Radio Four recognition for writer Tallack

LOCAL author Malachy Tallack’s forthcoming publication ‘Sixty Degrees North’ is to be BBC Radio Four’s book of the week in mid July.

Tallack said he was “absolutely delighted to hear the news”. The 75,000-word travelogue, being published by Polygon, is to be edited down into five 15-minute long episodes for broadcast in the week starting Monday 13 July.

He said: “Book of the Week is something I’ve listened to often over the years, and it’s amazing to think that my own book is now going to be featured. I’m looking forward to finding out who’ll be reading it”.

In addition to a national launch, Tallack – who is now based in Glasgow – planning a launch event locally in conjunction with Shetland Library on Wednesday 22 July.

‘Sixty Degrees North’, the product of many years’ work, is a travel book exploring the countries that lie along the sixtieth parallel, focusing on the landscapes and cultures that share this latitude.

In addition to Shetland, Tallack has researched and written about communities in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Russia and Scandinavia.