Explore More UK Summer 2020

COLUMN
For the love of books
Books are another window
to the world, and are a
wonderful way to help
minds stay stimulated
during times of isolation. Our
new Viking.TV site hosts a
variety of recommended books
(as well as films and music)
relevant to each itinerary.
ON LOCATION with Karine
A
more appropriate title
to this month’s edition
might be At Home with
Karine, which is, of
course true for all of us. I hope
you are staying well and safe.
These extraordinary times may
have put a pause on travel, but we
are looking at new ways in which
we can stay connected, and share
information – and inspiration – for
when we can once again explore
our wonderful world.
WELCOME TO VIKING TV
At the end of March, we launched
Viking.TV, a new experience
channel designed to be an
uplifting place where we can
all continue to virtually explore
the world together – online.
As well as daily live stream
sessions, you’ll discover lots of
additional programming at your
fingertips on Viking.TV from short
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documentaries to reading lists
and filmographies and classical
music concerts, and much more.
VIKING.TV WEEKLY
SCHEDULE
Museum Mondays
The Munch Museum director,
curator and conservationists
host Museum Mondays behind
closed doors for Privileged
Access to one of the world's
most interesting artists.
Resident Historian Tuesdays
Viking Resident Historians provide
lectures on iconic milestones in
world history and live Q&As.
Arts & Music Wednesdays
World-leading composers,
conductors, photographers,
artists, singers and musicians
share insights into their creative
worlds with you.
Guest Speaker Thursdays
Renowned journalist Anne
Diamond interviews guests
who have led or are leading
extraordinary lives.
At Home at Highclere Fridays
Join the Earl and Countess of
Carnarvon from their home,
Highclere Castle, the historic
country house that is the setting
for the television series and film,
Downton Abbey, every Friday.
Wellness Weekends
Mona Therese takes us through
gentle yoga exercises to balance
the mind and body during these
extraordinary times.
Exploring More with Karine
Karine shares some of her
favourite insights into world
cultures through these awardwinning
short documentaries.
Clockwise,
from above:
Karine hosting
Viking.TV at
home; Heywood
Hill bookshop;
Karine gets lost
in a book; inside
Libreria Acqua
Alta in Venice; the
weekly schedule
on Viking.TV
HEYWOOD HILL
One of the world’s leading
literary collectors and influential
booksellers, Heywood Hill,
shares with Viking a curiosity
and interest in the world’s many
fascinating people and places.
Together, we have curated
an exclusive selection of books
to enhance the experiences of
Viking guests on board our ships.
On Viking.TV you can listen to
Heywood Hill Chairman, Nicky
Dunne’s engaging talk entitled
“Confessions of a Bookseller”,
which was so popular that he
returned for another episode
where he interviewed the
proprietor of the shop (and
Nicky’s father-in-law) the Duke
of Devonshire, who gave us
Privileged Access and insights
into his home, Chatsworth
House, one of Britain’s finest
great homes.
DISCOVER TWO OF
MY OTHER FAVOURITE
BOOKSHOPS
When I travel, I love to discover,
sometimes by accident, some of the
more unusual independent bookshops.
These are invariably places where the
owner is passionate about books.
A UNIQUE, PERSONALISED GIFT
Heywood Hill also provides a subscription service for individuals, where
you can gift a year of books to friends and family based on their interests.
I love the idea of book subscriptions, which I gave to my father and other
special people in my life last Christmas, and now they get a surprise book
in the mail every month, tailored to their interests!
Libreria Acqua Alta
This hidden treasure in Venice is
an extraordinary shop run by the
charismatic Luigi Frizzo, who believes
that books “make your soul come
alive”. A book lover’s paradise,
Libreria Acqua Alta is a truly unique
interpretation of what a book store
should be. It reflects Luigi’s playful
spirit and his unwavering passion
for the written word. Libreria Acqua
Alta has an eclectic collection of
nearly 100,000 titles and includes
a staircase made entirely of books!
Shakespeare & Co.
One of my favourite bookshops in the
world is Shakespeare & Co. on Paris’s
Left Bank. This literary haven was
started in 1919 by a formidable woman
and American idealist called Sylvia
Beach, and it soon became a centre
for American
expats like Ernest
Hemingway and
F. Scott Fitzgerald.
After the war,
the bookshop
was bought
by American
writer George
Whitman and
it became
home to what
he called
tumbleweeds; aspiring writers who for
years were able to work and live in the
shop. The second floor is the library
and has a room with beds for the
tumbleweeds, as well as a piano. I’ve
been to Shakespeare & Co. on several
occasions when talented young
pianists have been performing, and
it’s been absolutely magical.
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