The Broken Road book cover
Not only did I have a lovely meal last night with friends, and awoke to a beautiful English summer’s morning, but my preview copy of The Broken Road was delivered this morning. It looks as beautiful as you would expect and I was pleased to see that Colin Thubron is given “lead billing” as editor; Colin has sometimes been overlooked but this is very much a joint project with Artemis Cooper.
I am looking forward to reading it in my lunch break today!!
The book is available to pre-order from Amazon, just click here The Broken Road: From the Iron Gates to Mount Athos
Patrick Leigh Fermor 
Am I alone in being somewhat disappointed in the “Broken Road”? To me the book lacks the high spirits, the intricate descriptions of the two earlier volumes. I guess in part this is because Paddy was not granted the time necessary for his endless revisions? I wonder too whether finally getting to Constantinople was a bit of an anti-climax – is this why his one surviving diary is so empty on that subject?
Here is a list of dates from Artemis Cooper’s Facebook profile –
Fri 13 Sept, Wise Words, Canterbury
Sun 15 Sept, Kings Place Fest, London
Tues 17 Sept, Ham and High, London
Fri 20 Sept, Yeovil, Somerset
Wed 2 Oct, Henley, Oxon
Thurs 3 Oct, Wigtown, Scotland
Tues 8 Oct, Ilkley, Yorkshire
Thurs 10 Oct, Daunts Bkshp, Marylebone, London –
with Colin Thubron
Thurs 17 Oct, Waterstone’s Kings Rd, London
Sat 19 Oct, Welles, Somerset
Mon 21 Oct, Topping Bkshp, Bath
Thurs 24 Oct, John Murray Memorial Lecture, Edinburgh
I shall be in New York late October early November to launch the biography, and will post that schedule as soon as it is finalized.
Glad to see this out so soon , and very much looking forward to reading it .
SLIGHT reservation that it doesn’t say ” Edited by XXXXX ” on the cover , as I think it ought to make clear this is not quite entirely PLF’s product .
I have it pre-ordered in America with Amazon, but they do not have a release date. Further, would there be any signings in the US?
Sandy – I have asked the publishers. If I hear anything I will get back to you. Tom
Supposedly the US pub date is March 2014, from NYRB Books.
Can’t wait to read this book. Do you know if either Colin Thubron or Artemis Cooper are doing talks and / or signings anywhere in Hampshire / West Berkshire / South Oxfordshire?
Julian – I have asked for info but had no reply to date. I am sure they will. The only one I am aware of is this http://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on-book-tickets/spoken-word/artemis-cooper-on-patrick-leigh-fermors-broken-road#.UhSpAn9Z68H
Thanks – that’s definitely a possibility, but I was hoping for one closer to home. I asked The Hungerford Bookshop if they are having another event in The Bear following the success of the launch of ‘An Adventure’ but apparently they aren’t, which is a shame because it was a very good event.