Innovative new book launched linking our past, present and the future, post global pandemic

Mary
Authored by Mary
Posted: Sunday, June 7, 2020 - 23:21

Lockdown, economic meltdown, the great dying, the great dying of boredom - when the publishers of an innovative new book set out to tell the story of the Mayflower and its impact - not just on America, but on the place of its launch, Plymouth, and its effect on global history, little did they know that the launch of the book would be into the teeth of one of the greatest seachanges the world has ever seen - a global pandemic where countless countries have gone into complete lockdown.  

It’s 400 years, 20 generations, 30 million American descendants and a mass of cultural and technological changes since a small ship called The Mayflower, carrying 102 brave souls and at least 30 crew, set out from Plymouth, UK, on an epic voyage that was not only destined to change its passengers’ lives irrevocably, but the very course of world history. 

Sadly the commemoration of this historic event: Mayflower 400, has for the most part had to be postponed - but the makers of an innovative new book that sets out to tell the bigger story, are more determined than ever that their book will help to commemorate the anniversary and  form part of the ‘Resurgam’ efforts to rebuild the City of Plymouth and its people. 

Called Mayflower A Seachange the book was developed for  the 400th anniversary of The Mayflower setting sail from the steps of Plymouth harbour in 1620.

A team of writers, publishers, designers, researchers, editors, mapmakers, photographers and artists, living in Britain’s Ocean City, Plymouth,  wanted to find out why this story of a small ship crossing the ocean 400 years ago, continues to fire our imaginations and create debate about this most famous of global voyages, its launch place, Plymouth and its  impact on world history.

But, as it’s turned out, the process of the making of Mayflower A Seachange has become almost as fascinating as the book itself. 

The book was created using crowdfunding to raise the money needed to publish it and was supported by over 150 people who wanted to see it happen.  

Now, thanks to the global lockdown, following its publication, instead of a swanky book launch on the Sound at sunset,  followed by talks in bookshops, the makers are launching the book digitally, with an innovative webinar programme called The Mayflower Series. [LINK} The makers are asking people to join them as they launch the book and link it’s story to what’s currently happening in Plymouth and globally.

“The real story of the Mayflower is symbolic of a seachange in global history - and in a similar way, 400 years later, we are now living in interesting times,” says creative director, Juliet Coombe. “When we started to make this book - we had no idea what was about to happen, or how what happened 400 years ago would have similarities to what is happening now - history repeating itself and informing our future.”

One of the key revelations in the book is that the native Americans were decimated - not just by Europeans and their overly aggressive land grabs - but by epidemics of diseases brought by them. In what was called ‘The Great Dying’ it’s estimated that up to 10 million native Americans may have died from various diseases, including smallpox and diphtheria. Trump faces a similar quandary today with over 100,000 people dead thanks to Covid-19 that’s traveled from China. 

The other fascinating parallel is the link to Plymouth’s history as a city that has to reinvent itself. ‘Resurgam is in the DNA of the City of Plymouth,” says artist Connor McIntyre, who features in the book. “It’s the name that was written above the church door of St Andrews after the war and it's what the people of Plymouth will do now, following the global pandemic. This is not the end - we will rise again.”

The idea for the book came from Dawn Bebe, a founder of the Plymouth Culture Board, and an award-winning editor and publisher, who has been working to promote Plymouth over the last decade with the community. It's been directed and written by Juliet Coombe, previously a travel writer and photographer for lonely planet; designed by Gordon Ramsey’s book designer, James Edgar; edited, co-researched and co-written, by Charlie Keeler, Mayflower 400 historic tour guide for Devon & Cornwall Tour Guides in Plymouth; illustrated by Plymouth artist Sarah Smalldon; 20 Plymouth people photographed by Guy Harris; pictures researched by Plymouth University student, Jodie Lidstone; and Crowdfunder video filmed by ITV and Rick Stein’s cameraman, Dominic Husband. 

But the real stars are of course the people of Plymouth: their stories and their voices - and also The Wampanoag people, the tribe that features in the story of the Mayflower. The team spent over a year researching the book, traveling to Plymouth, Massachusetts to talk to the Wampanoags about their story and the Society of  Mayflower Descendants, travelling to Leiden in Holland where many of the pilgrims came from and scouring the streets of Plymouth to research the Mayflower story and link it to what’s happening today. 

“It’s a fascinating journey - not just the story of The Mayflower itself, but how the book was created - and also what’s happened since we created the book. It feels very much that the book has been created on a rising tide of change, and this is something that comes across strongly from the people we talk to in the book and their visions of all our futures. It’s an amazing read - and the ultimate guide for anyone interested in The Mayflower,  visiting Plymouth and global trends.” 

The book will be officially launched on June 30, 8pm, in a free webinar for people interested in getting a real behind the scenes look at its making.

They can also meet the authors, publishers and designers and hear from some of the incredible people who feature in the book including:

  • Adrian Vinken OBE, Chairman of the Mayflower 400 National Partnership and CEO of Theatre Royal, Plymouth

The publishers have also announced a partnership with the Ocean Conservation Trust, agreeing to give 10% of profits to their charity, helping their work to protect the marine environment and solving the issue of plastic waste contaminating the oceans.

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