Friday 18 December, 2015

When it comes to Christmas gifts, two things are top of our lists, books and food! Port Eliot Festival co-founder, and Publishing Director of Hamish Hamilton and Penguin, Simon Prosser has put together a wonderful list of special books to give to your loved ones this Christmas. Lots of last minute shopping ideas here!

A Moveable Feast – Ernest Hemingway. From St Germans to St Germain. Back in the French bestseller lists following the November 13 attacks, this remains the most evocative celebration of the Paris we all wish we’d known – the ideal Paris of writers and artists and beauty and poverty. I can’t imagine anyone not loving it.

Neapolitan Novels – Elena Ferrante. The author we’d most like to have at the festival, but she avoids all publicity so we will have to be content with reading her. Luckily there are few greater pleasures. She’s a genius.

Alexander McQueen – edited by Claire Wilcox. If you love the Wardrobe Department then you’ll love this, the companion to the epic V & A show ‘Savage Beauty’. Includes a survey of every McQueen London collection from 1992 to 2010.

Becoming Westerley – Jamie Brisick. From Port Eliot regular, ex-pro surfer and writer, the extraordinary and moving story of Australian super-surfer Peter Drouyn’s transgender transformation into Westerly Windina.

I’ll Never Write My Memoirs – Grace Jones. What could be more fabulous? ‘Hectic, bonkers, funny and smart’  in the words of Mark Ellen. We love her. Plus Louis Eliot tours with her as guitarist.

On Liberty – Shami Chakrabarti. Port Eliot regular, Liberty director and ‘most dangerous woman in Britain’ (according to the Sun) holds state power to account in this short, brilliant, highly readable defence of our liberties and rights.

Writings and Conversations – Barbara Hepworth. Our favourite Cornish modernist artist was also a terrific and witty writer and talker. Published to accompany her long overdue major retrospective this year, this is a must for all who love her work.

Lundy, Rockall, Dogger, Fair Isle – Mathew Clayton and Anthony Atkinson. Former Port Eliot co-director and Idler, Mathew has written this delightful evocation and celebration of the 50 or so islands around Britain, from Lundy to St Kilda, with illustrations by Anthony Atkinson.

Badshah Khan: Islamic Peace Warrior – Heathcote Williams. Longtime Port Eliot House resident, the legendary Heathcote Williams, on cracking form in this ‘investigative poem’ about Islamic Peace Warrior Badshah Khan.

The Nordic Cookbook – Magnus Nilsson. And finally, for all Flower & Fodder fans, a giant book of recipes, words and photographs which is not just a cookbook but a chance to live an imaginary parallel life as a foraging Nordic super-chef. 

Happy reading!