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Palin's Posts

The Last Lap

Friday, 13th April, 2018

As anyone whose ever had to write a book to a deadline will know, the closer it gets to that deadline the more reasons you find to make coffee, check your email, catch up on the last 15 minutes of that irresistible podcast, stare out of the window, or if you’re feeling really energetic, go to sleep. I’ve been fighting these psychological battles rather a lot recently, but thanks largely to the grumpy weather, I’ve never been tempted to stray far from my desktop, and I can report that after eight months of concentration, my book is just about complete.

Erebus research trip to the North West Passage August 2017.
Left: Greenland. Taken on the flight from London to Vancouver. Right: Rock stacks on King Leopold Island. It looks silent but home to thousands of birds and one of the noisest places on Earth.

It’s to be called Erebus The Story of a Ship and it’s my first foray into historical non-fiction. I think the reason I’ve been able to complete it at all is because I have grown more and more fascinated by the story. The more detail you unearth, the more you realise what exciting times those were in the 1840’s, when crews crowded onto small ships to explore the Great Unknown.

Left: Arriving at Resolute. One of the most northerly airports in the world. Right: Remnants of the old US refueling station at Resolute. Now living sculptures.
Left: I was given the pilot’s cabin. Right: Walking in the arctic can get quite warm.

The story is about facing the unknown, and Erebus did that not once but twice. Her Antarctic journey was a triumph. Her Arctic journey was a disaster. And three and a half years ago, she turns up again, in pretty good shape, on the seabed in the Canadian Arctic. All the elements for a great tale. I cross my fingers that the eight months writing has not been wasted. I have a terrific editor who is helping me whip it into final shape, so as spring struggles through and our resident flock of house sparrows perform gymnastic mating feats outside my window, I’m feeling in upbeat mood. Watch this space!

Beechey Island. Two of the graves of the first men to die on the Franklin expedition 1846.

The Death of Stalin is out there in the wider world, except if you’re in Russia, where it remains banned. The opening figures in the USA are promising, though I felt a bit like one of Stalin’s victims when I found they’d removed my face from the US poster. Still, maybe it’ll make it easier for me to get a Russian visa!

Hope you’re all well out there. Please keep in touch.

Working with Whitehouse. Or rather not working. Waiting in the Gents Cloakroom to be called on to the Death Of Stalin set. August 2016. Nice suits. Sorry about the plastic bottle!!
Purchase a book or DVD in the shop and get it signed by Michael. Just write your name or the name you want in the Book/DVD Signing box at checkout.

Palin’s Posts

  • On The Road Again – again

  • Nights in Belfast

  • On Squatting

  • Perfect Matches

  • Things To Be Proud Of

  • Change Of Heart

  • The Bishop’s Finger

  • A Day For The Diary

  • Walk, Don’t Run

  • London Lockdown

  • Inspirational Eccentricity

  • Marking Time

  • Big Day For Erebus Fans

  • Out Of The Window

  • Pre-April Fool

  • History Doesn’t Always Repeat Itself

  • Knowing Terry

  • Nancy Lewis/Jones

  • Ticker Tapes 3

  • Fifty Years On

  • Ticker Tapes 2

  • The Ticker Tapes

  • Bournemouth and Beyond

  • Getting On A Bit

  • End Of Term Surprise

  • Down Under and Underground

  • Archives and Anniversaries

  • Erebus Sails On

  • On The Road Again

  • Calm Before The Storm

  • Busy Summer

  • The Last Lap

  • Erebus Sails on into the New Year

  • Death of Stalin Day

  • North-West Passage

  • Following The Fleet

  • Spring Into Action

  • A Weekend In Pakistan

  • Cold Start

  • Ten Days in Taiwan

  • A Yorkshireman In Paris

  • Brazil and Why the Thought of It Cheers Me Up

  • June goes out with a groan

  • May on The Way

  • Still Travelling

  • Martin Honeysett and Dr. Fegg

  • Farewell to the Thirty Years Tour

  • Warm in London

  • Eurostar to Paris

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