Malachy wins travel writing prize

SHETLAND author and writer Malachy Tallack has won a distinguished travel writing award for his latest book The Un-Discovered Islands.

The book, which was released last year and features visuals by Katie Scott, won the Illustrated Travel Book of the Year prize at the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards in London on Thursday.

Tallack said he was “absolutely delighted” but shocked to collect the prize at the ceremony.

The Un-Discovered Islands: An Archipelago of Myths and Mysteries, Phantoms and Fakes sees Tallack look at islands once believed to have been real but no longer feature on maps, such as Drogeo, Icaria and Podalida.

“I was absolutely delighted to win this award, and particularly to be recognised in this category. Katie’s illustrations are such a hugely important part of the book,” Glasgow-based Tallack said.

“I was shocked when the announcement was made at the award ceremony. We’d had no hint in advance that we’d win.

“To be honest, I figured they wouldn’t give a travel writing award to a book about places that don’t exist, but I’m obviously very pleased to have been be proven wrong.”

Tallack rubbed shoulders with a number of other noted writers and personalities at the event, with Michael Palin on hand to receive the outstanding achievement award.

His latest book, published by Polygon in the UK, follows on the successful Sixty Degrees North, which was released in 2015.