The Measure of Things

This is a project that didn't go absolutely according to plan! On the recommendation of Michael Marriott (the not-according-to-plan was not his fault of course) I was approached by a London Art+Design publisher to put together a book on the subject of measure and measuring. I sent the commissioning editor some ideas based on things I'd worked on, and we had a few meetings. I really wasn't sure about this but I suppose in the end the idea of 'having a book deal' and seeing my book in Waterstone's won the day. Vanity!

Initially all went well and I completed my 30,000 words in time for the deadline; I even got paid. But then the delays started. I began to think that what I'd written wasn't good enough, but no - the publishers 'couldn't make their illustrations fit'. I'm sure this was book-world code for something else!) This went on and after about 18 months my worst fears were realised and the project was cancelled. Somehow i'd joined the massed ranks of the unpublished author...

This was a disappointment but then came the Covid lockdown. With more time I decided that - just for my own satisfaction - I would edit the text and find my own illustrations from my own sketches, photos, or postcards I'd picked up. This 'book' is the result, not now intended for proper publication but produced online by an on-demand printer as a record of what-might-have-been.
And some people have even bought a copy.

The Measure of Things is available from my online shop.
Click on the right-hand arrow to see the list of contents and a few sample pages.