The Day the Island Exploded!
13 Aug 2009
One man’s story of survival in the face of a series of devastating volcanoes on a remote Antarctic island.
It's 1967 and Graham Seear, 21, is one of the youngest people ever to travel to Antarctica with the British Antarctic Survey. He went looking for adventure, but he gets more than he bargained for when the volcanic island beneath his feet begins to erupt. As falling ash turns day into night, poisonous gas rolls across the island and tsunamis threaten their huts, Graham and his team mates find they are trapped on this piece of rock, 2000km from anywhere. They have no way of knowing if the world realises what is happening, so will help will arrive in time to save their lives?
This may sound like thrilling fiction, but The Day the Island Exploded is based on the real life adventure of Graham Seear. Graham hadn't told his daughter-in-law, Alexandra Pratt, about how he, as a young man, had narrowly escaped from an erupting island. Then one day, when she was helping him clean out some boxes in his house, she found a pile of dusty old black and white photos and couldn't believe what she saw... ice, volcanoes and an island.
"So Graham told me all about the day an island in Antarctica exploded and I couldn't believe it! I thought people should hear this amazing story, so I wrote the book." says Alexandra. Based on Graham's personal memories, the books draws on other contemporary sources and the islands fascinating history to give as accurate a picture as possible of that day, and some of Grahams wonderful photographs are included too. "It's just the sort of daring story I've always loved and I think it'll keep young readers today turning the pages! I also love that it's a true story, and I hope my father-in-law's youthful adventure inspires other young people to follow their dreams and seek their own adventures. Science and exploration can be (icy!) cool, especially when things explode under your feet!"
About the author:
A graduate of the University of Sussex, Alexandra Pratt, has travelled and worked throughout the world, from cutting trails in the cloud forests of Central America, to meeting the last surviving member of the Yaghan people in Patagonia. Now a freelance journalist and author based in the west country, Alexandra specializes in writing about travel, adventure and history and she is the author of four previous non-fiction books for adults, including ‘Lost Lands, Forgotten Stories - A Woman's Journey To The Heart Of Labrador', based on her multi award-winning canoe expedition in eastern Canada. Alexandra lives in Newlyn, Cornwall.
For more information about the author, visit her website - www.alexandra-pratt.co.uk
- A four minute film which includes footage taken on Deception Island during the eruption can
be seen on the Barrington Stoke here.
- Alexandra Pratt is available for interview.
Published by Barrington Stoke on 27th August 2009 'The Day the Island Exploded' is a Reality Check.
ISBN: 978-1-84299-695-9 £5.99 Reading Age 8+ Interest Age 10 - 14
To request an interview, images from the book or an interview with the author please contact:
Nicky Potter E :nicpot@dircon.co.uk T: 020 8 889 9735
To download this press release please click here.