Announcing the publication of the second edition of 'The Making of Swallows and Amazons'

~ Author Sophie Neville: photo Westmorland Gazette ~

The paperback of 'The Making of Swallows and Amazons' sold so well that The Lutterworth Press have recently published a second edition in paperback. This beautifully designed and much improved version includes a few more stories that floated to the surface. It also has a new cover evocative of the 1974 film of  'Swallows and Amazons' that is still broadcast on television today.

This second edition of the book, available on Amazon, at Waterstones and other bookshops, can be ordered for libraries worldwide. Although amusing holiday reading it makes a good introduction to Media Studies, Drama or acting courses as it is based on the diary of a little girl who suddenly find herself starring in a major British movie.

~ Sophie Neville as Titty Walker in 1974 ~ 

This edition of the filmography includes a few photographs that have not been seen before including a portrait of Virginia McKenna, the star of the film, taken by Philip Hatfield when she was at the unit hotel in the Lake District where the movie was made in the summer of 1973. She can be seen here in a still taken from a review of the film on Blu-ray.

~ Virginia McKenna as Mrs Walker in Swallows & Amazons (1974) ~

~ Suzanna Hamilton and Sophie Neville in Swallows & Amazons (1974) ~

~ The Swallows in their tent ~

The second edition of the illustrated ebook is also out - under the title 'The Secrets of Filming Swallows & Amazons' by Sophie Neville, available on Amazon, Smashwords, itunes, Kobo and other providers. This ebook has links to unique behind-the-scenes cine footage taken on location and retails at only £2.99

The 40th anniversary DVD and Bluray of this Vintage Classic, distributed by StudioCanal, can be purchased online or ordered with the paperback from your local library. Virginia McKenna, Suzanna Hamilton and Sophie Neville apear in the DVD Extras package, recollecting how the film was made and what it was like to work with the director, Claude Whatham.

To read more about 'Swallows & Amazons' news, events and activities, please see Sophie Neville's website here