A.WAINWRIGHT

 The Books

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On November 9th 1952 AW embarked on an epic journey that would change his life forever.  AW set out to climb Dove Crag above Ambleside, in order to pen the first few notes for a guide.  At the time he didn’t realise, but AW was creating a national institution as important, in my eyes,  as the Works of Shakespeare, the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race or the majestic grounds of Chatsworth.  To many, AW became the Bible to the fells and an indispensable addition to the rucksack.  I must profess that in my own early days on the fells AW was always in my grasp as I ascended the tops.  I remember one particular episode when on Moses Trod, Great Gable.  A woman, keen to be following the correct route asked, “Is this the Wainwright route?”.  It rather perplexed me, as twelve year old, as we were following crowds along the face of Gable Crag.  I looked along at the train of walkers in front and replied, “I guess so, Wainwright went everywhere”.  I later found that AW had not been everywhere.

 

This page is an interesting resource being constructed to add details about all the current AW publications, both in, and out of print.  To the collector it may provide information on those missing titles and to the interested enthusiast it demonstrates just how prolific AW’s working.  On page five I have included some links to articles which brought about the formation of the Wainwright Society and the efforts leading to the republication of AW’s great works.

 

I would very much appreciate any assistance compiling this information as some of the books are now out of print and.   If you have any information about any AW books then please let the OFC know and we can add any notes here.  Initially I will include information on the newly published set of Pictorial Guides.  At the bottom of this page there is information linking you to the Frances Lincoln web site where you can order the latest publications.  Some of the information here was generated with the help of Steve Currie, a member of the Online Fellwalking Club.  I hope that many of you support Frances Lincoln in their new venture and without whose commitment we would have lost a national institution in the texts of AW.

 

The Pictorial Guides are now published by

 

 

The Pictorial Guides are also available from Striding Edge with 10% discount for members of the Wainwright Society.  Click here to link to the Internet site:

PLEASE MENTION THE ‘O.F.C.’ WHEN MAKING AN ORDER FROM THESE COMPANIES

 

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With help from Pam Long and Steve Currie, members of the OFC who answered the Club's  QOTW  relating to this list

 

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Frances Lincoln Publishers

 

John Nicoll, managing director of Frances Lincoln, said: “We are really thrilled to be publishing these books which I have known all my life. As a boy who was born and brought up at the foot of Kentmere in the heart of the Lake District I remember treasuring each new volume as it was published. Now I am honoured to be the publisher of these extraordinary books and look forward to introducing them to a whole new generation.”

 

Jenny Dereham, former Wainwright editor at Michael Joseph said: “I’m absolutely confident this is the right home for the books and am very pleased with the outcome.”

 

On Thursday 17th April 2003, Frances Lincoln Publishers will publish the seven Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells compiled by A. Wainwright between 1952 and 1966 at the new reduced price of £11.99.

 

Importantly, Frances Lincoln will be bringing the printing of the Pictorial Guides back to Kendal. During the life of the Pictorial Guides with Michael Joseph Ltd, the printing was moved away from the local printer, but Frances Lincoln, in accordance with Wainwright’s original wish, will now be returning the business to Titus Wilson in Kendal.

 

Numerous sketchbooks and volumes of drawings followed but in 1984 his writing took a dramatic turn. He agreed to write a book for the London publishers, Michael Joseph, which was illustrated with photographs by Derry Brabbs.

 

 

 

Fellwalking with Wainwright became a bestseller overnight and was followed by a further seven illustrated books. Two of the books, Wainwright in Scotland and Wainwright’s Coast-to-Coast Walk were accompanied by BBC2 television programmes and suddenly the reclusive walker became a virtual ‘national treasure’.

 

 

Eric Robson, who appeared on the television programmes with Wainwright and is now chairman of the Wainwright Society as well as presenter of BBC Radio Four’s Gardener’s Question Time, says: “He communicated better than any guide book writer before or since the essence of the Lakeland landscape, the visceral attachment of man to place, the spiritual power of weathered rock and angry sky. He was priest and poet in his own blunt way.”

 

 

 

Later this year will come:

 

MEMOIRS OF A FELLWANDERER    ISBN: 0711222398  Price: £12.99 pb

 

 

Next year Francis Lincoln will also see the reissue of some of his sketchbooks of drawings, and other volumes which have been out of print for many years.

 

The Pictorial Guides are also available from Striding Edge with 10% discount for members of theWainwright Society

 

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