A WELL-KNOWN arts and culture stalwart turned Gazette columnist has compiled a paperback collection of his very best musings in honour of his late mum.

Dr Anthony Roberts is the director of the historic Colchester Arts Centre, in Church Street, but also regularly writes for the Gazette and its sister paper the Essex County Standard.

The keen poet, who has a degree in English and Drama from Bristol University, landed his column shortly after becoming interim manager Firstsite back in 2015.

Over the years his submissions have consisted of reflections, ideas and general commentary, as well as the frustrations and idiosyncrasies of everyday life.

All written with either a comical or candid approach, the subject matter of his pieces has leapt from farce to fornication and frequent failures to his fierce frivolousness.

Gazette:

Through Manningtree’s Patrician Press Collective, he is now set to publish a book called Never Knowingly Understood, which is a collection of his published columns.

Speaking about the paperback, Anthony said: “The real motivation to actually put a few of the articles together into a book came from the repeated suggestion of the only person I knew to regularly read the column - my mum Muriel. 

"She passed away recently so the book is dedicated to her. 

"She had a book of articles written by a guy called Arthur Marshall who I knew from the BBC series Call My Bluff. He used to write in the New Statesman. 

"I think she thought her son could emulate this lovely book in someway. 

"The sadness I feel at her loss is felt more keenly in that I think that her passing has probably halved the entire readership of the column.

"She’d have been immensely proud to see an actual real book with my name on it on the bookshelf. 

"When I look at the other books she had I can’t help but feel something of the old imposter syndrome descending upon me."

The book, which is being edited by Dr Jon Crane and Emma Kittle-Pey, also features a preface by the Gazette's Wendy Brading.

Gazette:

Although available from October 28, it will officially be launched at Colchester Arts Centre during an event at which Anthony will be interviewed by Anthony Clavane.

“Anthony Roberts' columns make me laugh, make me think and sometimes make me wonder what he had for breakfast that morning,” said Mr Clavane.

“They are all beautifully written and full of insight - delivered in his own inimitable style."

Stephen May, who is also a fan of Anthony’s work, added: “The good Dr Roberts makes you see the world in new and strange ways.”

To find out more information about Never Knowingly Understood visit patricianpress.com or head to colchesterartscentre.com.