Felix Dennis has got another book of poetry out – his sixth. And he has just finished a gruelling 21-town tour of Britain and Ireland to promote it.
The 63-year-old publishing millionaire crammed those 21 dates into just 32 days to promote Tales from the Woods – poems about trees and the English countryside.
But he’s no stranger to the stage – he has spent 40 years playing R&B music and stills plays a set at the Mustique Blues Festival every year.
Between his poetry and his music he still finds time to ensure the continued success of his publishing empire and he is busy expanding his news magazine, The Week, in America.
Which is probably why Felix Dennis’s publishing empire is doing pretty well.
The credit crunch took its toll but the publishing company – which employs 400 people in the UK – still returns a healthy profit and turns over more than £85 million a year.
And it continues to expand, becoming one of the country’s biggest multi-media enterprises as it builds both its print and digital presence. The company has acquired the rights to distribute US title Men’s Fitness in the UK and Ireland.
Meanwhile Felix Dennis continues his love of poetry writing, which he began when he was bored while recovering from a serious illness. Fans of his poems include Mick Jagger, Stephen Fry, Tom Wolfe, Dawn French and Jon Snow to name but a few.
Sales of his UK magazines are doing well, particularly The Week, which is valued at least £150 million, but also his men’s fitness and motoring magazines, and of course Maxim.
Meanwhile his web-based magazines are taking off in a big way, with Monkey, his digital men’s magazine launched early in 2007, breaking all records. His American lads’ mags sold for £20 million in 2007.
Felix Dennis first came to public attention in 1971 as one of three defendants in the Oz obscenity trials. He was famously cleared on appeal.
He lives on an estate in Warwickshire and is passionate about planting trees. He is working with the Tree Council to plant hundreds of thousands of native broadleaf saplings to create the largest forest in England – the Heart of England Forest.
Already well over 600,000 saplings have been planted over 1,300 acres and he plans to make it even bigger, with an eventual target of 20,000 acres.
His other interests, apart from being a dedicated smoker, include commissioning bronze sculpture. He was awarded the 2009 Belsky Medal from the Society of Portrait Sculptors.
He hosts charity events at his Warwickshire home and also owns property in Mustique, New York, London and Connecticut.
