Sunday, June 17, 2007

Another Mid-week Posting…

Let’s not beat about the bush…Harris & Hughes (Independent Publishers) have just released their latest book in collaboration with Phil Barker of http://www.rossallbeach.co.uk/ and it’s now available to buy on the Internet. ‘The History of the Fylde Coast in Old Picture Postcards’ combines almost four hundred of Phil’s fascinating old photographs of the area with our own special blend of research and literature.
For example, did you know that when Methodism first appeared in Thornton the worshippers would meet, much to the locals’ disapproval, at Nanny Greenwood’s thatched cottage near the mill where, on one occasion, the local kids stuffed a live goose down the chimney? Or that Marlene Dietrich lost one of her earrings on the Big Dipper in 1934, only to have it resurface from the Tom Sawyer Lake decades later accompanied by several toupees, one bra and somebody’s glass eye? Or that, upon completion of the bridge in St. Anne’s Promenade Gardens, Thomas Hornby (the bridge’s builder) buried a time capsule somewhere close by consisting of an empty beer bottle from his lunch filled with a copy of the St. Anne’s on Sea Express?
Well ‘The History of the Fylde Coast in Old Picture Postcards’ is crammed with such facts. But don’t let that put you off. At two hundred pages in length it’s an absolute bargain for only £9.95. Of course, you could wait until these books hit the shops in a couple of months time, but seeing as we’ve virtually sold out of the first print run already with advanced orders, you’d be better off ordering your copy now direct from the suppliers.


Visit http://www.lulu.com/content/880067 to beat the rush!


And whilst we’re on the subject of books, some of our regular readers might have noticed a new link in the side column recently for John Steventon’s ‘Two Henges, a Hill and One Long Barrow’. Admittedly we haven’t read John’s latest book yet but, as somebody who’s contributed to this board in the past (and we only let the crème de la crème do that), we can guarantee a damned fine read!
Here’s the blurb: “Two Henges, a Hill, and One Long Barrow is a look at Stone Henge, West Kennet Long Barrow and the Avebury complex. Four dozen high resolution, color photographs (most of them full page) give the reader a visual tour of these wondrous places, with the author’s learned commentary adding facts, asking questions, and giving a unique insight into their design, purpose, and meaning today.”
You can order your copy now from
http://www.lulu.com/content/914422 or regret it in the morning.


So, two unbelievably excellent books (eat your heart out Rothwell), ideal for birthday presents, personal treats or just for keeping by the side of the lavatory for those post-vindaloo vigils.
And don’t forget the third section of our ‘Iron Age Settlement at Warbreck’ article this Friday.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow! I never thought when I woke up this morning I would see my new book mentioned alongside the words "post-vindaloo vigils". Thanks for the laugh. :0)

Your new book looks better and better; the preview at Lulu.com gives a really good look at the book, but this post has convinced me to put this on my wanted list.

Thanks for the mention, of course, but I'm really curious as to how Tom Sawyer Lake got it's very American name?

Cheers, and thanks, JOHN :0)

Brian Hughes said...

John,

The Tom Sawyer Lake is so called because it's a fairground ride basically consisting of plastic rafts floating around a shallow ses-pool. (Apparently it's the longest ride in the world...and having suffered its tedium I can believe it.) Every so often on the hour-and-a-half slog you're confronted by an animatronic character from one of Mark Twain's books. Exactly which adventure the Loch Ness Monster that suddenly rises from the scum of old beer cans and Coke bottles about halfway round is in I've yet to find out.