Ian Jack, who has died, was one of the greatest journalists of his generation; a modern Orwell, no less - endlessly curious, pensive, humane, and a peerless prose writer, as readers of his Guardian column in recent years will have been well aware. He was also the nicest man.
But Ian also played a crucial part in the fortunes of Safe Haven. When London’s Street Trees was published in 2017, Ian was the first to appreciate the interest of what was then a subject far out in left field. Not only did he devote his Guardian column to it - the first publicity the book received, and in the perfect place - but, customarily, he also prepared by doing his research: proper research, as old-school journalists always used to. He invited Paul Wood, the author, to join him on a walk around their Islington neighbourhood to show him the remarkable variety of its street trees. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Ian catalysed the success of a book that has gone on to become one of Safe Haven’s biggest sellers, and made the imprint’s name.
If you haven’t read The Country Formerly Known as Great Britain, a collection of Ian’s journalism, order it today.
