Viisukuppila

25.09.2004
Eurovision laulukilpailun 50-vuotinen historia kansien väliin
Kirjan ilmestymispäivä on 1. maaliskuuta 2005

Monen euroviisuharrastajan toive toteutuu ensi maaliskuussa, kun Carlton Books -kustantamo ja Euroopan yleisradioliitto EBU julkaisevat virallisen Eurovision laulukilpailujen historiikkikirjan. Teoksen on määrä ilmestyä 1. maaliskuuta 2005.

Viisuhistoriikin kirjoittanut John Kennedy O'Connor kertoo doteurovision.com -nettisivuilla, että kirjasta painetaan eri kielisiä versioita julkaistavaksi paitsi ympäri Eurooppaa myös Australiassa. Historiikki sisältää myös runsaasti harvinaisia valokuvia viisutapahtumista vuosikymmenten varrelta.

Nimim. brandy kirjoitti:

I am very pleased to have been invited to announce the forthcoming release of an official history of the Eurovision Song Contest, which has been written by a Eurovision fan and one-time member of this mailing list, John Kennedy O’Connor.

Many years ago, John appeared in A Song for Europe. He also worked for TRT in Turkey for a time. For the last few years he has been living in San Francisco and, whilst he is no longer caught up in the year-round circus which the contest has become for fans, he retains an immense affection for the competition. He also has a prestigious knowledge of facts and figures, and since he left the mailing list I have had nobody to remind me, however gently, how shaky my own knowledge is!

John originally wrote the book in 1999, and was rejected - or ignored - by
everyone including the BBC. The EBU themselves showed some enthusiasm for the project, particularly Christine Marchal-Ortiz and Sarah Yuen, but when it came to it, the EBU needed a publisher on board before they'd consider partnering on the project.

Then, out of the blue, John received an email from Carlton, to whom he had sent the manuscript back in 2001. Here’s what he had to say about it:


“I always assumed it was a no go for them too. At first I thought they were
winding me up and it was a tease from a friend. But they were deadly serious and very enthusiastic. But they could only do it if the EBU backed it and it was thus OFFICIAL. So they dealt with Svante and his focus groups from that point forward and the rest, as they say, will be history. I had always thought; 'paperback; times new roman font; B&W pic of Katie Boyle in middle.' But no. This is one hell of a good looking project. It will contain hundreds of wonderful and very rare photographs as well as artwork from rare record sleeves."

The original manuscript ran to 250,000 pages.

“Alas, what I wrote had to be cut to 60,000 words. It was the most painful thing I ever witnessed. I tried so hard to keep stuff in, really interesting back stage stuff, but it had to go."

The book also contains some very rare photographs, and looks set to be a
must-have for all Eurovision fans. Completionists will either be delighted or
worried by the fact that there are going to be several different versions of
the book, and it is to be translated into several different languages.

The working title is Eurovision Song Contest: 50th Anniversary - The Official
Companion and it is set to retail at £14.99 in the UK. When I suggested to John that the title was a little dry, and had he thought about “Douze Points…. “ her responded:

“ LOL. My original title was actually: "Douze Points! or Everything you ever
wanted to know about the Eurovision Song Contest, but were too embarrassed to ask!" Then it became: "Douze Points! The Official History of the Eurovision Song Contest."

Over the coming year you will be hearing a lot more about this book. Its
official launch is next spring, in time for the 50th contest, where it is due
to be mentioned during the show. Things will then build up later in the year
for the Anniversary edition of the contest. But remember - you heard about it here first!

Maybe the BBC regret turning it down based on "no interest in such a work
amongst the audience" but lets not leave it to chance: pre-order your copy
here

It is amazing that John has managed to keep things under wraps for this long, and he wanted the fans on this mailing list to be the first to hear about it.

The BBC turned it down based on "no interest in such a work amongst the
audience" so lets prove them wrong. Pre-order your copy here

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 84-3335836

and indulge your favourite hobby at the same time as supporting a fellow
Eurovision fan. You never know, I might be able to persuade John to share some of the 250,000 words which didn’t make it into the final version with us.

The original manuscript ran to 250,000 pages.

“Alas, what I wrote had to be cut to 60,000 words. It was the most painful thing I ever witnessed. I tried so hard to keep stuff in, really interesting back stage stuff, but it had to go."

Sagapo & YLE kirjoitti:Eurovision laulukilpailun 50-vuotinen historia kansien väliin
Kirjan ilmestymispäivä on 1. maaliskuuta 2005

Miik kirjoitti:Pitänee hankkia tuokin sitten.

Tähän asti raamattunani on ollut The Compelete Eurovision Song Contest Companion, Gambaccini, T. Rice, J. Rice & Brown, 1998. Hyvä puoli siinä on ollut juuri nuo pistetaulukot, mutta kuvia on aika nihkeästi. Mutta pehmeät kannet ja halvat liimat eivät oikein tahdo kestää kovassa käytössä - kovakantista hankkimaan siis! 8)