The Socrates Project Book Launch

More than 90 influential members of the media, outdoor sports, environmental agencies and the publishing world joined explorers, adventurers, politicians and senior business men and women at the launch of The Socrates Project.

mark beaumont. The Socrates Project

We drank amazing Blue Cocktails (Blue Gold Cocktail Recipe: Equal measures of blue curacao and vodka poured over plenty of ice, top up with lemonade and stir.) mingled and talked with the author, Daron Sheehan and Mark Beaumont amongst others. All in all, it was an amazing night and we are looking forward to reviewing the book.

The Socrates VIP launch.

The event, held between 6pm and 9pm on June 25th 2013 at Artemis, St. James Street, London, was described by guests as a “massive success” and “an important starting point to spread the word about The Socrates Project and its optimistic, thrilling and at times terrifying vision of our future”.

 

The event attracted a wide range of guests from different backgrounds including the leader of the Green Party, Natalie Bennett and journalists from The Guardian, Frost Magazine, Daily Mail, Sunday Mirror and Friends of the Earth. Guests heard from the author, Daron Sheehan, about the inspiration behind the creation of the sicads, “the robotic creatures created by humans to save us who are the main characters in this story” (more info about the sicads – http://the-socrates-project.com/hope-vs-greed/). As Mark Beaumont, ambassador of The Socrates Project, pointed out: “This is a book that doesn’t happily sit in any one genre. In truth, when Daron told me about the idea for The Socrates Project I had concerns; that it would be too sci-fi for me, and that it could come across as Daron preaching. I’m happy to say my concerns were not founded, in fact, this is a fantastic story but it also made me stop to think and reflect on some of the news stories that had recently caught my eye.”

 

Influenced by his vast experiences while travelling the world (during a three-year sabbatical from his successful investment career spanning 16 years), the author, Daron Sheehan, was encouraged to create the story with a view to turning it into a film, something the Nautilus Media team (responsible for publishing the book) is currently working on.

 

Blue Gold cocktails were served and guests were given a goody bag complete with a copy of The Socrates Project, nibbles for the train journey home, a recycled paper notepad and pen set and a TSP-themed Oyster card wallet. Following a Twitter competition, run by Literally PR (@literallypr), David Fuentes (@theperformer) won two free VIP tickets to attend the launch. Fuentes said: “It is great to be able to come along to an event such as this, particularly one that is so busy and full of interesting people”.

 

Music was provided by the incredibly talented Fergal O’Connor and Catriona Lightfoot, who performed the first live version of a song created in honour of The Socrates Project.

 

This book is for anyone who loves outdoor sports, adventure and travel, who wants to preserve our environment, conserve nature, and reduce the threat of pollution on our wildlife, for those of us who are prepared to put our heads above the parapet and discuss what could happen when civil unrest hits our streets even more regularly and more violently than it already is, when water is known as ‘blue gold’ and becomes more valuable to millions of us, including in the West, than ‘yellow gold’. The Socrates Project is fictional, but it presents a shocking account of what could be…
Synopsis

The Socrates Project is a secret attempt by the United Nations to avert the predicted collapse of our civilisations. Simon Oceandis heads up the sicads, who must blend modern science and ancient wisdom to find the solutions before time runs out.

 

Not everybody welcomes the Project. An influential secret society plots to discredit and destroy the sicads. Torn between the love of a beautiful scientist and a fiery tribeswoman, Simon discovers an exotic world of adventure and wonder. To find the answers to save humanity, he must undergo a deep inner journey, yet his life becomes a frantic race for survival…

 

Is it happening? Could it happen? Should it happen? Decide for yourself! Live the story…

 

“Michael Crichton meets George Orwell” – Ross Leckie

“A masterpiece of storytelling…a gripping tale of adventure…” – Mark Beaumont

 

This Month's Magazines; Kate Middleton and Getting in Shape Lead.

This is the first of Frost magazine’s new monthly magazine round-up. Here at Frost we are addicted to magazines and our guess is that you like them too, so, here goes….

Vanity Fair has the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the cover. The world has gone crazy for Kate Middleton and there is 16 pages on the new couple, including the interesting fact that Kate has never been to America before and is ‘beyond excited’.

Horrible fact of the month comes from Christopher Hitchen’s column, which is on Pakistan: in Pakistan not only is rape not illegal, it’s a punishment. Mark Shand tells Nick Haslam about the Elephant Family, Stieg Larsson’s girlfriend tells of their life together and there is good articles on Justin Timberlake, Silvio Berlusconi and the Falcons.

Marie Claire (who are in my bad books, as they do not send the subscribers the free gifts that come with the magazine. This month it’s a choice of eyeliner or eye-shadow, last month a Body Shop moisturiser, not nice way to treat those who are most loyal) Jennifer Lawrence is on the cover, and has a very good interview inside where she says that she tells director she won’t lose more weight and was initially scared of fame.

Emily Eavis, daughter of Michael, talks about growing up as part of the world’s greatest music festival, there is lots of fashion and a summer’s sandals piece that I enjoyed, there is a low down on the Russian invasion of Chelsea; lead by Roman Abramovich and Dasha Zhukova, Writer Natasha Green writes about choosing between her husband and her lover and 5 friends, who all went to university and did a performing arts degree, meet up to discuss where they are 10 years later. Marie Claire also have an exclusive interview with Aung San Suu Kyi. Other good article are dating advice you don’t need from your friends, a good piece on Jean Paul Gaultier and a brilliant article on the life of Princess Diana, very apt.

It’s Elle’s body issue, Elle always give there subscribers the free gift, as do RED and Glamour, Rosie Huntington-Whitley is on the cover and interviewed inside, and there is a free vest top my Kate Middleton fav Reiss.

Celia Walden ponders over why we fawn over the famous, the impossibly stylish Ines De La Fressange is in Elle edits, my personal style crush tells us about her philosophy on life, House of Holland are this month’s Style Spy, make up artist Lisa Eldridge gives a peak inside her closet and Debbie Harry tells is what books changed her life. Rob Lowe is interviewed and there are a lot of great articles on how to get in shape and be happy with how you look. Of course, there is also lots of great fashion. Lorraine Candy is temporarily stepping down from the Elle editorship to have her fourth baby.

Tatler has Romola Garai on the cover, she is interviewed inside and talks about her “ordinary body” and her desire for people to find her sexy. Kate Reardon has been the new editor for a few months now and is doing a good job, though I couldn’t find an editor’s letter.

Royal Wedding photographer Hugo Burnand talks about photographing the biggest wedding in decades, there are other articles on the top 10 poshest ghosts, Clive Anderson writes about losing his cool, there is lots of gossip, A very good guide to the Murdoch dynasty, an article on how the rich buy life (a very good read), some property porn as Belvoir Castle is featured by it’s owners the Duke and Duchess of Rutland.

There is also an article on (the last taboo!) woman’s facial hair and how to get rid of it, Alice Temperley also spills on all of her beauty secrets. If you buy it form the news-stand you get a free pair of sunglasses, but Tatler doesn’t give free gifts to it’s subscribers.

Vogue has Vanessa Paradis on the cover, she talks about staying on the move and being comfortable with your body, Stella Tennant models (can you believe she is in her 40’s!)

I really like the article by Carol Woolton on the lost world of legendary balls, including the jewellery that Elizabeth Taylor wore to the 1971 Rothschild Proust Ball, lots on the Royal wedding and who wore what, editor Alexandra Shulman was one of the guests and gives a good account. The rise of folk (as in music) gets a good spread and supermodel Arizona Muse keeps a diary for Vogue.

I also love the inspirational women who feature in Vogue’s Wonder Women piece, scientists and theatre directors alike. There is also an editorial on fashion dynasties, if you love glamour the way I do you will love reading about the Guinnesses, Dellals, Agnellis/Brandolinis and the Jaggers.

Donna Karen also does a wonderful interview and writer Vicky Ward talks about her divorce; “the equivalent of undergoing heart surgery without anesthetic.” There is also a brilliant free beauty supplement with lots of celebrities and models giving their beauty and health routines, tips and hints.

Glamour has a free Benefit beauty product (I got the Benetint) Karl Lagerfield on fashion do’s, celebrity couples you forgot about, how to find a man anywhere, the rise of gold and fame digging men, why is friendship so hard?, how the Glamour staff got their job, a very good, and slightly depressing article on female war reporters; read about the same time I saw Channel 4’s Killing Fields of Sri Lanka, you think women are equal and safe….

There is interviews with the Glamour women of the year awards, including the brilliant Adele, who is on the cover. There is lots of brilliant fashion and beauty, a very good article on why we should all see Bridesmaids by Zoe Williams, there is a number of articles on how to fake tan well and I really enjoyed the piece on Get a Blockbuster body, what Blake Lively, Jennifer Lawrence and Rosie Huntington-Whitley did to get in shape for their films. There is also a good article on the secret to good health in 100 words or less.

So, until next month!