Alexander Frater
Alexander Russell Frater (b Vanuatu, 3 January 1937) is a travel writer and journalist.[1]
Alexander Frater | |
|---|---|
| Born | Alexander Russell Frater 1 March 1937 Port Vila, Vanuatu |
| Occupation | Writer and journalist |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Scotch College, Melbourne |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne |
| Notable awards | Numerous, listed below left |
| Spouse | Marlis |
| Children | 2 |
Background
His grandfather and his father were Scottish Presbyterian missionaries in Vanuatu. His grandfather Maurice was based on the island of Paama, which had previously been hostile to all outsiders, from 1900-1939. His father Alexander, who became a doctor, established a hospital on the island of Iririki, offshore from Parliament House in Port Vila, training local staff in the treatment of tropical diseases. His mother established established and ran two schools in Vanuatu. In 1946 the family moved to Suva, Fiji, where Frater Snr. became Professor at the Central Medical School (he later took a post in New Zealand). [2]
Frater was sent to Scotch College in Melbourne, and then attended the University of Melbourne as an undergraduate in the late 1950s. He married Marlis (d. 19th October 2011) in 1962 and moved to the UK to pursue a career as a journalist (further study, Durham and Perugia). They had 2 children, Tania and John.[3]
He lives in London.
Literary works
Frater is noted for three well-regarded travel books, the most recent, Tales for the Torrid Zone, is in part an autobiography (of his childhood in Vanuatu) and a travelogue, was reviewed by the New York Times and described as "a pleasing grab bag of a book, a jumble of funny encounters, strange sights, forgotten history and really bad food".[4]
'Chasing the Monsoon' (1990) is another notable work in which he follows the Monsoon in India. It was made into a BBC documentary in which he featured.
In the book "Beyond the Blue Horizon" (1984) the author in went to Statesman-Aldwych Travel and asked them to provide him with a ticket to all the places that Imperial Airways used on their route to Australia in 1935. He succeeded in visiting most of the many strange airfields used then and tells also about the many intermediate flights between them with local airlines that most people never has heard about, but also in detail how it was to travel as a passenger to these far away and forgotten places back in 1935.
His latest book to date, published in 2008, is "The Balloon Factory". The book focuses on the pioneers of aviation based at The Balloon Factory in Farnborough.
Journalism
- Assistant editor at Punch magazine from 1963-66
- Wrote for The New Yorker 1964-68
- Staff writer at the Daily Telegraph Magazine 1966-77
- assistant editor for the Radio Times 1977-79
- At The Observer he was assistant editor from 1979-84, Deputy Editor of its magazine from 1984-86, then chief travel correspondent from 1986-98.
Television
Frater made several television documentaries, but admits in "Tales of the Torrid Zone" that his career was destined to be short lived.
A BBC and ABC Discovery Series documentary recreating Africa's flying boat journeys from Cairo to Mozambique was filmed in difficult conditions in 1989. aired in 1990. "The Last African Flying boat"[5] [6][7]
"Monsoon" (BBC), about India's monsoonal rainfall event, aired in 1991.
"In the Footsteps of Buddha" (BBC) 1993
Books
- Frater, A.R. 2008. The Balloon Factory: The Story Of The Men Who Built Britain's First Flying Machines. Picador.
- Frater, A.R. 2004. Tales from the Torrid Zone. Vintage Books/Picador.
- Frater, A.R. 1990. Chasing the Monsoon: a Modern Pilgrimage Through India. Picador.
- Frater, A.R. 1986. Beyond the Blue Horizon: On the track of Imperial Airways. Heinemann.
- Frater, A.R. (ed.) 1984. Great Rivers Of The World. Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.
- Frater, A.R. 1983 Stopping-Train Britain. Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.
Awards
- BAFTA Award for Best Single Documentary (The Last African Flying Boat)
- British Press Travel Award commendations 1982 and 1989
- British Press Award Travel Writer of the Year 1990, 1991 and 1992
- Best Radio Feature Travelex Travel Writers' Awards 2000
- overall winner Travelex Travel Writers' Awards 2000
- shortlisted Thomas Cook Travel Book of the Year Award, "for Monsoon" (Br Book Award, McVitie's Prize)
References
- ^ http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/f/15646/Alexander%20Russell+FRATER.aspx Debrett's entry.
- ^ Frater, A.R. 2004. "Tales from the Torrid Zone". Vintage Books.
- ^ http://www.encyclopedia.com/article-1G2-3070300058/frater-alexander-1937.html
- ^ Grimes, William (March 7, 2007). "Some Like It Hot (He Likes It Steaming)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-06-24.
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv8PDWHNOfA
- ^ http://theflyingboatforum.forumlaunch.net/viewtopic.php?p=8123&sid=8a3efa892b906549ff608b6d78e3a4f2
- ^ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2519&dat=19930711&id=tRpgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yW0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=2496,2936020