Sebastian Faulks lives in London. But his presence is felt everywhere books are celebrated. This is the impression I got during my recent 20-week biblio tour across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
I read his Birdsong years ago and loved it. I read his Snow Country recently. I am familiar with The Girl At the Lion d ‘Or and Charlotte Gray — two of a trilogy of his historical novels, along with Birdsong, set in France — but have not read yet.
Now that his The Seventh Son is out and creating fan waves all over the romantic world of books, I particularly looked for it everywhere I went. Yes, it was there in all Waterstones, a British book retailer, I visited right from its Picadilly head office-cum-superstore to the one in Belfast. Hatchards at St. Pancras International Train Station also displays Sebastian Faulks and his The Seventh Son prominently.
As l moved on with my book tour from London to Glasgow, passing Manchester, Scottish Highlands, Inverness, Edinburgh and several other towns and cities in between, I visited dozens of bookshops and libraries on the way. Sebastian Faulks, in the form of a book or two, was present everywhere in these places.
After a week’s break, I flew to Belfast from the Gatwick airport, to continue with my tour. By that time, his The Seventh Son has created some sort of a frenzy among his fans. Sebastian Faulks and his Seventh Son were very much present in Newry and Belfast.
Newry Public Library has his Birdsong, Devil May Care and Paris Echo. The Seventh Son was yet to come there. Waterstones, in Newry and Belfast, has Snow Country and The Seventh Son prominently showcased. It was a marvellous sight for any Faulks fan to see the way they are showcased there.
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