The cork flies from the elderflower champagne as Michael Jackson's ethnographic memoir leaps to life on Rosa Mira Books.
Road Markings makes an invigorating, tender and thought-provoking journey (almost) the length of the author's natal New Zealand, and deep into the question of origins: what hold do our first places and people have upon us and why? To what extent can those early influences be relinquished or transformed?
Michael writes: “Although our lives may not transcend our origins, we seem to need to believe that this is possible, as in the myth of Maui who sought to return to the womb and be born again.”
It's a book that opens doors in the mind, enlarges the present moment, and keeps the reader pondering long after the reading's done. It's my great privilege to present to you, Road Markings: An Anthropologist in the Antipodes.
Many thanks are due. Firstly to Michael for entering the brave new world of digital publishing; it's humbling that such an esteemed and well-published writer of poetry and prose should trust his fine work to Rosa Mira Books and the Unknown.
Raymond Huber helped in the editing process. Caroline Jackson fitted page design around her full-time job teaching English in Japan. The cover image is by Michael's daughter Heidi Jackson, while my daughter Alex Huber came up with the reflective design, and Caroline made the typography glow. Ongoing thanks to each of you.
Formatting of files was done with patience and attention to detail by Jason Darwin of meBooks, and the website was similarly attended to by Doug Lilly of Arts Net, who took over from Hugh Todd of Constructed Meaning. Thanks, guys.
Sales maestro, Ratty, is feeling pretty knocked about by fatherhood and half a glass of .03% alcoholic elderflower fizz, however he offers his heartiest congratulations to Michael, his craftiest rodent blessings upon Road Markings, and he promises that he'll be up on his feet first thing Monday getting the Sales Department back into tip-top, ship-shape running order. He would like to add that for those of you who don't yet have a reading device, the PDF file of Road Markings will work beautifully on your computer or laptop. All versions are available here.
Please charge your glass-mug-teacup-thimble and drink to the large and vivid life of
Road Markings: An Anthropologist in the Antipodes.
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10 comments:
Congratulations Penelope (and Ratty, is he's not still out for the count.) This book looks fascinating - I look forward to purchasing a copy and reading it (on my brand new kindle.)
Fascinating indeed, Pam. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Thank you Kindley.
Congrats Pen, Michael, Ratty and team - a thimbleful of water from the Vaal Dam in Guateng, followed by a tumbler of bottled elderberry fizz. . . Contemplating my suitcase full of books, I'm rather wishing I was carrying my library in my lap, Kindle-style. I'm looking forward to buying a copy soon, too. (Hello Pam!). X
Thank you, Claire. I'm sure that thimbleful is worth its weight on gold.
Congratulations, Penelope, to everyone who helped Rosa Mira create another fascinating book we'll all be lucky to read. Well done!
XX Melissa.
From an undisclosed location somewhere near an abandoned woollen mill, this intrepid traveller also offers his congratulations - I am very much looking forward to reading this!
You're sounding a little like a mole (or a fairy armadillo) popping up in the middle of nowhere, Tim, but I thank you and trust you enjoy the read.
Oh that Ratty sure does know how to have a good time, eh? (I think I've got some catching up to do here!)
Congrats to RMB and Mr. Jackson. I'm adding the book to my list. It's a theme I've been chewing on for quite a bit lately. :)
It's true, Jane, that Ratty does NOTHINNG that he doesn't want to. I like to think it's not just a boy thing. We all have some catching up to do.
It's certainly a good book for a chew.
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