A Cumbrian journalist is celebrating having two books signed this year by one of the world’s biggest publishers.
Roger Lytollis, from Carlisle, was a feature writer with The Cumberland News/News & Star from 1995 until being made redundant in 2019.
This summer Little, Brown published Roger’s memoir about his journalism career. Panic as Man Burns Crumpets: The Vanishing World of the Local Journalist is the first memoir by any local journalist to be published by a major publisher. Little, Brown’s other authors include JK Rowling, Val McDermid and Margaret Atwood.
Now Roger’s next book has just been published. On a Pedestal: A Trip Around Britain’s Statues is the first book to explore statues across the nation.
“My journalism book has been very well received,” says Roger. “I worried that it might only appeal to people in Cumbria because it’s mainly about Cumbria. But I’ve had really good feedback from all over the country, lots of it from journalists and from people who read newspapers and wonder why their quality has declined so much in the last decade or so.”
The book is selling well and was reprinted just two months after publication. Chris Mason, BBC political correspondent and presenter of Radio 4’s Any Questions, called it “The best book I’ve read this year, by some margin.”
Roger says: “Little, Brown liked the journalism book and they commissioned me to write one about statues. They were interested in the controversy over Edward Colston and many other statues that erupted last year. I wanted to make it broader than that, so it explores and celebrates statues around the nation.
“Earlier this year I travelled to places including London, Liverpool, Edinburgh and Glasgow, unearthing the stories behind certain statues and seeing what people think about them. There were all kinds of things you wouldn’t expect, like a marriage proposal at the Beatles statue in Liverpool and a row over Greyfriars Bobby’s nose in Edinburgh.
“I saw people dancing with the Eric Morecambe statue at Morecambe seafront, and found out why the Duke of Wellington statue in Glasgow always has a traffic cone on its head.
“It’s a blend of a history book, travelogue and interviews with sculptors, including Sir Antony Gormley. I use statues as a way to write about people. The book is more blood than bronze.”
Roger will be discussing On a Pedestal and Panic as Man Burns Crumpets with crime writer Mike Craven at Cakes and Ale, Castle Street, Carlisle, on November 9 at 7pm.
Tickets are £5, redeemable against the purchase of either book. Tickets from Bookends or www.bookscumbria.com
