Mark Peel

The Last Wesleyan: a life of Donald Soper

About the book

Throughout his remarkably long and distinguished career, Donald Soper [1903–1998] wasn’t only the leading Methodist of the twentieth century, he was also one of Britain’s most colourful and controversial churchmen. Mark Peel’s remarkable portrait of the “Last Wesleyan” also contains a superb selection of photographs and intriguing source material.

Author Q&A

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I taught History and Politics at Fettes for twenty-four years before opting for a full-time career as an author. My prime interest has been biography, especially sporting.

Tell us about the book and your motivations for self publishing it:

I was asked by the Soper family to write a biography of Donald and aware that there had been several books on him before, I knew I would probably need to go private.

Why did you choose Scotforth Books?

I had known of Scotforth Books and chose them for their professionalism and integrity. I was delighted I did. They did a superb job, especially the design.

What advice would you give to people who are thinking of self-publishing?

• One needs to go into private publishing with one’s eyes open.
• In all probability one needs an editor and a private publisher who plays it straight.
• Don’t exaggerate the sales and be prepared to do your bit to sell the book (don’t just impose it on your friends).
• A book launch is a good idea.