from the chair: books

A young friend with a dual passion for wine and sustainable environments recently located to London and has landed a lucky job at a refreshingly independent innovative publishing house. Founded in 2003 by Barbara Schwepcke with encouragement from the late, great writer and exasperated professor, WG Sebald, Haus publishing has specialised in quality non-fiction and produced amongst others a series of short biographies.
3 years ago they added a list of literary travel writing, the Armchair Traveller, which brought it critical acclaim. They’ve so far published 29 of an anticipated 80 books around the world. More recently Haus has expanded into fiction with a special interest in Arabic literature.

There is something so very alluring about small books that fit so nicely in the hand, pack so easily into a handbag, are so gorgeously produced in lovely cream paper with an appealing layout and are also rich in ideas (see also Penguin’s pocket philosophy series and Melbourne University’s Little Books on Big Themes series).
Of the Armchair Traveller series I have so far loved:
· Spain Body and Soul written by a Dutchman who came to live in Madrid, whose appreciation for Spanish spiritedness and food shines in the memories, eating anecdotes and recipes;
· Hidden Bhutan, endearing for its deep empathy with such a rapidly changing culture, and humorous insight into the peculiarities of its people and capacity for truly adventurous trekking;
I look forward to the much praised Mumbai to Mecca by the prestigious writer Ilija Trojanow who also authored Along the Ganges (voted one of the best travel books of all time by Condé Nast Traveller).

In all, a highly recommended series for people researching a new destination, wanting to recall memories of a beloved place already visited or simply for those readers who do not want to vacate the comfort of their chair to be intelligently engaged, have their inquisitiveness aroused or to discover a perfect antidote to the style of travel writing enshrined by rough or lonely.
Haus have a vibrant web page and books can be ordered on line.