Ghosts of the Orphanage
March release, US and Australian covers, 25% off pre orders B&N Jan 25-27
Dear Readers, Welcome to Unnatural History, the first instalment of an occasional newsletter, which will eventually include writing about natural history, language and the brain, biological and written records, secrets, crimes and historical cover-ups. For now, I’m here to update you about my new book Ghosts of the Orphanage, out this March, as well as this year’s upcoming events.
Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Making of the Atomic Bomb and A Hole in the World, Richard Rhodes, called the book chilling, brave, important, and…
A gripping read [that] bears comparison to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s The Gulag Archipelago.
COVERS
I’m excited to be able to share the Australian and US covers of Ghosts of the Orphanage. Here's the Australian cover, out March 15. With many thanks to Hachette Australia Books.
US COVER
The US edition of Ghosts of the Orphanage will be out from Public Affairs at the Hachette Book Group March 21.
Below is a link to the US cover, of which I am very proud. Designed by Pete Garceau, it is a photograph of an attic window at the north end of what was once St. Joseph's Orphanage in Burlington, Vt. The stairs to the left of the window lead up to a cavernous loft, where a number of the book’s unforgettable events took place. The photograph was taken in 2016 by the very talented photographer, Ian MacLellan, who used a pinhole camera (also appropriately known as a ‘dark chamber’).
For me, the cover does two very important things. It evokes the haunting quality of orphanage stories. Critically, the cover is also a record. It was taken before the inside of St. Joseph's was gutted by redevelopment. Now it stands testament to the atmosphere of that extraordinary place.
The fate of the orphanage building is a common one across the world, with many orphanages having been redeveloped into apartment buildings. MacLellan's photo doesn't just represent that one attic in that one place, but all the hidden—now disappeared—places where children once lived.
Images of the book will be included in the newsletter going forward. If you lived at St. Joseph's, you may not want to look at a picture of the attic. For others, the US cover of Ghosts of the Orphanage can be seen here.
25% OFF B&N PRE ORDERS JANUARY 25-27
Barnes & Noble are offering US readers a 25% discount on Ghosts pre orders for the next two days. If you want to order the book, please consider doing so now—pre orders can make a big difference to a book’s life. Click Ghosts to order, code: PREORDER25
TIKTOK SELLS BOOKS
If you or perhaps your children or grandchildren ;) are on TikTok or Instagram, please spread the Ghosts word.
ONE DOWN…
This is my first newsletter to provide updates about Ghosts of the Orphanage and for sharing other writing. Over the next month I’ll be adding information about book events in New England in March and April. Please feel free to share.