n 1996, I visited Sarum in southern
England. I wanted to see this near-total ruin of an ancient
settlement, a place that was abandoned in favor of the nearby,
newly founded Salisbury in the 13th century.
Sarum's most outstanding characteristic is topographical: Its
oldest quarters sat on a hill but inside a crater created by
manmade earthworks.
I knew about this place because of the novel "Sarum," written in the mid-1980s by Edward
Rutherfurd. He subsequently authored "Russka" and "London." Now "The Forest" is out, with a paperback due this
summer.
These books follow fictional families through countless
generations, linking events in the characters' lives with real
historical events.
It is obvious that books like these can stimulate interest in
tourist destinations.
I recently got to quiz Rutherfurd about his life's work.
He said he first tried writing projects featuring places and
people far from his Salisbury birthplace -- to no avail.
He got into his stride by, literally, going home to create the
best-selling saga that put Sarum on the map. Two other books also
focus on home turf. But why "Russka," the book on Russia?
The author said it was a "family discovery." His grandfather had
lived abroad for 35 years, much of that time in Russia.
Rutherfurd's aunts and uncles spoke Russian, he said.
To do research for the book, he traveled constantly to the
Soviet Union, staying three to four weeks per trip.
The book took three-and-a-half years to produce, as did "Sarum."
The third book, "London," took five years; the newest took two
years.
Though this is not easy to measure, Rutherfurd understands there
is a connection between his books and the travel industry. That's
how I came to sit across from him at a dinner table.
He occasionally goes to Salisbury to brief cathedral guides on
highlights of "Sarum." The book still is a best-seller locally, and
tourists continue to show up at the cathedral with the tome in
hand, he reported.
The latest novel, "The Forest," is centered on a hunting ground
that was set aside in 1079 for Norman royalty. The forest is south
of Salisbury extending to the sea just west of Southampton.
Local tourism authorities are preparing maps based on points in
the book as was done with "Sarum", Rutherfurd said.
What is next? He said he could not say now, but "soon."
Of course, he does not choose his themes with tourism in mind,
but I bet some part of the globe will benefit from the next book,
too. So will my bookshelves.