NEWS! FESTIVAL APPEARANCES
I’m appearing at the Dinefwr Literary Festival on July 1st interviewing Tim Burgess from The Charlatans, and the day before I’ll be with Robin Turner talking about Slow Travel and Pubs, not sure exactly where yet though. I’l also be at Port Eliot, interviewing Chris Yates at the Caught By The River tent and talking about The Idle Traveller at the Idler Academy. Other dates at the touring Idler Academy over the summer to be confirmed.
NEWS! CRAP TOWNS RETURNS!
Next year is the ten year anniversary of Crap Towns. Should we do a book to see how things have improved in the last decade? Seems rude not to.
NEWS! THE IDLE TRAVELLER PUBLISHED JULY 1st
The Idle Traveller hits the shops on July 1st. The premise of the book in one sentence is simply that we don’t travel any more, we only arrive. You can buy it from amazon here. The first review has come in from The Lady, of all places. One star less than they gave Paul Theroux is something I can live with...
NEWS! UNBOUND
As you may expect, my mind has been rather taken over by Unbound in the last year or so, hence the lack of action on this site. For those not aware of it http://www.unbound.co.uk is a new publishing platform where authors pitch ideas for books to their readers. If enough people want to support the book then it is published. Simple. Any unbound enquiries can be sent to dan@unbound.co.uk
NEWS! Larmer Tree
After a fun talk at the Larmer Tree last weekend (well worth a visit if you like the idea of a low-fi, chilled out festival) I sold out of all the books I brought with me. A few unhappy souls left without any of my books. If you were one of them, drop me an email and I’ll post you a signed copy of whichever book you would like. I accept paypal (dan@idler.co.uk) £10 per copy including p and p.
NEWS! (16th July 2010)
I gave a talk last week on Spielzeug that Laura Barton kindly mentions in the Guardian today. I have just put up the full text of the talk in the blog section if anyone would like to read it.
NEWS! (4th May 2010)
Mills and Boon have joined forces with the National Trust for a series of books set in their illustrious properties. I’ve done a column about it for You and Yours on radio 4 tomorrow. It should be on around 12.50, I think...
NEWS! (4th April 2010)
Very busy at the moment, and will hopefully have some rather exciting news to unveil soon. In the meantime, here are a couple of new blog entries
NEWS! (7th January 2010)
I did an interview this lunchtime, well, more of a verbal jousting really, on Jeremy Vine’s programme on Radio 2 about the ‘bad’ weather. Specifically about why we should forget about work for a few days and concentrate on what’s really important, namely playing out in the snow. A very angry lady from a recruitment company didn’t entirely agree with me. To listen again (my bit is 37 minutes in) click here
NEWS! (22nd September 2009)
It’s been a while since I updated this site but I am working on a new book called Spielzeug, which will hopefully be published in some form next year. It’s an incredibly exciting subject that I stumbled on while talking to a tank and firearm enthusiast for my last book, Planes Trains and Automobiles. Other news is that I have got a part time job teaching media writing at Portsmouth University, which I’m very excited about (here’s a link to the students only page). I have done a new blog entry too. More Spielzeug updates will appear soon.
NEWS! (8th June 2009)
I did a piece about Planes, Trains and Automobiles for the Escape section of the Observer yesterday, to read it click here and Three Men In A Float got a lovely review in the Telegraph too.
NEWS! (27th May 2009)
This year the Glastonbury Festival will include the inaugural ‘Free University of Glastonbury’. Speakers include Idlers Tom Hodgkinson, Gavin Pretor-Pinney and Matthew DeAbaitua. I’m going to be having a chat with Jay Griffiths too, so it should all be excellent fun. Apparently, there will be various ways and means of getting in touch with the ‘University’ throughout the festival on myspace, facebook and twitter. I will put up this info when I get it. In the meantime here is an article with some other details from booktrade.info
NEWS! (6th May 2009)
The launch date for Planes, Trains... is June 11th. Hopefully I’ll be doing some events to promote it, check back here for more details. In the meantime I’ve done a new blog entry. It’s called Uncharacteristic outburst of anger
NEWS! (7th April 2009)
I’ve got a few events coming up. Firstly in Edinburgh, where I’m doing a talk for the Foundation For the Return of Equitable Economy (FREE) who are hosting an event called Surviving the crash; Action or Apathy? It takes place on Friday 24th April at 6.30pm at the Square Center Cafe, Methodist Church, Nicholson Square, Edinburgh. It’s free to get in. The other speaker is Saba Khalid, the Director of IFEES (the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences).
A few days later, on April 28th, Ian Vince, Prasanth Visweswaran and I are doing a talk about Three Men In A Float at Foyles on Charing Cross Road as part of the Slowdown London festival. It’s free to get in but places are limited and it’s already filling up, to register or find out more info go to the slowdownlondon website.
NEWS! (18th February 2009)
It’s been six, long, months since I last updated this website. The main reason is that I changed my computer and forgot to back up my website login details. It’s taken me ages to sort it all out. But, anyway, I’ve also been very busy writing a book that seeks to discover why men love machines. It’s called Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and it’s due out on June 11th. Here’s a sneak preview of the cover and a link to it on amazon.
I made a brief appearance on BBC Breakfast News on 24th January to talk about why the Brits are some of the unhappiest people in Europe. Friends pointed out that I would have made more impact if I’d worn some proper shoes and sat up straight. Both of which I will certainly do If I ever get invited back on.
NEWS! (13th August 2008)
Today it emerged that Slough was attempting another re-brand. In response I have contributed this to the Telegraph’s Comment page. A curious blog entry has appeared too.
NEWS! (7th August 2008)
This Saturday (10th August) I’ve got a piece in the Times about a trip I did a few months ago to Scotland in the company of Tony Husband, the famous cartoonist. It was all a bit of a blur. Hopefully it will be the first trip of many.
The series of Idler events at the Secret Garden Party was a great success. Clare Pollard’s poetry was a particular highlight along with a reading from Jay Griffiths, author of the spellbinding Wild. Hopefully we’ll be invited back next year.
Apologies to anyone hoping to read a new blog entry but I’m in the middle of writing a new book about why men are obsessed with machines. So far I’ve learnt to drive a steam train, watched a racing car get built, been lawnmower racing and in the next few weeks I’m going to have a flying lesson. It will be the first time I’ve been in a plane for 17 years so, needless to say, I’m rather nervous.
If you are obsessed with machines, particularly canal boats, motorcycles, tanks, diggers, tractors, trucks or space rockets, then please get in touch.
NEWS! (10th July 2008)
I’m doing a few festival appearances in the next few weeks. First up is Latitude. I’ll be in the literary tent on Sunday 20th July at 10.30pm. The weekend after The Idler has it’s very own tent at the Secret Garden Party. The events over the weekend from Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th will all explore the vital question of how to live. Details from the Idler website. Hope to see you there.
NEWS! (5th June 2008)
I did an interview for the London Paper last Tuesday, you can see it here. And yesterday I did an event at the Salisbury Literary Festival, which was great fun. I met lots of kindred spirits and had an excellent time. I Fought The Law also got a plug in last week’s Popbitch (May 29th)
NEWS! (5th May 2008)
Yesterday I did a short piece on Radio 4’s You and Yours programme about the delights of holidaying in Britain. My bit is about fifty minutes in. Just click on the ‘Monday Edition’ link on the BBC’s listen again page before May 12th.
NEWS! (27th April 2008) Three Men in the Telegraph, Launch Party and Float Video Pt 2
On Saturday (26th April) an extract from Three Men In A Float appeared in the Telegraph Weekend section. On May 1st we’re having a launch party for the Book of Idle Pleasures and the new issue of the Idler, edited by our friends at Qi. With a hog roast, courtesy of Qi co-founder John Mitchenson, some free beer and book stall it should be a cracker and if we can get her up to London in time The Mighty One might make an appearance too. Meanwhile, at threemeninafloat.com Ian’s put up part 2 of our milk float video, Slow Road Movie.
NEWS! (7th April 2008) Salisbury and Swindon Festival Appearances
I’m doing an event at the Swindon literary festival on May 7th (6.30pm). Tickets are £5 or if you want to come and see me and then AC Grayling afterwards you can get into both for £8. For more info click here.
On June 4th at 11.30am I’ll be in Salisbury. Tickets are £8, for more info click here
Last Saturday a piece I did about a rail trip to Eastern Europe was published in the Times.
NEWS! (16th March 2008) Three new releases
This is the cover of Three Men In A Float, published on May 1st 2008. Ian’s put up a new website with some pictures from our journey to coincide with publication, to see it click here. I’ve also put up the covers for the paperback edition of I Fought The Law (out June 1st) and The Book of Idle Pleasures (out May 1st). For press/interview info click here. I’ve done a new blog entry (Part time Britain part 2) too.
NEWS! (27th February 2008) Three Men In A Float on Radio 4
Details of the half hour programme on Radio 4 about our trip can be found here
NEWS! (4th January 2008)
In my latest blog I’m going to try and solve all our problems by explaining how the UK can go part-time. To read it click here
NEWS! (3rd January 2008) George MacDonald Fraser
Yesterday the sad news of George MacDonald Fraser’s death was announced by his publisher. George was a masterful writer and all round lovely bloke, as I found out when I interviewed him a few years ago for the Idler. To read the unedited transcript of that interview click here
NEWS! (November 17th 2007)
London to Naples by train in the Times. Click here
NEWS! (28th October 2007) Falconry in the Times
I visited Gleneagles to try my hand at the ancient art of falconry a few weeks ago for the Times. To read the piece click here.
To buy the new edition of TH White’s masterpiece The Goshawk click here
NEWS! (26th October 2007) I’m no longer writing this website in the third person
I’m not sure why I started to do it in the first place. Perhaps to give the impression that I have loads of people to do this website for me, when in reality I update it from my kitchen table myself. Referring to myself as ‘Dan’ all the time is starting to feel false and pretentious so I’m not going to do it any more.
NEWS! (3rd October 2007) Cheltenham Literary Festival
This Sunday (October 7th) Dan is being interviewed on stage about I Fought The Law at the Cheltenham Literary Festival. Tickets are £5 and available by clicking here
His new blog entry Jogging? (Part 2) has just been uploaded too.
NEWS! (6th September 2007) Not So Fast
Three Men In A Float in the Guardian and read Dan’s new Blog entry Jogging?
NEWS! (7th August 2007) Three Men In A Float (across England at 15 mph) on MTV!
Last week a clip of our trip made it onto MTV, Pras did this 5 minute tape to go with it. To watch it click here
NEWS! (27th June 2007) I Fought The Law is featured in the Times
From The Times, 25th June 2007, ‘ As the Prime Minister [Tony Blair] looks forward to life after No 10 and possibly a career at the United Nations, these are a few books he needs to read... Given the mass of legislation new Labour has passed over the past decade, I Fought the Law should be top of the list. Dan Kieran has compiled an entertaining account of trying to be a law-abiding citizen with so many laws to transgress. "Back in 1992 when Tony Blair was a lowly member of the Opposition he pledged that Labour would be ‘tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime’; few could have guessed that picnicking was what he had in mind." Kieran begins his journey into Blair’s Britain recalling people who had been arrested for "eating a picnic in Parliament Square”. ..read more
NEWS! (May 27th 2007)
I Fought The Law gets a four star review in the Independent on Sunday, to read it click here
NEWS! (May 3rd 2007) BRITAIN'S FIRST EVER ILLEGAL BOOK READING!*
To celebrate the publication of his new book, I Fought The Law, and to poke fun at some of New Labour's most absurd bits of legislation, Dan Kieran will be performing Britain's first ever illegal book reading outside Downing Street on Tuesday 8th May at 10am.
It seems that the Government are so desperate for people not to discover the contents of this explosive new tome (affordably priced at only £9.99) that they will probably even go so far as to arrest him. However, it is widely predicted among Whitehall sources that what this book contains is so shocking it may even be enough to prise Tony Blair from Downing Street once and for all.
If you're coming don't be fashionably late because if the Police take Section 132 of the Serious and Organised Crime and Police Act seriously, (the law that bans any spontaneous act of protest within 1km of Parliament) which surely they must because they are required to by law, at 10.30 he'll be in the cells at Charing Cross Police Station for holding a blank placard and reading his book. Then you'll have to buy it to discover the shocking, yet strangely optimistic and life-affirming, ending.
Contributions to pay his bail can be made by clicking here
Bullet Points:
Among many fascinating insights I Fought The Law explains why a flat pack chest of drawers is more likely to kill you than a suicide bomber.
Introduces the hitherto unknown hairy history expert paid to have custard pies thrown in his beard by Ant and Dec.
And reveals the ten worst laws in Britain in association with human rights campaign group Liberty
NEWS! (April 28th 2007) I Fought The Law’s first reviews
“Absolutely fantastic! Everyone who lives in Britain should be made to read it.” LBC Radio
★★★★ MAXIM Magazine
NEWS! (April 26th 2007) Illegal book reading outside Downing Street on May 8th
Dan will be staging an illegal demonstration, by reading his new book while holding a placard outside Downing Street, on May 8th. If you want to come along to see if he gets arrested then check back here on May 7th when the start time will be announced.
NEWS! (April 8th 2007) Serialisation deal
The Sunday Times published an edited extract from I Fought The Law called Goodbye Magna Carta on the front page of their news review section on Sunday April 8th 2007. To read the extract and feedback from their readers on timesonline click here
I Fought The Law will be published by Bantam Press on 7th May. Above is an exclusive preview of the front cover. It can be pre-ordered from amazon.
Planning is also underway for Three Men In A Float. Dan, Ian Vince and their friend Prasanth Visweswarian will be driving across England in a milk float in June for a book and BBC Radio 4 programme. If you live anywhere along this (very rough) route and you’d like to volunteer the nocturnal use of your electricity supply (the milk float requires 8 hours of overnight charging so it can carry on the journey the following day) then please email dan.
(* I think)
ends
dan kieran
