WebFind: The Clangers Script Book deep discounted by Postscript Books

By John Freeman on April 7, 2024

Devon-based independent bookseller Postscript Books are currently offering copies of Clangers – The Complete Scripts 1969–1974 by Daniel and Oliver Postgate at substantial discount.

Despite being voiced entirely with the swooping sounds of a slide whistle, the dialogue of the Clangers in the children’s television series, launched in November 1969, was fully realised in English, as demonstrated by this collection of the original scripts. The facsimile typescripts are accompanied in this book, published through Unbound in 2022, by film stills, design sketches and contemporary photographs of the making of the films as well as new images of the well-loved puppets.

The book includes all the scripts from the original two series, along with the special ‘“Vote for Froglet” special episode, created in 1974 to try to explain elections to the children watching the show.

The book also includes instruction on to how to knit your own Clanger, and is a wonderful trip down memory lane for anyone who grew up with Clangers in their lives, the show, of course repeated over many decades, and since renewed.

You can order the book here, discounted to £5.99, here from Postcript Books. (This isn’t an affiliate link or paid promotion, simply a WebFind).

You may be interested to know there’s an Unbound crowdfunder for a book collecting the Bagpuss scripts too – check it out here. Also compiled by Daniel Postgate, Bagpuss: The Complete Scripts will contain facsimiles of all thirteen scripts with annotations by its original writer, Oliver Postgate.

It will also include an introduction from Dan, specially commissioned photographs of the characters from the show, archive behind-the-scenes photos from the Postgate-Firmin collection, lyrics from all of the songs, and contributions from its musicians, Sandra Kerr and John Faulkner.

Postscript Books was established in 1987 by a family of avid readers with the aim of sharing intriguing books with as many fellow enthusiasts as possible, at affordable prices. Since then, they have specialised in new, unusual and almost-forgotten titles from major publishers and smaller presses, and always pass on discounts of up to 75% off publishers’ prices.

• Check out the full Postscript Books catalogue at psbooks.co.uk

• Official Clangers website: clangers.com

Thanks to Dan Pollard for the Bagpuss crowdfunding information

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.