Nice Uvula

This one's a classic. Crazy people these Night Climbers. The card is the second of six, newly designed and soon to be available all over town. You, however, can get yours from here and enjoy the privilege of an online-only offer. I'll post another tomorrow.

New Cards Coming!

Some new design postcards were designed by and for a particular outlet here in the city and I think they're awesome so I'm going to make them available from the Oleander site. Give me a couple of days to get the listing sorted and then you can take your pick. There are two styles - modern (like this, all with tinted wording) and classic, each of six designs and both oversized with quotes on the back. I'll be posting each of the designs up here over coming days. All designs by the fabulous Ayshea Carter using images digitally remastered from the originals by the talented Hamish Symington.

'Quite Wonderful'

- the verdict from today's Daily Telegraph - fantastic; here's the full story. How's that for a great Christmas present? The story is also featured on Jenny Davidson's blog – many thanks Jenny. All this could only be equalled in felicitous favour if Night Climbers were to be top billing in a leading national magazine. Oh wait, what's this? Out today or tomorrow, I can hardly wait. In fact - either rush off and get your own or talk amongst yourselves for a while....

2007 has simply been fantastic. This time last year Whipplesnaith was just an idle thought - one of many that I have (idlings, not thoughts...). To think that the whole project only started in June, and we had the finished tome on bookshelves for the launch on the 26th October is incredible and wouldn't have been possible without the support and efforts of Ian and Hamish Symington. Since then it's been featured in mainstream national media like The Times and Telegraph, local like the Cambridge Evening News, Agenda etc and BBC Radio but also on the fringes with shouts in buildering groups and parkour sites, Urban Exploration forums like here, here, and here, as well as being lauded by the climbing communities – regular (features next month), and urban both in the UK and internationally. These are just a few of the people and groups who have welcomed, enjoyed and promoted this awesome book. Due to them, and all of you of course, it's been an expeditious and fulfilling experience and for that I'd like to offer my immense gratitude and sincere best wishes for 2008. Happy New Year!

Felicitations or Commiserations...

...whichever way you prefer at this time of year. I myself am a little of both in relation to the consumerfest manifesting itself in these weeks. But I am in decidedly good cheer on another front because in the next few weeks Night Climbers is featured in one local paper, two national broadsheets, one national magazine and one international mag. Fantastic. I'll put the links up here when they happen.

The image above I found hilarious. It was sent by the talented, inspiring and exotic Fatos - cartoonist to the stars! I'm using it entirely without permission so I can look forward to her suing me - unless, of course, you buy lots of stuff from her now...

Thanks to all of you - we've sold thousands. I'm really grateful and want to wish all Whipplesnaith fans, young and old, near and far, the most idyllic and enjoyable Christmas. And on the big day I hope we all get what we deserve ;-P

Take care

Jon

A Picture or a Thousand Words?

...'cos you can now have both! People kept asking for prints so they're now available from the Oleander website - framed or as unframed 10 x 8s. They look specbl**dytacular even if I say so myself.

On the book front we've done great numbers - 400 in two shops in 3 weeks in Cambridge alone! And Sir Ranulph Fiennes was on R4 talking about Night Climbing (and the Marie Curie Delivering choice Programme of course) on the 7th (see Listen Again, Libby Purves' Midweek on the R4 website) and that produced a small avalanche (intended) of visits to the site. I sent him a couple of the numbered, signed copies for the Campaign auction.

In coming weeks look out for features in The Observer, The Good Book Guide, The Oldie, possibly The Telegraph, definitely buildering.net, freakclimbing.com, ukclimbing.com, Gripped mag, Urban Climber mag and a whole bunch more. Love this stuff.

OH! - and guess what? I've heard from a trusted source that the Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum (also the Master of Magdalene) has asked for NCoC to be removed from the museum shop, branding it 'irresponsible'... I thought museums were mandated to preserve and promote our cultural heritage - not censor it. Of course, this is probably just an unfounded and erroneous rumour. Yeah, that's probably it.

Thanks everyone and take care.

The Critics...

Great piece in The Times today by Tom Whipple; he should find his missing copy - they're now worth even more as signed copies of the new edition are on ebay at £125-£145! Crazy. Anyway - the link is here.


Very nice article in Varsity yesterday although sadly they must have run out of space as they miss the opportunity to report on their chat with Nares at the launch last week. Pages 17-19 here.

And here's an interview with Nares himself by the Muswell Hill Journal. The Ham & High did one as well yesterday but I can't find it on their site. Probably just being incompetent...

Launched...

Hi folks. It was a great success - what can I say but thanks to everyone. Over the course of the evening over 100 people turned up and most bought a copy of the book. Thanks to everyone who was there and to all who couldn't make it but sent their best wishes. Of course - the main attraction was Nares:

who, at 90, was fit as a fiddle and could probably have climbed St John's again - after all, he was only 20 yards from it once again! A really nice chap who spent hours talking to everyone and signed stacks of books. People had even brought their copies of the original and got him to sign that as well as the new one.


Here, he was forced to be photographed with (from the right) Ian Symington - Whipplesnaith's son, Hamish Symington great-nephew and designer of the new edition, and some weird bloke who kept forcing himself into everyone's pictures...;-p

Photography thanks to Ben Watkins.