Seeing The World My Way: Press Release

SilverWood Originals
silverwoodbooks.com/originals

MEDIA RELEASE OCTOBER 2010

For immediate release:

Blind and Deaf Man Tony ‘Sees’ the World His Way

Tony Giles (30) from Teignmouth, Devon, has travelled the world and seen more thrills and spills than most of us will in a lifetime – despite being totally blind and 80 percent deaf.

A few years ago Tony set out to explore as much of the world as possible – staying in backpacker hostels and living on a shoestring budget. While travelling countless countries with pleasure-seeking in mind might not be unusual for most twenty-somethings, Tony is totally blind and 80 percent deaf. Yet this does not hold him back or hinder his carpe diem attitude to fulfilling his dreams. Sky-diving in Australia, bungee jumping in New Zealand and staying out all night in New Orleans are just some of the tales Tony has to tell of his young but action-packed life. Nor does he believe that being blind has diminished the opportunities he has had: “For somebody who can’t see, beauty has a lot to do with what you smell and feel. I’ve learned to use all the senses of my body – my nerves, my touch, my sense of smell.” Tony sums up his unflinching thirst for discovery and excitement by revealing what keeps his feet itchy: “Really, I want all the freedom I can get.”

Tony has travelled solo across North America, Asia and Australasia, dealing with disability whilst encountering new cultures and living life to the limit. He decided to document his inspirational tale in a new travel biography Seeing The World My Way (SilverWood Originals, £8.99). “The book contains basic history and geography of the countries visited while mainly concentrating on an adventurous story of drink and adrenalin activities,” says Tony, who is fiercely independent, always travels solo, and tries to avoid too much help from others. He funds his trips by frugal living, squirrelling away Christmas and birthday money to supplement a small legacy from his late father. He often travels overnight to save on hostel fees, and seeks out cut-price accommodation and backpacker hotels.

Tony recounts his many globetrotting experiences in his new book Seeing the World My Way, which will be published on 1st November by SilverWood Originals (£8.99). It is a frank, honest and self-deprecating story of – in Tony’s own words – one “guy’s global adventures”. His no-holds-barred style of writing features plenty of drama, danger and discovery as he traverses cities, islands and wilderness, moving from one thrill-seeking enterprise to the next. This biography promises to be a unique read as Tony takes you travelling around the world and experiencing life in a whole new way.

STOP PRESS: The RNIB has just selected ‘Seeing the World My Way’ for transcription into braille. An RNIB spokesperson said, “We think it will be very popular with our readers”. This is exciting news, as there’s stiff competition to get books into braille and in the UK only a small number of books are transcribed each year.

Notes to Editors:
Please include the following in any published piece: Seeing The World My Way (SilverWood Originals, £8.99) by Tony Giles is available to order from most retailers and directly from the publisher at www.silverwoodbooks.com/my-way.

Tony Giles is available for interview via his publisher: SilverWood Originals, 30 Queen Charlotte Street, Bristol, BS1 4HJ. Telephone Helen Hart on 0117 910 5829 or email helen@silverwoodbooks.co.uk. His mother Aileen Milsom is also available for comment on 07521 316 678.

High-resolution images are available to accompany any published article.