Oak Tree Fine Press - Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children

Oak Tree Fine Press have just issued the tenth book in their First Chapter Series – Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie. Each book in the series consists of the first chapter of a novel which has won the Booker Prize, presented in a signed and numbered edition. Each book is illustrated, in some cases by a leading contemporary artist (Gilbert &George and Antony Gormley, for example), and some of these illustrations are available separately for framing. Midnight’s Children won the Booker Prize in 1981 and was subsequently voted the “Booker of Bookers” in both 1993 and 2008, in events celebrating the 25th and 40th anniversary of the prize. It is undoubtedly Rushdie’s iconic work, and this edition includes a new introduction from Ion Trewin, acclaimed author and Administrator of the Booker Prize. The book is bound in a blue cloth, selected to match the dominant cover of the first English edition (Jonathan Cape), and is numbered and signed by Rushdie and comes in a matching cassette. The frontpiece is by Thomas Howard, described as an up and coming art student. The books in the first chapter series are produced to a very high standard, and some of the illustrations are superb – a look at the website is recommended. One of the best things about this series is that the profits go to African Charities, and to date over £50 000 has been raised.