Colin Thubron – Stanfords Blog

Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards 2024 Winners Announced

Many of the world’s greatest travel writers gathered at Stanfords last night to celebrate the ninth Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards (ESTWAs) presented by Viking, the world’s leading exploration company.

This year 18 books made the shortlists, divided into five awards categories with winners being both debut authors and multi-award-winning writers.

Each award winner was presented with a hand-made globe by Lander & May on the Isle of Wight featuring a design produced exclusively for the awards.

And the winners are…

120th Anniversary of the Stanford’s Map of the Siberian Railway

One of the most popular maps in our cartographic archive, The Stanford’s Map of the Siberian Railway was first published by Edward Stanford, Long Acre on the 1st February 1904 making this year its 120th anniversary.

“Not only is this a geographical map, it’s a historical one. A moment in time as well as space.” –Colin Thubron.

Depicting the great land route to China and Korea, this vital rail route was also known as the Moscow Highway or the Tea Route because of the large quantities of tea exported from China. It connected European Russia to Siberia and China.

The Amur River by Colin Thubron in pictures

Rising in the Mongolian mountains and flowing through Siberia to the Pacific, the Amur River forms the tense border between Russia and China. This is the most densely fortified frontier on Earth.

In his eightieth year, Colin Thubron takes a dramatic and often treacherous journey from the Amur’s secret source to its giant mouth, covering almost 3,000 miles. Harassed by injury and by arrest from the local police, he makes his way along both the Russian and Chinese shores. By the time he reaches the river’s desolate end, a whole, pivotal world has come alive.

To celebrate the paperback launch of the 2022 Stanford Dolman winning The Amur River by Colin Thubron here are some photographs taken on the journey.

Book of the Month: The Amur River by Colin Thubron

Our October Book of the Month is The Amur River by Colin Thubron £20.00

The first travel book in a decade from Colin Thubron, the 2019 recipient of the Edward Stanford Award for Outstanding Contribution to Travel Writing.

In his 80th year, Thubron made an ambitious journey along the 3000-mile river that divides China and Russia.

The Amur River is almost unknown. Yet it is the tenth longest river in the world, rising in the Mongolian mountains and flowing through Siberia to the Pacific. For 1,100 miles it forms the tense border between Russia and China. Haunted by the memory of land-grabs and unequal treaties, this is the most densely fortified frontier on earth.

Colin Thubron, in conversation // Stanfords Travel Writers Festival

Named by The Times as one of the greatest post-war British writers, travel writer and novelist Colin Thubron speaks to Julia Wheeler about a life filled with remarkable journeys – from Damascus to Siberia.

He also talks about his latest novel Night of Fire. Continue reading Colin Thubron, in conversation // Stanfords Travel Writers Festival