What did The Idiot’s books see during their London walkabout during the past week?
Think Buckingham Palace, the Royal Albert Hall, the Victoria and Albert Museum, a number of good restaurants (including dinner with a belly dancer at Al Basha Knightsbridge, the best Egyptian restaurant in London), the British Museum of Natural History, their 80-year-old editor and the Underground.
The Idiot held forth about the four books he’s written and published during the past decade at the Aubaine restaurant in Kensington.
The Idiot attempted to juggle his four books and a Christmas ornament during a literary luncheon at the Aubaine Restaurant in Kensington.
(Photo: Tali Knipe)
Michael Knipe, the octogenarian editor of the last two books in “The Idiot and the Odyssey” trilogy, also spoke during a literary luncheon at the Aubaine Restaurant in London.
(Photo: Gaby Knipe)
Naturally The Idiot’s books made individual appearances at various venues in London.
The first book in “The Idiot and the Odyssey” trilogy — “The Idiot and the Odyssey: Walking the Mediterranean” published in 2008 — made a guest appearance at the Royal Albert Hall.
The second book in “The Idiot and the Odyssey” trilogy — “The Idiot and the Odyssey II: Myth, Madness and Magic on the Mediterranean” published in 2013 — was added to an exhibition about Pompeii at the British Museum of Natural History.
“The Paris Metro 40th Anniversary Issue: The Book About Paris Yestereday,” which The Idiot co-edited and published in 2016, appropriately went underground in London.
The Idiot left a “Follow the Idiot” cap to cover up private parts of a Greek statue at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Naturally the highpoint of The Idiot’s book promotional tour in London was personally delivering a copy of “The Idiot and the Odyssey III: Twenty Years Walking the Mediterranean” to the queen at Buckingham Palace.
The photo of The Idiot Emperor of Carthage, Lord of Many Domains, on the back cover of “The Idiot and the Odyssey III: Twenty Years Walking the Mediterranean” sufficed as the proof required to get past the guards at Buckingham Palace.
Although the queen said it would violate protocol for her to be photographed with “The Idiot and the Odyssey III: Twenty Years Walking the Mediterranean,” this is the copy of the book that she now holds in her royal hands.
The Idiot also presented the queen with a “Follow the Idiot” cap to wear atop her crown on sunny days.
Want to read a copy of “The Idiot and the Odyssey III: Twenty Years Walking the Mediterranean” at the same time as the queen? Get a copy now on amazon.
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