He was recognised for his title WILD COAST: Travels on South America’s Untamed Edge (published in the UK by Profile Books), which recalls his travels in the Guyanas, one of Earth’s forgotten corners.

Exploring the dense jungles between the Orinoco and the Amazon rivers, he stumbles upon remote villages, snakes, and the hideouts of runaway slaves.

The judging panel included the author Chris Moss, a regular contributor to Telegraph Travel, Tony Wheeler, the founder of Lonely Planet, and last year’s winner Rachel Polonsky.

Mr Wheeler described WILD COAST as “a story that transports you to a place you barely knew about before, and all done with a relaxed nonchalance which totally disregards the tough travels clearly involved.”

Congratulations John!

 

The Authors’ Club Dolman Travel Book of the Year Award is Britain’s only dedicated prize for serious travel literature. The £2,500 prize was founded in 2006 by retired coroner and Authors’ Club member, William Dolman, after the Thomas Cook Award was abandoned by the tour operator after a run of 20 years.  It is open to any travel writer whose book has been first published in Britain, and looks for works of literary merit that show excellence in the tradition of great travel writing, combining a personal journey with the discovery or recovery of places, landscapes or peoples to instil a sense of place, excitement and wonder in the reader.