Meteorologically speaking, we are still deep in mid-winter, but here at Slightly Foxed the new quarter waits not for the weather, so we are delighted to announce that it is now, officially, spring. (Complaints Dept. c/o Michael Fox, 53 Foxton Square etc.)
Thanks to the sterling work of Tracey and her team at Smith Settle printers in Yorkshire, the new issue of the quarterly: No. 57, ‘A Crowning Achievement’, is now on its way to readers all around the world. Whether you make the most of the inclement weather and curl up in a favourite chair to devour it immediately or wait for a fair day for some al fresco reading, we do hope you’ll enjoy its typically eclectic collection of good writing and good reading. We won’t give too much away but, in it, among others:
Jane Ridley meets the Queen • Derek Parker socializes with Eddie Marsh • Amanda Theunissen joins the quest for Kim • Richard Holloway finds redemption in art • Penelope Lively hears voices from the past • Anthony Wells continues his search for lost time • Laura Freeman discovers the tragedy behind the work of A. A. Milne • Michael Leapman sticks up (and sits down) for George Bernard Shaw • Ariane Bankes snaps up something wholesale, and much more besides . . .
Also new this quarter there’s our 41st Slightly Foxed Edition: Something Wholesale, the celebrated travel writer Eric Newby’s characteristically jaunty memoir of his time in the rag trade – produced in a run of 2,000 hand-numbered copies as usual – and a rather exciting addition to our Cubs series for younger readers too. The manuscript of The Road to Waterloo lay unread among Ronald Welch’s papers for more than thirty years after his death and is now published, with specially commissioned illustrations, for the first time. Though not officially part of the Carey series, this novella fills a significant gap in the family story and fits neatly into the series. As with the earlier Ronald Welch titles, each copy is hand-numbered with its limited edition number from the run of 2,000 copies, so if you’ve been collecting these books do order now and we’ll send you the same edition number of this title to complete your set.
We’ll be sending out a email notice later this afternoon to those of you whose subscriptions have just expired with the new issue and will be in touch again next week with a few present suggestions for Mothering Sunday on 11 March. For the organized among you who like to order early, do use the code MOTHERS now (redeemable against everything in our online store) and presents will be wrapped handsomely in our brown paper, tied with signature cream ribbon and sent together with a hand-written gift card bearing your personal greetings, with our compliments.
And now, as there are binders’ parcels to unpack and new issues to beribbon, we’ll leave you in the showroom with Mr Eric, Miss Stallybrass, Miss Axhead and co.
With best wishes to you all from the SF office staff
Jennie, Anna, Olivia, Hattie & Katy