Horatio Clare
Encyclopedia
Horatio Clare is an author and journalist. He worked at the BBC as a producer on Front Row (BBC Radio 4
), Night Waves and The Verb (BBC Radio 3
). He has written two memoirs, 'Running for the Hills' and 'Truant: Notes from the Slippery Slope' and a travel book, 'A Single Swallow'. He wrote and edited 'Sicily Through Writers' Eyes'.
, Clare and his brother Alexander grew up on a hill farm in the Black Mountains
of south Wales
. They were raised by their mother, who had fallen in love with the mountains and with sheep farming. Clare describes the experience in his first book Running for the Hills in which he sets out to trace the course and causes of his parents' divorce, and recalls the eccentric, romantic and often harsh conditions of his childhood. Running for the Hills was a UK bestseller and was published by Scribner in the US.
Clare was expelled from Malvern College
, then educated at the United World College of the Atlantic. He read English at the University of York
, where, like many of his peers and friends, he used a variety of drugs, particularly cannabis.
His second book Truant: Notes from the Slippery Slope describes what happened to him and his peers, concentrating on the political and social culture of the 1990s, and seeking to explore and explain 'the mad elephant years' as the book calls them, the period in which young men are most likely to take drugs, get into fights, go to jail and commit suicide. The book follows Clare's attempts to begin a career in provincial journalism when stoned, manic or depressed, in thrall to the writings of the Romantics and inspired by Hunter S. Thompson
. After a series of disastrous and eccentric escapades he ends up penniless on the streets of London, with apparent manic depression. The book tells of a kind of redemption through living and working with a crew of drug addicts and alcoholics in a Chelsea pub ("we know we are the bottle-washers in the luxury hotel of the western world", Clare writes) from where he joins the BBC
and — eventually — gives up cannabis. The book surveys the long-term effect of cannabis on a diverse group of people, and ends with a passionate warning to other, younger users.
In 2009 Clare's third book, "A Single Swallow: Following an epic journey from South Africa to South Wales", was published by Chatto and Windus. It recounts the author's experience of following migrating Barn Swallows (Hirundo Rustica) from their wintering grounds in South Africa to their breeding sites in Britain. As several reviewers pointed out, the book is less concerned with the birds themselves than with the people and places along their way, and the writer's adventures. Traveling over 6000 miles in three months, via Lusaka, Brazzaville and Algiers, Clare encounters - and, mostly, befriends - emerald smugglers, the Peace Corps, environmentalists, ornithologists, spies, soldiers, slave labourers, policemen, con artists, prostitutes, officials (corrupt and otherwise) an international rugby player (Clare attempts to secure him a UK visa) and in Spain two members of the Guardia Civil, who assault him for trespassing on a missile base.
'A Single Swallow' was widely reviewed, with critics praising its spirit of adventure and vivid portraits of contemporary Africa. Other commentators criticized the premise - notably Mark Cocker, writing in The Guardian, who said that following migrating swallows was a wonderful idea, but "there is just one problem - it's impossible."
Clare is the author and editor of Sicily Through Writers' Eyes, an anthology of writings about Sicily
, and a contributor to the collections Red City: Marrakech Through Writers' Eyes and Meetings With Remarkable Muslims. His journalism has appeared in The Guardian
, The Sunday Times
, The Spectator
, The New Statesman
, The Financial Times, The Sunday Telegraph and Vogue
. His writing now appears regularly in "The Daily Telegraph
".
Running for the Hills won a Somerset Maugham Award
in 2007, was longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award
in 2006 and Clare was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award
in 2007.
"A Single Swallow" was longlisted for the Wales Book of the Year 2010 and shortlisted for the Dolman / Authors' Club Travel Book Award.
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
), Night Waves and The Verb (BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
). He has written two memoirs, 'Running for the Hills' and 'Truant: Notes from the Slippery Slope' and a travel book, 'A Single Swallow'. He wrote and edited 'Sicily Through Writers' Eyes'.
Background and career
Born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Clare and his brother Alexander grew up on a hill farm in the Black Mountains
Black Mountains, Wales
The Black Mountains are a group of hills spread across parts of Powys and Monmouthshire in southeast Wales, and extending across the national border into Herefordshire, England. They are the easternmost of the four ranges of hills that comprise the Brecon Beacons National Park, and are frequently...
of south Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. They were raised by their mother, who had fallen in love with the mountains and with sheep farming. Clare describes the experience in his first book Running for the Hills in which he sets out to trace the course and causes of his parents' divorce, and recalls the eccentric, romantic and often harsh conditions of his childhood. Running for the Hills was a UK bestseller and was published by Scribner in the US.
Clare was expelled from Malvern College
Malvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
, then educated at the United World College of the Atlantic. He read English at the University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
, where, like many of his peers and friends, he used a variety of drugs, particularly cannabis.
His second book Truant: Notes from the Slippery Slope describes what happened to him and his peers, concentrating on the political and social culture of the 1990s, and seeking to explore and explain 'the mad elephant years' as the book calls them, the period in which young men are most likely to take drugs, get into fights, go to jail and commit suicide. The book follows Clare's attempts to begin a career in provincial journalism when stoned, manic or depressed, in thrall to the writings of the Romantics and inspired by Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author who wrote The Rum Diary , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 .He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to...
. After a series of disastrous and eccentric escapades he ends up penniless on the streets of London, with apparent manic depression. The book tells of a kind of redemption through living and working with a crew of drug addicts and alcoholics in a Chelsea pub ("we know we are the bottle-washers in the luxury hotel of the western world", Clare writes) from where he joins the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and — eventually — gives up cannabis. The book surveys the long-term effect of cannabis on a diverse group of people, and ends with a passionate warning to other, younger users.
In 2009 Clare's third book, "A Single Swallow: Following an epic journey from South Africa to South Wales", was published by Chatto and Windus. It recounts the author's experience of following migrating Barn Swallows (Hirundo Rustica) from their wintering grounds in South Africa to their breeding sites in Britain. As several reviewers pointed out, the book is less concerned with the birds themselves than with the people and places along their way, and the writer's adventures. Traveling over 6000 miles in three months, via Lusaka, Brazzaville and Algiers, Clare encounters - and, mostly, befriends - emerald smugglers, the Peace Corps, environmentalists, ornithologists, spies, soldiers, slave labourers, policemen, con artists, prostitutes, officials (corrupt and otherwise) an international rugby player (Clare attempts to secure him a UK visa) and in Spain two members of the Guardia Civil, who assault him for trespassing on a missile base.
'A Single Swallow' was widely reviewed, with critics praising its spirit of adventure and vivid portraits of contemporary Africa. Other commentators criticized the premise - notably Mark Cocker, writing in The Guardian, who said that following migrating swallows was a wonderful idea, but "there is just one problem - it's impossible."
Clare is the author and editor of Sicily Through Writers' Eyes, an anthology of writings about Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, and a contributor to the collections Red City: Marrakech Through Writers' Eyes and Meetings With Remarkable Muslims. His journalism has appeared in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
, The New Statesman
The New Statesman
The New Statesman is an award-winning British sitcom of the late 1980s and early 1990s satirising the Conservative government of the time...
, The Financial Times, The Sunday Telegraph and Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
. His writing now appears regularly in "The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
".
Running for the Hills won a Somerset Maugham Award
Somerset Maugham Award
The Somerset Maugham Award is a British literary prize given each May by the Society of Authors. It is awarded to whom they judge to be the best writer or writers under the age of thirty-five of a book published in the past year. The prize was instituted in 1947 by William Somerset Maugham and thus...
in 2007, was longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award
Guardian First Book Award
Guardian First Book Award, issued before 1999 as Guardian Fiction Prize or Guardian Fiction Award, is awarded to new writing in fiction and non-fiction.-History:...
in 2006 and Clare was shortlisted for the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award
Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award
The Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year award is a literary prize awarded to a British author under the age of 35 for a published work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry...
in 2007.
"A Single Swallow" was longlisted for the Wales Book of the Year 2010 and shortlisted for the Dolman / Authors' Club Travel Book Award.
Publications
- Marrakech the Red City: the City through Writer's Eyes, Sickle Moon / Eland, 2003
- Meetings With Remarkable Muslims, Eland 2005
- Sicily: Through Writers' Eye, Eland, 2006
- Running for the Hills, John Murray, 2006
- Truant: Notes from A Slippery Slope, John Murrary, 2007
- A Single Swallow, Chatto and Windus (UK) and Nieuw Amsterdam (Netherlands), 2009
External links
- Official site
- Horatio Clare's thoughtful memoir, Running for the Hills, is a cautionary tale for wannabe downshifters. Daniel Butler. The Guardian. Saturday 25 March 2006. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
- Running for the Hills by Horatio Clare. Alyson Rudd. The Times. 28 April 2007. Retrieved 8 July 2010.