The Beauty of Books, on BBC4

BBC 4 Television's The Beauty of Books, begins on 7th February. The third in the four part series will be shown on Monday 21st February and will feature some of Mervyn Peake's manuscripts recently acquired by the British Library.

Centenary edition of A Book of Nonsense

Peter Owen Publishers will be bringing out their Centenary edition of Mervyn Peake's nonsense verse, with new material added to this handsome edition, available this summer. 

Peake's Progress, the British Library edition

British Library Publishing has released the complete jacket design and copy for their beautiful edition of Peake's Progress due for publication later this year.

Mervyn Peake Awards

The Mervyn Peake Awards are a celebration of the talents of people with Parkinson's. Parkinson’s UK aims to encourage creativity in memory of the late Mervyn Peake. 2011 marks the centenary of his birth and the tenth anniversary of the awards.

This is a fantastic opportunity for anyone with Parkinson's, of any ability, to share their creative passion. There are four prize categories including art, poetry, photography and digital art. In addition, this year, all entries will be shortlisted for an online public vote to feature in the Parkinson's UK 2012 calendar. For more information please visit www.parkinsons.org.uk/mervynpeake or call 020 7963 9319.

Gormenghast in Abergavenny

Good to hear that The Borough Theatre of Abergavenny, will be giving three performances of the stage adaptation of Gormenghast between the 5th and 7th of February. If only it were possible to bring back Mervyn Peake's mother to watch the performance, having made her way 25 miles across the valley from Aberdare where she came from. I wonder what she might have thought about her son's world?

The 2011 Classic Serial on Radio 4

BBC Audio will be bringing out an audio-book of The History of Titus Groan to coincide with Brian Sibley's six part adaptation of the four Titus books to be broadcast on Radio Four later this year.
 
Likely to be available at the same time as the first part in the series, the audio-book will also include Brian's original 1984 Sony Award-winning adaptation of the novels. These two extraordinary adaptations will be among the most ambitious and prestigious ever undertaken by the BBC.

The British Fantasy Society

The British Fantasy Society have reminded their many members of the Peake Conference weekend, which will take place during the weekend of the 15th July.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes

In an interview in The Independent today, the famous explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes tells us that the book that changed him, was Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake

A Centenary Celebration in Chichester

Details are now available for the Mervyn Peake exhibition at the Otter Gallery, Chichester,  which will run concurrently with a larger show at the Pallant House Gallery.

Pallant House Exhibition

Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, anounces the Mervyn Peake exhibition which will open later in the year.

Titus Groan abridged audio book

To mark the centenary year, Naxos Audio Books has released an abridged version of Titus Groan read by Rupert Degas.