We’re delighted to announce that issue seven is available to order!
Before we dive in and tell you what’s coming up – an explanation as to why we’ve been off the radar recently. Over the past nine months, Ernest Journal has been undergoing a quiet evolution. When we first launched in early 2014, independent publishing was just beginning to flourish. Now we find our journal nestled between countless new titles and while it’s wonderful to be part of such a thriving subculture, it’s also time to reflect on what makes Ernest distinctive and how we can refine things a touch.
And so, ever since issue six came out, we’ve been boiling Ernie down. Among other more subtle changes, we’ve stripped away categories to create space for long reads, launched a series of essays and grown our ‘destination’ section to a whopping 40 pages. To be honest, we’re not entirely sure how we found the space. Ernest is clearly a TARDIS.
This looser structure has allowed us the freedom to focus on the sort of storytelling that, we think, makes Ernest unique. We’ve highlighted some of the articles we’re most excited about below and we’ll be sharing further insights over the coming weeks.
Thank you so much for your patience and for continuing with us on this journey – we know that many of you have been awaiting this edition for some time and we're sorry to have kept you waiting.
Also, a special thank you to everyone who has been with us from the very beginning and to the completists who have been staunchly collecting back issues. It makes us beam with pride to think of Ernest Journal stacking up on bookshelves around the world.
Subscribers, we will post your copy out fresh from the printers in about two weeks' time. You can also order issue seven from our online store, or wait for it to arrive with your local indie magazine retailer. In the meantime, we’d be over the moon if you could share news of the new edition with your friends and followers. And please do get in touch with any queries and to let us know what you think!
Right, let's have a look at what's inside...
Inventory I
A treasury of artefacts, specimens and curious tales including the immortal jellyfish, subterranean mail trains, disappearing sounds, cryptic messages, ghost net goods and techniques for cooking with shed tools.
Mapping Antarctic women
In a bid to celebrate the vital roles women have played in shaping our knowledge of the Antarctic, humanitarian writer and researcher Carol Devine is re-mapping the frozen continent, shining a light on female place names and sharing their little-known stories.
Bread making in space
A team of engineers, scientists and food researchers is striving to bring the simple pleasures of (crumb-free) bread to homesick astronauts.
The Kearton Brothers
Meet the Victorian duo who developed the photographic hide through a series of absurd devices.
Route 500
Journey with photographer Sarah Mason as she finds a tonic for her anxiety in the wild landscapes of Scotland’s north coast.
The evolution of sea charts
Today we rely on GPS devices to navigate, but it wasn’t so long ago that nautical charts told of coastal topography, off-lying islets and even mythical islands – and of course, guided us safely through the high seas. C.C. O'Hanlon navigates the history of nautical cartography, from tactile maps to medieval charts.
Prince Philip: volcano god
Travel to the Melanesian island of Tanna where residents worship Prince Philip as a 'garden god'.
Inventory II
A smörgåsbord of photography, apparel and wild food, including a journal of winterscapes, the etymology of wetlands, swimwear made from waste, how to make jerky, a tent hammock and how to create a mountain cyanotype.
