Preston weaves the very best writing about birds into a personal and eccentric narrative that is as much about the joy of reading and writing as it is about the thrill of wildlife.
Florence, Fiction and Historical Fact
On Saturday evening, a little after five, I walked down through the streets of Florence to the Ponte Santa Trinità. Indian summer blasted over the terracotta rooftops, the sun’s last apricity sending crowds out to bask along the Lungarno, to loll on parapet walls. I made my way over the serene cobbled curve of the … Read More
Letter to A Young Writer
In July, 2014, just after the publication of In Love and War, I was asked to speak to students on the Creative Writing Master’s programme at Oxford University. I read them a letter that I wrote to my younger self. Here it is, with a few illustrative pics. Dear Alex, I’m writing this in July 2014, … Read More
In Love and War – The Critical Response
“It’s a title befitting an epic, and Preston emphatically delivers in this, his third novel but his first foray into historical fiction. That he’s a natural at it is clear… Vividly imagined and richly atmospheric, Preston’s dramatic tale propels the reader towards a tense and tragic final showdown.” Stephanie Cross, Daily Mail “Rich in period detail … Read More
In Love and War – Reviews
Daily Mail, 3rd July 2014 The Lady, 4th July 2014 Literary Review, 4th July 2014 Lovereading Blog, 5th July, 2014 The Observer, 13th July, 2014 Empty Mirror Books, 14th July, 2014 Financial Times, 18th July, 2014 GQ, 21 July, 2014 We Love This Book, 22nd July, 2014 Country Life, 23rd July 2014 The Telegraph, 23rd … Read More