Dedicated to the people

Already 20 years have gone by since Miranda Publishers introduced their Malta 360° to the public and to mark this occasion their forthcoming limited edition publication has been purposely dedicated to the Maltese.

With already an impressive 12 books in the 360° vein, Eddie and Tony Aquilina, the minds, brains, and indefatigable spirits behind these publications, have no intention of slowing things down and proudly confirm that there is many a project brewing and even more in the pipeline.

Yet, before moving on to the next venture, it was decided that the upcoming special edition of Panoramic Malta 360° would be dedicated to all those who have supported their endeavours along the years and without whom, Eddie Aquilina said, their books could not have hoped to achieve the success they boasted of today.

While waiting for the fourth edition of Malta 360° (re-named Panoramic Malta 360°) to hit the stores' bookshelves at the end of the month, Mr Aquilina explained how, at present, as many as five other separate books were being painstakingly researched and compiled.

The Panoramic Malta 360° 20th anniversary limited edition took the best part of a year to put together, Mr Aquilina explained. With more than a keen eye for detail and the makings of a true perfectionist, Mr Aquilina does not mind waiting for the ideal weather conditions - even if this means waiting patiently for a season or two to go by - or for a particular event, activity or even a yearly feast in order to achieve that one idyllic shot.

Yet, although unquestionably beautiful and impeccably shot, the forthcoming edition is not solely about postcard-perfect pictures, as some might be inclined to think.

The fourth edition was precisely devised and is being published because of Malta's transient, developing and evolving nature. The resultant publication is therefore one that combines the two sides of the same coin: On the one hand, there is rural Malta - tied, and in some cases, stuck in tradition, proud of both its past and heritage - and, on the other hand, there is urban Malta, which, although not quite metropolitan, is near enough to achieving this "status" and possesses a number of towns that are as near this definition as could possibly be.

An insight into the book's content will appear tomorrow.

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