It’s a red letter day for us.
Alec Riley’s book has gone through the review process at our publishing platforms Amazon and IngramSpark and been approved. The title is beginning to appear on book shops across the web.
Amazon is already offering the book for sale.
It gives us great satisfaction to have completed this first stage of the project, and to have achieved for Alec what he was unable to do in his own lifetime.
Almost 90 years ago, in April 1932, Riley had to inform Sir Ian Hamilton, who had kindly written the foreword, that his manuscript had been rejected.
‘My agents in Fleet Street sent it to Benn’s, Methuen’s and Murray’s, and none of them want it.’
Riley acknowledged that the book, with so many photographs, might’ve been expensive to produce.
‘On the other hand, it has passed the censorship of many who knew Helles and who are capable of reasonable criticism.’
‘I do not regret the effort,’ he told Hamilton. ‘In fact, I am hoping to start on a bigger and better effort, using my own photos and descriptions, and from my diary, your own Gallipoli Diary, and the Official History … of course, it is hopeless to expect anyone to publish.’
Today we can present to you the surviving extracts of Riley’s lost manuscripts plus a faithful transcript of his handwritten diary.
We’re confident it’ll pass muster.
It’s been great to hear from people who’ve got their copies.
‘So pleased to receive this,’ tweeted Warren Smith, who posted a couple of pictures and called the book ‘essential reading for Gallipoli enthusiasts.’
Five stars was the verdict of one Amazon reviewer, who said ‘the editors have done an excellent job … the care with which they have researched every possible reference is evident. Anyone interested in what it was really like at Cape Helles should add a copy of this book to their collection.’
We’d like to see your reviews and photos, on Amazon or elsewhere.
