Eye Books lands Wilkinson’s ‘charming’ account of his journey across England

Eye Books has landed Charging Around, the “quirky” account of a journey across England from Clive Wilkinson. 

Dan Hiscocks acquired world rights directly from the author. The book will be published in April 2023. 

As his 80th birthday approached, Wilkinson and his wife set out to tour the edges of England by electric car in 2018. The publisher continued: “In a 1,900-mile odyssey through fading seaside towns, rainswept hilltop passes and England’s only desert, each day’s driving was overshadowed by apprehension. Would they make it to the next charge point? Would it be in working order? Would someone else be using it?” 

Charging Around is a “charming” account of the trip, recounting setbacks, hoteliers and the new friends the couple made along the way. 

Senior editor Simon Edge commented: “With a relentless curiosity for history, geography and, above all, people, Clive Wilkinson is a wonderful guide to the often overlooked margins of England. As a slow traveller in driving gloves, he’s the anti-Clarkson: a gloriously unlikely pioneer, who deals with faultless good humour with everyone who underestimates himself and Joan.”

Wilkinson added: “When I submitted my manuscript to Eye Books, they immediately saw what I was driving at, recognised its potential and worked assiduously with me to smooth out its rough edges. It doesn’t get better than that. Eye Books is a delightfully collaborative publisher to work with.”