As the New Year begins to get going (although Nicolas’ urge to hibernate does not really lessen until Spring is upon us!) it is time to get our friends excited by our new book. We have of course been labouring over it for many months but we have not mentioned it before – except in conversation with a few. The printing is complete but Angela Lemaire has yet to embark upon the hand-colouring of the Specials that has been such a valued feature of our earlier ventures together.

We have enjoyed a friendship with the author for quite a large percentage of his still very young life as he began to be interested in books from The Old Stile Press ( to the point where he wished to acquire copies) while he was still at school!

‘Ed P-T’, as he is usually shortened to, moved on to St John’s College, Cambridge, as an organ scholar but his music studies were swiftly expanded with wide-ranging explorations into science and philosophy and a fascination with all aspects of our universe and, in particular, a deep commitment to the preservation of our particular planet.

Quite early in his time at Cambridge he became attached in all sorts of ways to the trees around St John’s. He climbed them, he studied their history and their science, he swam below them and they gave much to him. Crucially, for us, he began to write about them.

One day he showed us a draft manuscript that was eventually to become this book and, almost immediately, it was  clear to us that we wanted to publish it  and, equally immediately, was it obvious to all that the artist who should be invited to join us in the adventure was Angela Lemaire – also a great lover of trees and Ed’s most favoured artist since the beginning of his OSP collection! Below, Angela can be seen in her studio and among some friendly trees!

 

So, there you are! We don’t know a price yet nor a publication date. The pages are collated and gathered and about to go to the binders.

We will let you know the facts later of course but you can always establish an interest now and this would be a good idea – especially if you are interested in a copy of the Special handcoloured edition (10 copies for sale).