Letter: The official Sloane Ranger authorship

From Mr Robert Smith

Sir: In your profile of Peter York (16 December), you describe him as the best-selling author of The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook, which suggests that he is its sole author. As the book's publisher while at Ebury Press, may I put on the record the truth about its authorship.

Peter York was not the author but the co-author, and the book would never have achieved its success without his co-author, Ann Barr. It was her deep understanding of the Sloane Ranger species, her loyal and extensive network of informants, and not least the accuracy, wit and brilliance of her writing that was largely responsible for catapulting the book out of the social confines of Harpers & Queen (where she was deputy editor) into the national consciousness.

Yours sincerely

Robert Smith

Smith Gryphon Publishers

London, N1