Special offer on purchases: hand-bound hardback only £30!

“[A] truly original and delightful piece of literature. I laughed out loud at the recondite spoof literary references. It is a brilliant parody. It is so erudite and yet silly at the same time, it makes wonderful entertainment. The book is also beautifully produced.” — Deborah Howard, fellow of St John’s College, Cambridge

The Youth Hoſtel

Many years ago, I ſpent an unuſual night in a Dutch youth hoſtel while on tour with a choir from my univerſity. From this experience was born a mock–mock-epic poem: The Youth Hoſtel. For the next five years, in trains, planes and hotel rooms, I worked on my maſterpiece, in pencil and an 18th-century ſtyle.

Little did I know that the project had barely begun, and it would take me countleſs hours and another two decades to complete.

The fun-packed 40 pages include:

  • An uneventful night in a Dutch auberge deſcribed in 136 Heroic couplets.
  • A murder myſtery: who killed the author?
  • Exegetical footnotes for readers unfamiliar with the world of Anglican choral muſic.
  • Hilarious remarks for readers familiar with the world of Anglican choral muſic.
  • Eighteenth-century typography (In caſe you were wondering what all the ſ’s were about.)
  • An appendix alſo in verſe.
  • A delightful illuſtration.

The book’s deſign is baſed on that of a 1729 edition of Alexander Pope’s Dunciad.

Lo! here is a ſample page:

Sample page

And the title page:

Title page

The books are laſer-printed on archive-quality paper in the fineſt type, and ſewn and bound by hand.

Purchaſe the book

Card-bound book Cloth-bound book Scarf-bound book

Hardback (red cloth): £35+P&P

By ſpecial order only, leather-bound: about £150+P&P
Or, the ultimate deluxe edition, Gents ſcarf leather-bound: about £275+P&P

All copies are gilt lettered on cover and ſpine. Email me to order; I can take payment by PayPal, bank tranſfer or cheque.

Errata


Last updated 2021/02/21