: Back from the Brink

Preparations for the new arrivals at Edinburgh Zoo are now in the final stages. Tian Tian (‘Sweetie’) and Yang Guang (‘Sunshine’) will each have their own space at the zoo, carefully designed to replicate the habitat they would enjoy in the wild. They will be housed in enclosures with bulletproof-glass viewing windows so that we will be able to see them going about their daily routine – of eating, eating, sleeping, and more eating.

Elaborate plans have been laid for the constant supply of bamboo, even in difficult circumstances, such as the total shutdown of the roads system that hit Scotland’s Central Belt last winter during a relentless blizzard. Even more elaborate plans are in place for the journey itself: it’s not the easiest of tasks transporting two large bears by plane on a long-haul journey!

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the organisation that runs Edinburgh Zoo, now has a dedicated website for the pandas. Amongst the featured pages, the head keeper of the pandas, Alison, has been blogging from China as she gets to know her new charges. Alison will travel from China to Edinburgh with Tian Tian and Yang Guang. Funny, her last entry was about the rainy weather…. Home from home, perhaps?

Meanwhile, here are a couple of pages from the book, as a taster. Or, see the preview pages on our website, or else the video trailer on youtube. The book will be available very soon from the zoo and from your favourite bookshop, or else at online retailers. We would like to thank Sichuan Fine Art Publishing Co, Ltd and the RZSS for working with us to create this book.

panda_samplespread1

Pandas love climbing trees!

Senior staff members from the Edinburgh Zoo team have just returned from China, and in mid-October, Chinese officials will travel to Edinburgh to determine whether everything has been prepared to their satisfaction. If so, we’ll be seeing our new guests in November. That’s not long to wait!

Yesterday, on an unseasonally sunny, warm day, I was lucky enough to be at the zoo talking to some of the people involved (and sneaking a few minutes to watch the monkeys, who were swinging with abandon and seemed to be appreciating the weather almost as much as the humans). No doubt the temperatures will be chillier by the time Sunshine and Sweetie arrive, but it would take more than Scottish weather to dampen their reception. In fact, the climate will suit the pandas just fine. It’s not dissimilar to the prevailing climate of their own habitat in Sichuan.

Here’s a first glimpse of how we’re planning to celebrate this auspicious event. More details will be released shortly, but for now, suffice to say that this book will be both gorgeous – featuring stunning photos of pandas in the wild – and of course, conservation-focused.

Photo by Zhou Mengqi

PS: we’re not meant to say that pandas are cute, but sometimes you just can’t help it!

But it’s easy to forget in our conservation-conscious world that not all species are threatened by changing conditions: some, by contrast, are thriving in places where they were once scarce, or even not found at all.

A recent BBC website article reported on a significant rise in jellyfish in UK waters this summer, as a result (maybe) of overfishing, pollution or climate change.

Whatever the cause, one of the species that is increasing in numbers is the lion’s mane jellyfish – the largest known jellyfish species, whose tentacles, with their potent (but not deadly) sting, can measure up to an incredible 36m (120 feet)! This colourful creature features on the front cover of our forthcoming marine conservation book, Beneath Cold Seas, by award-winning photographer David Hall.

Beneath Cold Seas book cover

To monitor these changes in our seas, the Marine Conservation Society is running a jellyfish survey and asks for the help of the public in identifying and recording the incidence of jellyfish species. An identification (and safety!) guide can be found here with the survey details.

So if you’re interested in helping keep an eye on the seas that surround us – it’s time to take to the water!

Making Shore

Inspired by the true-life experiences of 88-year-old former merchant seaman Brian Clarke, Making Shore has captured the imagination of an extraordinary range of readers, from literary fiction enthusiasts to fans of war stories, page-turning suspense thrillers, and romantic fiction. No one, it seems, can read it without shedding a tear: as Costa Awards judge Mark Thornton commented, ‘It packs an enormous emotional wallop’.

The awards were presented by patron and eminent novelist Frederick Forsyth at the home of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers, the historic heart (since the 16^th century) of London’s publishing industry. The oak-panelled Stationers Hall, rebuilt just after the Great Fire of London and situated near St Paul’s Cathedral, is laden with heraldic shields, symbols and portraits, and features stained glass windows depicting Caxton, Shakespeare and St Cecilia, the patron saint of music. It is not only a beautiful and lavishly adorned building, but a suitably grand and imposing setting for a literary occasion.

Stationers Hall - entrance

After a celebration dinner, opening speeches and an award for Special Achievement made to Libby Coleman and Nick Ainley for their work in promoting adult literacy, the top three from the twelve novelist finalists present were called to approach the podium. Sara waited on the stage with her two fellow contenders in a tense, Strictly-style countdown while Frederick Forsyth spoke about his own experiences and the importance of fostering new writing talent.

Waiting...

At last, the envelope was opened, and the awardwas announced. Sara, appearing somewhat stunned, quickly composed herself and made a very short and gracious speech, dedicating her award to Brian Clarke and thanking her publisher (thank you, in return, Sara!) She was congratulated by runner-up Lorraine Jenkin. Subsequently, environmental lawyer Polly Higgins was recognised for her ground-breaking Eradicating Ecocide, and Henry Fisher and Morag Ramsay received awards for a children’s book and as a first-time author, respectively. Founder Tatiana Wilson rounded off the proceedings with her own speech.

The winner!

All in all, a wonderful evening was had by all!

Making Shore is also available for Kindle (Amazon UK, Amazon USA)

Award winners - & founder Tatiana Wilson, centre

We are in a state of high excitement as our novel Making Shore enters the final phase of its (heroic) journey to the  2011 People’s Book Prize awards. Its protagonist is based on a real-life hero of World War II, former merchant seaman Brian Clarke, who at the grand age of 87 is thrilled to see his story told – albeit fictionalised so that his loyalty to fellow crew need not be compromised.

Brian Clarke

Brian’s extraordinary feat of endurance in the wake of a torpedo strike that left him adrift on a lifeboat in mid-Atlantic so inspired talented wordsmith Sara Allerton that she set about penning her debut novel, with his experiences at its heart. As a Quaker, the real-life 19-year-old Brian did not want to take up arms, yet felt compelled to contribute to the war effort. Quickly finding himself the rookie of an otherwise experienced crew, and in the face of disaster, he had to find not only a powerful survival instinct, but a stroke of ingenuity and a sustaining role model to see him through his ordeal. His (fictional) inspiration was his heroic friend, a tower of strength and wisdom who would become Brian’s touchstone whenever his own courage seemed about to fail him.

Sara’s exceptional debut has attracted not only enthusiastic reader reviews, but accolades from critics and commentators including Mark Thornton, judge for the Costa First Novel Award:

“It is based in part on a remarkable true story of survival at sea, and in that regard the writing is dignified yet compelling. Having survived the torpedoing of his boat during WWII, young wireless operator Cubby Clarke endures a terrible ordeal with other survivors from the boat, and even when they reach land, their ordeal is not over. But the reason for the power of this novel is its framing within a relationship between one of his shipmates and his fiancée, which packs an enormous emotional wallop and raises this far above a standard wartime survival story. The book deserves to reach a wide audience.”

Brian (Cubby) is forced to dig deep to find the resources to face his demons when he finally returns home. Perhaps it is his very naïveté and ordinary qualities that lead us to wonder how we ourselves would fare under such extreme circumstances. Could we survive, would we do the right thing? Or, put another way, do we have a hero inside? And what of role model Joe: was he right to put Brian to the test with his terrible dilemma? And Maggie – will she be destroyed or can she keep faith?

Making Shore is gripping. It deals with universal themes – truth and betrayal, courage and paralysing fear, loss and the powerful sea tides of love, both to redeem and devastate. Make sure you have a box of tissues handy: this novel has drawn tears from even hard-core stoics!

Sara Allerton

If you love this book as much as we do, please vote for it now in the public-judged People’s Book Prize, before 15^th July. Sara Allerton is also a deserving contender for the Beryl Bainbridge Award for a First-Time Author. Very best of luck, Sara! And thank you for elevating the concept of a hero to something so much more than the opposite of ‘zero’ – a crass media dichotomy Andy Murray faces yet again this week. (Good luck Andy, too!)