Last New Year, I ripped up a book contract. It was an intriguing sensation to free yourself from the otherwise desired embrace of a Publisher. As all hungry freelance writers know, you need to lie about your availability and accept multiple and contradictory commissions with enthusiasm. Editors do not want to employ writers who say No.
So why did I do it? Guilt about broken deadlines was not a primary concern. Deadlines are a vital aspect of newsprint journalism, but if you are writing a book they are mere fences to be jumped, as if you were an old hunter at a point-to-point. But I did know we were going forward into one hell of a year at Eland, moving all 182 titles into a new warehouse and a new distributor. I may also have talked about my next book too much, which can kill the joy of settling down in a dark corner for three months. The story had already been told. I was also enjoying the comparative success of The House Divided: Sunni, Shia and the Making of the Middle East and the invitations to book festivals.

I doubt there will be a finer book of non-fiction than this in 2025.’ Stephen Smith, The Observer, Book of the Day

‘Norman Lewis is more relevant than eve ... He is the travel writer’s travel writer, conjuring prose with more humanity than Bruce Chatwin, more insight than Jan Morris and more humour than Patrick Leigh Fermor. And as this new collection brilliantly reveals, he is a better writer than all three.’ Sara Wheeler, Financial Times

It’s not often a book gets this kind of praise. But ever since we bought Eland from John Hatt 25 years ago, he has been determined to bring together a collection of Norman Lewis’s finest writing. It was the fact that Norman Lewis was languishing out of print that led John to start Eland. So here’s to the founding spirits. For more on ‘A Quiet Evening’ featured in our latest newsletter go to our home page.

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