The Longbow, the Schooner & the Violin
Wood and Human Achievement
by Marq de Villiers
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Pub Date May 30 2022 | Archive Date Aug 11 2022
Sutherland House | Sutherland House Books
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Description
The English longbow, made of rare yew wood, unmatched for accuracy, speed of fire, and deadliness, shifted Europe’s balance of power in the Middle Ages.
Schooners, those "able handsome ladies" of the sea, inaugurated a new era of global trade, carrying high-value cargoes of tea and spice to Europe and America with unmatched speed and reliability.
The violin, individual examples of which have personalities and histories as brilliant as the performers who play them, brought Western music to the pinnacle of expressiveness.
These three iconic artifacts exemplify the inventive ways human ingenuity has employed wood - one of our most extraordinary natural substances - to change its culture and history. In this sweeping and beautifully-written history, award-winning author Marq de Villiers explores our relationship with wood, from ancient times to the present, from the forest to the workshop. Wood, he writes, has always been an essential companion to human development, and its most remarkable applications may still be ahead.
A Note From the Publisher
Born in South Africa, MARQ DE VILIERS is the author of nine books on exploration, history, politics, and travel, including Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource, which won the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction. He was made a member of the Order of Canada in 2010.
Advance Praise
PRAISE FOR MARQ DE VILLIERS WORK:
Winner, Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction, Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource (1999)
“The author’s argument is exceptionally persuasive here because he does not scold or inveigh but lucidly and reasonably reports …” — The New Yorker (Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource)
“[A] lively, engaging treatise on wind and the weather it makes.” — The New York Times (Windswept: The Story of Wind and Weather)
“Water is emerging as one of the central issues of the new century. Marq de Villiers presents in this book a compelling and engrossing account of why this is so. Timely, authoritative, and eminently readable.”– Maurice Strong, former UN Undersecretary General & chairman of the Earth Council (Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource)
“A deft and fluid intermingling of travelogues with cultural and political history. Rarely is so ambitious a book so resoundingly successful.”– The Globe and Mail (Into Africa: A Journey Through the Ancient Empires)
“Marq de Villiers takes us on his subject with passion and compassion…. [He] writes about what he knows and loves and despises, without apology or polemic.” — The Washington Post (Into Africa: A Journey Through the Ancient Empires)
“A serious-minded, probing, knowledgeable report.” — Publishers Weekly (Down the Volga: A Journey Through Mother Russia in a Time of Troubles)
“A phenomenal story … with this broad perspective, the authors weave together the ongoing life of the desert that is forever changing.” — New Scientist (Sahara: The Life of the Great Desert)
Marketing Plan
- Pitching for reviews and new release round-ups in PW, Booklist, Foreword, Kirkus, LJ and others
- Pitching for reviews and articles using Marq De Villiers award winning writing career as lead.
- Full-scale PR emphasizing reviews, interviews, features/profiles, and excerpts with major U.S. & Canada print, online, and broadcast media (books, culture, current events, human interest)
- Focus on relevant special interest media & academics (podcasts, blogs, magazines, quarterlies): history, nature Environmental Historians, Nature History interest, science interest.
- NetGalley promotion & homepage feature
- Targeted advertising campaigns on Facebook, Goodreads and BookBub for Featured New Release promotion
-Select author appearances & book signing events in Canada, US & UK.
- Pre-order push and ongoing release promotion in Sutherland House Books newsletter and social media
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781989555590 |
| PRICE | $32.95 (USD) |
