‘Feeling the Pressure’ has been published by the British Council Switzerland in February 2008. The book includes new work by many of Britain's leading poets, such as Roger McGough, Simon Armitage and Andrew Motion. They write from highly individual perspectives but all are deeply concerned about Climate Change and its implications for the world.

Who is the editor of this book ?

Paul Munden, editor of ‘Feeling the Pressure’ is the Director of the National Association of Writers in Education. As a poet, he has been involved in various British Council events including seminars on climate change in 2006 and 2007. Many of his poems have been featured in the resulting publications.

What is significant about the writers?

Several of the poets featured are themselves scientists, belying the notion that art and science inhabit separate worlds. All of them were either born in the UK or now work there - many of them as creative writing tutors, helping others to develop their personal visions. The anthology does something similar – it offers fresh insights into a current issue and helps us to reconsider our own attitudes.

What is significant about the book?

Throughout the book there are statements about current scientific research, provided by scientists working at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at Newcastle University. These statements act as touchstones against which we can gauge the poems. To add further to the mix, Maggi Wechsler, a Swiss cartoonist, has contributed vivid images, throwing a witty glance at the Climate Change theme.

List of commissioned writers:

Patience Agbabi, Simon Armitage, Robyn Bolam, Pat Borthwick, Debjani Chatterjee, Oliver Comins, Maura Dooley, Carrie Etter, Victoria Field, Rose Flint, Matthew Francis, Philip Gross, John Latham, Christian McEwen, Roger McGough, Paul Mills, David Morley, Graham Mort, Andrew Motion, Mario Petrucci, Maurice Riordan, Neil Rollinson, Jean Sprackland, Michael Symmons Roberts, Harriet Tarlo

How can I find out more about climate change?

The British Council is involved in several global projects around the theme of climate change. Please visit some of online resources suggested on the left hand side of this page to find out more about our work or contact us if you would like to propose a partnership britishcouncil@britishcouncil.ch.

How do I order copies?

You can download the whole book as a pdf file here: anthology.pdf.
Please note, however, that you may only print the file for private use. May we ask you to contact us if you would like to use excerpts or the whole book in your institution or if you would like to reprint for other purposes.

If you would like to order hard copies, do send us an e-mail. Hard copies are available for the net cost price of 7.95£ excluding shipping.