Publishing and book trade Books

Book SynopsisLove, Nina meets Black Books: a wry and hilarious account of life in Scotland's biggest second-hand bookshop and the band of eccentrics and book-obsessives who work there 'The Diary Of A Bookseller is warm (unlike Bythell's freezing-cold shop) and funny, and deserves to become one of those bestsellers that irritate him so much.' (Mail on Sunday) 'Utterly compelling and Bythell has a Bennett-like eye for the amusing eccentricities of ordinary people ... I urge you to buy this book and please, even at the risk of being insulted or moaned at, buy it from a real live bookseller.' (Charlotte Heathcote Sunday Express) Shaun Bythell owns The Bookshop, Wigtown - Scotland's largest second-hand bookshop. It contains 100,000 books, spread over a mile of shelving, with twisting corridors and roaring fires, and all set in a beautiful, rural town by the edge of the sea. A book-lover's paradise? Well, almost ... In these wry and hilarious diaries, Shaun provides an inside look at the trials and tribulations of life in the book trade, from struggles with eccentric customers to wrangles with his own staff, who include the ski-suit-wearing, bin-foraging Nicky. He takes us with him on buying trips to old estates and auction houses, recommends books (both lost classics and new discoveries), introduces us to the thrill of the unexpected find, and evokes the rhythms and charms of small-town life, always with a sharp and sympathetic eye.Trade ReviewWarm, witty and laugh-out-loud funny, this gently meandering tale of British eccentricity will stay long in the memory. * Daily Mail *Funny and fascinating in equal measure - a must for all those of us who haunt the sepulchres where old books are laid to rest. * Anthony McGowan *The Diary Of A Bookseller is warm (unlike Bythell's freezing-cold shop) and funny, and deserves to become one of those bestsellers that irritate him so much. -- Jon Dennis * Mail on Sunday *Peopled with fascinating characters ... a sarcastic reminder of the struggles of small business ownership, the importance of community and the frustration of dealing with customers ... occasionally laugh-out-loud funny. * Herald *Wonderfully entertaining. * Observer *Tempted to follow your dream and open a second-hand bookshop? Don't do anything before you read Shaun Bythell ... second-hand bookshops are alive because of people like him. * The National *Utterly compelling and Bythell has a Bennett-like eye for the amusing eccentricities of ordinary people ... I urge you to buy this book and please, even at the risk of being insulted or moaned at, buy it from a real live bookseller. -- Charlotte Heathcote * Sunday Express *I tore through the pages, but I was also rather sad when it finished - I could have read much, much more. Any bibliophiles should race to get a copy. * Shiny New Books *A book and bookshop lover's delight. * Red magazine *Laconic, droll, opinionated and unconvincingly misanthropic ... Wigtown's Pepys. -- Alan Taylor * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisThe Bookshop in Wigtown is a bookworm's idyll - with thousands of books across nearly a mile of shelves, a real log fire, and Captain, the bookshop cat. You'd think after twenty years, owner Shaun Bythell would be used to the customers by now. Don't get him wrong - there are some good ones among the antiquarian porn-hunters, die-hard Arthurians, people who confuse bookshops for libraries and the toddlers just looking for a nice cosy corner in which to wee. He's sure there are. There must be some good ones, right? Filled with the pernickety warmth and humour that has touched readers around the world, stuffed with literary treasures, hidden gems and incunabula, Remainders of the Day is Shaun Bythell's latest entry in his bestselling diary series.Trade ReviewPRAISE FOR SHAUN BYTHELL * : *Gentle, funny and soothing -- Alan BennettEffortlessly charming ... it is soothing to sink once again into the rhythms of Bythell's year * TLS *Utterly compelling ... I urge you to buy this book -- Charlotte Heathcote * Sunday Express *Wonderfully entertaining. * Observer *Warm, witty and laugh-out-loud funny, this gently meandering tale of British eccentricity will stay long in the memory. * Daily Mail *Laconic, droll, opinionated and unconvincingly misanthropic ... Wigtown's Pepys. -- Alan Taylor * Times Literary Supplement *Funny and fascinating in equal measure - a must for all those of us who haunt the sepulchres where old books are laid to rest. * Anthony McGowan *Equal parts preposterous and profound, sure to prove irresistible to fellow bibliophiles * Publishers Weekly *A book and bookshop lover's delight. * Red magazine *PRAISE FOR CONFESSIONS OF A BOOKSELLER -- :PRAISE FOR SEVEN KINDS OF PEOPLE YOU FIND IN BOOKSHOPS -- :Crisp and often funny - and Bythell is canny enough to temper his pantomime misanthropy with bursts of sweetness * Guardian *Bythell is having fun and it's infectious ... actually amusing * Scotsman *Any reader finding this book in their stocking on Christmas morning should feel lucky ... contains plenty to amuse - an excellent diversion * Bookmunch *The second volume of memoirs by the Wigtown bookseller Shaun Bythell is as absorbing as the first * London Review of Books *The best parts are irreverently funny and only borderline legal ... he is certainly not self-serving in terms of writing about what he sees as his own failures and weaknesses ... has kept me giggling all week * Scotland on Sunday *MORE PRAISE FOR DIARY OF A BOOKSELLER -- :All the ingredients for a gentle human comedy are here, as soothing as a bag of boiled sweets and just as tempting to dip into * Literary Review *The Diary Of A Bookseller is warm (unlike Bythell's freezing-cold shop) and funny, and deserves to become one of those bestsellers that irritate him so much. -- Jon Dennis * Mail on Sunday *Peopled with fascinating characters ... a sarcastic reminder of the struggles of small business ownership, the importance of community and the frustration of dealing with customers ... occasionally laugh-out-loud funny. * Herald *MORE PRAISE FOR CONFESSIONS OF A BOOKSELLER * : *Tempted to follow your dream and open a second-hand bookshop? Don't do anything before you read Shaun Bythell ... second-hand bookshops are alive because of people like him. * The National *I tore through the pages, but I was also rather sad when it finished - I could have read much, much more. Any bibliophiles should race to get a copy. * Shiny New Books *

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Book SynopsisThis is a modern, stylish and practical guide to the traditional craft of bookbinding, written by the founders of the London Centre for Book Arts, a destination workshop space that attracts visitors from all over the world. Accessible enough for complete beginners, while full of inspiration for those with more experience, this is the ultimate guide to making beautiful books by hand. Starting with an introduction to the bindery and a useful inventory of necessary tools and equipment, you’ll also learn about different paper types, and special finishes such as cloth coverings, headbands and ribbon markers. You’ll then find clear step-by-step instructions for six different hand-made book types, from simple pamphlets and concertinas to more elaborate multi-section bindings. Each project includes ideas for variations, resulting in over 20 different possible outcomes. There are also details about more advanced techniques and specialist bindings, as well as handy layout and design advice. A combination of practical and inspirational photography will guide readers clearly through each stage of the process, while showcasing the unique results that can be achieved and offering an exclusive peek into the workings of the authors’ studio.

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Irreverently funny ... kept me giggling all week.' Scotland on Sunday "Do you have a list of your books, or do I just have to stare at them?" Shaun Bythell is the owner of The Bookshop in Wigtown, Scotland. With more than a mile of shelving, real log fires in the shop and the sea lapping nearby, the shop should be an idyll for bookworms. Unfortunately, Shaun also has to contend with bizarre requests from people who don't understand what a shop is, home invasions during the Wigtown Book Festival and Granny, his neurotic Italian assistant who likes digging for river mud to make poultices.Trade ReviewThe second volume of memoirs by the Wigtown bookseller Shaun Bythell is as absorbing as the first -- Alan Bennett * London Review of Books *Bythell has a good ear for the absurd and a mundane telemarketing call becomes comedy gold ... For all Bythell's self-flagellation, he comes across as a generous, largely genial figure. It is hard to go for more than a few pages without finding him cooking for staying guests or drinking with friends until the small hours. -- Philip Boakes * Times *The best parts are irreverently funny and only borderline legal ... he is certainly not self-serving in terms of writing about what he sees as his own failures and weaknesses ... has kept me giggling all week. -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *All the ingredients for a gentle human comedy are here, as soothing as a bag of boiled sweets and just as tempting to dip into. -- Adam Douglas * Literary Review *Written with caustic wit...a diverting and congenial read. -- Jackie Law * Bookmunch *

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Book SynopsisFor the enthusiastic reader and book lover, browsing through a bookshop is an irreplaceable experience. American author Elizabeth Stamp selected the 150 most unique bookstores in the world that are worth making a detour to visit. From Australia to France, and Japan to the United States, the bookstores here range from establishments that have been around for decades, to newly opened shops. Each shop has been selected for an outstanding feature, either an interesting backstory, a unique collection, or a fabulous setting. This handsomely bound book, the latest in the 150 series, has inspiring photographs and a wealth of information on each location.Trade Review"Here's hoping for time to visit them all!" - Good Housekeeping UK

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Book SynopsisHere are libraries modest, mobile, mystical (Borges of course) and magical (Helen Oyeyemi's enchanting 'Books and Roses'); public and private, provincial and prestigious. Little that happen in Elizabeth McCracken's eccentric library did not happen in real life - even down to the murder; and it is rumoured that on 3 June 1997 the British Museum Reading Room really was visited by the ghost of Max Beerbohm's obscurest of poets, Enoch Soames...Fiction and reality merge in Cortazar's 'A Continuity of Parks'. Characters step out of their books in Fay Weldon's 'Lily Bart's Hat Shop', while Jasper Fforde's Jurisfiction operatives enter Wuthering Heights to deliver a Rage-Counselling session. Charles Lamb muses on the annoying book-borrowing habits of Samuel Taylor Coleridge; the teenage Teffi is overawed by Tolstoy; Helene Hanff in Manhattan launches her famous correspondence with a London antiquarian bookshop at 84 Charing Cross Road.Reading, as the Queen informs an appalled private secretary, is 'untidy, discursive and perpetually inviting'. And also, of course, a lot of fun. Sit comfortably, then, and begin.

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Book SynopsisBookstores are treasure troves of knowledge and ideas, invaluable for the imagination, and often reflect their owners’ personalities in ways internet behemoths could never recreate. In this book, photographer Horst A. Friedrichs opens the door to the world of bricks-and-mortar bookstores, showcasing their variety, quirkiness, and vitality with lavish photography. It celebrates the passion and commitment of the owners with interviews and anecdotes. Explore William Stout Books, a specialty store for architecture and art books in San Francisco, and Baldwin’s Book Barn in Pennsylvania, a 5-story bookstore housed in a dairy barn open since the mid-1940s. Discover Gay’s the Word, the UK’s first and only dedicated LGBTQI bookshop and Livraria Lello, whose art deco interior is a temple to reading in the middle of Porto, Portugal. Some of the featured bookstores specialize in a certain genre, some are massive with vaulted ceilings, some are tiny and filled to the brim with books, some are in historic buildings that evoke a different time and place, and some are brand new, high- tech, architect-designed spaces. What all the bookstores have in common is that they are all dedicated to spreading the written word to their communities. This is an ideal book for anyone who loves to read, browse, or simply linger in the analog world of books and bookstores.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"I know of no other handbook that focuses on this particular genre of academic writing in such a thorough and, therefore, useful manner. I am confident that anybody who actively works through this book--it is, indeed, a workbook--will eventually taste the academic publishing success in the book's subtitle."--Praise for the previous edition "Steven E. Gump, Journal of Scholarly Publishing " "Even seasoned academic writers can find something useful in Belcher's book. . . . Offers sound advice, encouragement, and confidence-building strategies that help novice writers create/recreate a written text that could be publishable."--Praise for the previous edition "Chronicle of Higher Education "

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Book SynopsisFifty Forgotten Books is a very special sort of book about books, by a great bookman and for book-people of all ages and levels of experience. Not quite literary criticism, not quite an autobiography, it is at once a guided tour through the dusty backrooms of long vanished used bookstores, a love letter to bookshops and bookselling, and a browser's dream wish list of often overlooked and unloved novels, short story collections, poetry collections and works of nonfiction. In these pages, R. B. Russell, publisher of Tartarus Press, doesn't only discuss the books of his life, but explains what they have meant to him over time, charting his progress as a writer and publisher for over thirty years . . . and a bibliophile for many more. Here is living proof of how literature, books, and book collecting can be an intrinsic part of one's personal, professional and imaginative life, and as not only a solitary act, but a social one, resulting in treasured friendships, experiences, and loves one might never, otherwise, have enjoyed. Filled with a lively nostalgia for the era when finding strange new books meant pounding the pavement and not just filling in search engines, Fifty Forgotten Books is for anyone who wishes they could still browse the dusty bookshelves of their youth, and who can't wait to get back out into the world in quest of the next text liable to change their life.Trade Review‘A groovy and delicious and intimate jigsaw of memories and passions and books, and schisms and oddities and books – Ray Russell is a bibliomaniac that it is a delight to spend time with. Falling in love with books voraciously, whilst growing up ferociously, has never been so beautifully described – a memoir that is as accurate and enthralling as it is dreamlike – just like the books about which he writes with such love!’ David Tibet ---- ‘R. B. Russell’s beautifully told part-memoir gives us the story of a life lived alongside books, and the joyous way in which those dusty first editions often reverberate throughout our lives.’ Ed Parnell ---- ‘A compelling celebration of reading, writing, publishing and the unexpected treasures to be found in second hand bookshops. Ray Russell writes so eloquently about his deep love of books as things in themselves but also his joy of discovering the new, the strange – those books that act as life’s waymarkers.’ Andrew Michael Hurley ---- ‘This is a book to send you scurrying to the dusty mote-filled light of the secondhand book shop, to the chilliness of the jumble sale, to late nights at the blue screen of the laptop, seeking out the books you don’t know and can’t wait to know, and to renew old acquaintances. A memoir and commonplace book as delicate, suggestive and enchanting as the books themselves.’ Stuart Maconie ---- ‘Absolutely wonderful. A unique and enchanting memoir like no other. A book lover’s paean to the volumes that made him, which also opens a window on his soul. Charming, vivid and singularly evocative.’ Jeremy Dyson ---- ‘Decadents, bohemians, cult musicians, the odd (very odd) spy, shady publishers, backstreet booksellers, writers of the weird and wayward, they’re all here. R. B. Russell’s memoir gives us literature on the edge, in all its wonderful strangeness.’ Mark Valentine ---- ‘Whether Russell is remembering his discovery of Arthur Machen, chronicling his sometimes comic negotiations with the crafty bookdealer George Locke, or reflecting on his own personal library of tatty paperbacks, signed firsts and rare association copies, he makes clear that a bookish life can be an enviably rewarding one, replete with the quiet satisfactions of the study, the rowdy pleasures of the literary conference, and warm friendships with the learned, the widely read and, not least, the winningly eccentric.’ Michael Dirda

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Book Synopsis'Any bibliophile will find many enjoyable nuggets in this compendium of book chat' Stephen Poole, Guardian 'An engaging little eye-opener about the publishing business, full of tasty nuggets about books, writers and their editors' Sunday Times 'Enjoyable ... engaging ... insightful' Independent Once upon a time, a writer had an idea. They wrote it down. But what happened next? Join Rebecca Lee, professional text-improver, as she embarks on a fascinating journey to find out how words get from an author's brain to finished, printed books. She'll reveal the dark arts of ghostwriters, explore the secret world of literary agents and uncover the hidden beauty of typesetting. Along the way, her quest will be punctuated by a litany of little-known (but often controversial) considerations that make a big impact: ellipses, indexes, hyphens, esoteric points of grammar and juicy post-publication corrections. After all, the best stories happen when it all goes wrong. From foot-and-note disease to the town of Index, Missouri - turn the page to discover how books get made and words get good.* * Or, at least, betterTrade ReviewA fascinating and funny look at what really goes into the making of a book * Sunday Times *A masterpiece * Daily Mail *Inject this straight into my veins! -- Lucy ManganEngaging, informative, and fascinating! -- David Bellos, author * Is That a Fish in Your Ear? *Beautifully written, unbelievably well informed and utterly fascinating - I adored it. -- Shaun Bythell, author * The Diary of a Bookseller *Chock-full of the kind of anecdotes that are catnip for booklovers * Financial Times *A revelatory account of how books get made, and a delightful hymn to human collaboration. No really: you'll be entertained on every page! -- Rebecca Gowers, author of 'Horrible Words: A Guide to the Misuse of English'Bibliophiles will really enjoy this ... Rebecca Lee takes you on a journey - a book's journey - and there's never a dull moment. She moves skilfully back and forth between fascinating book-making history to delightful modern-day anecdotes from both her own experience and other experts in the book-publishing profession. -- Hana Videen, author of 'The Wordhord: Daily Life in Old English'A bibliophile's paradise, a trove of inside stories and fascinating facts. The journey made by words, from the mind of an author to the printed page, is surprisingly complex and often hilarious, and Rebecca Lee is the perfect guide. -- Henry Eliot, author of The Penguin Classics BookEverything you could want to know, and a whole lot more you didn't even know you wanted, about the history and process of writing. Fascinating stories, secrets and nuggets of advice from inside the belly of the publishing beast. You'll finish this book wanting to get started on your own, and knowing exactly how to go about it. -- Edward Brooke-Hitching, author * The Madman's Library *A book full of good words about how words get good. Drawing on wide reading and long experience, Rebecca Lee shines a light on the talented people who work behind the scenes to bring the best possible version of a book to its readers. Revealing, readable and fun. -- Tom Mole, author * The Secret Lives of Books *Any bibliophile will find many enjoyable nuggets in this compendium of book chat -- Stephen Poole * Guardian *An engaging little eye-opener about the publishing business, full of tasty nuggets about books, writers and their editors * Sunday Times *Many enjoyable digressions ... An engaging guide to the behind-the-scenes work involved in getting a book published ... Insightful * Independent *From ghost writers to grammar, from translation to typesetting, she proves a lively and engaging guide to the long process of making a book, tracing its history from the ancient world to the modern day. ... A funny and illuminating peek into publishing below stairs. * Mail on Sunday *Excellent and much-needed ..... I am not sure I have ever read anything as good on the process of getting a book into print. ... A straightforward masterpiece. * Daily Mail *A very amiable, freely digressive omniumgatherum of book-related bits and pieces ... Interesting and unexpected -- Sam Leith * Times Literary Supplement *Cheerful, clearheaded * Buzz magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe essential guide to twentieth-century literature around the worldFor six decades the Penguin Modern Classics series has been an era-defining, ever-evolving series of books, encompassing works by modernist pioneers, avant-garde iconoclasts, radical visionaries and timeless storytellers.This reader''s companion showcases every title published in the series so far, with more than 1,800 books and 600 authors, from Achebe and Adonis to Zamyatin and Zweig.It is the essential guide to twentieth-century literature around the world, and the companion volume to The Penguin Classics Book.Bursting with lively descriptions, surprising reading lists, key literary movements and over two thousand cover images, The Penguin Modern Classics Book is an invitation to dive in and explore the greatest literature of the last hundred years.Trade ReviewA heavyweight - but never burdensome - history of the publishing house... A must for quiz-hounds -- Alex Diggins * Telegraph *As close to pornography as you can get as a bibliophile. From one angle it is a testament to book design over nigh on a century. On another, it is a work of publishing history -- Stuart Kelly * Scotsman *

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Book Synopsis''A fascinating journey into our relationship with the physical book...I lost count of the times I exclaimed with delight when I read a nugget of information I hadn''t encountered before'' Val McDermid, The TimesMost of what we say about books is really about the words inside them: the rosy nostalgic glow for childhood reading, the lifetime companionship of a much-loved novel. But books are things as well as words, objects in our lives as well as worlds in our heads. And just as we crack their spines, loosen their leaves and write in their margins, so they disrupt and disorder us in turn. All books are, as Stephen King put it, ''a uniquely portable magic''. Here, Emma Smith shows us why.Portable Magic unfurls an exciting and iconoclastic new story of the book in human hands, exploring when, why and how it acquired its particular hold over us. Gathering together a millennium''s worth of pivotal encounters with volumes big and small, Smith reveals Trade ReviewIf you love books, you'll love Portable Magic -- Val McDermidFor many of us, books are the life we chose without thinking about it too much. Emma Smith's terrifically knowledgeable and thoughtful Portable Magic helps us understand every aspect of what our beloved books stand for. I for one am very grateful. What a delight this book is. -- Lynne TrussIrresistibly fascinating -- John CareyBrilliant... amusing, darkly sobering, and consistently fascinating ... a combination of deep scholarship and down-to-earth wit * Telegraph *Fun, playful, learned and accessible... Smith is herself a magical writer * BBC History Magazine *Smith's genius is to question as well as to value and register every contradiction - to make you, the reader, think without even suspecting that you are ... for communicating complex material in conversational, occasionally irreverent, prose -- Lucasta Miller * The Critic *Joyous ... thrilling ... A brilliantly written account of the book-as-material-object, and the slightly seedy pleasures of "bookhood" -- Kathryn Hughes * Guardian (Book of the Week) *Wildly entertaining ... This fascinating, slyly amusing book carries an undertow of personal affection for the curious, rectangular, multileaved objects with which we're so familiar * Sunday Times *Smith's enchanting book sparkles with gems of trivia that often conceal deeper truths about the evolution of reading and publishing. Fascinating, enlightening, funny and touching, this is indeed portable magic * Sydney Morning Herald *Emma Smith's history of the physical book is a thing to cherish ... witty and ingenious ... Smith reads with all her senses alert ... A wise, funny, endearingly personal book -- Peter Conrad * Observer *Anyone who's ever enjoyed the feel or indeed smell of a book should read Emma Smith's delightful and informative Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers -- Lucasta Miller * Spectator Books of the Year *From bullet-stopping Bibles to tomes bound in human skin, Smith's history of books revels in their magic and malignity. It skewers our faith in the written word yet repays it handsomely * Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisIs a facsimile an edition? In answering this question in relation to Shakespeare, and to early modern writing in general, the author explores the interrelationship between the beginning of the conventional process of collecting and editing Shakespeare's plays and the increasing sophistication of facsimiles.Table of ContentsIntroduction: What is a Facsimile and Why Does It Matter?; 1. The Pre-History of Facsimiles: Eighteenth-Century Editing; 2. Searching for Reproduction: Traced and Type-Facsimiles; 3. The Photographic Era; 4. New Bibliography, New Facsimiles; 5. The Hinman Folio Facsimile and Reproduction as a Manipulated Ideal Text; 6. The Microfilm Revolution; 7. The Resilience of Books and the Resurrection of Old Editions; 8. Screen and Page: Digital Facsimiles; 9. New Textualism and the Exploded Original; 10. Endless Facsimiles and the Shakespeare Original(s); Coda; Glossary.

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Book SynopsisNothing is unreal as long as you can imagine like a crow. --Munia KhanConventional wisdom says that a crow can not be tamed. These intelligent creatures are often understood as harbingers of doubt and uncertainty, whose high nesting grant them an unusually elevated perspective. For the writer, the crows of doubt circle over every project. This book shows they can be tamed. Writing is a magical hobby and form of expression but getting words on the page is not the same as finalizing material which you are happy to send out and share. This book is a complete toolkit which will help you to tame doubts and insecurities and engage with your internal critic in order to assert control over your manuscript and elevate your writing.Written by the team behind one of the world''s most successful literary consultancies, Taming the Crows will show you how to master the art of self-editing--perhaps the least understood but

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Book SynopsisA remarkably diverse treasury of literary celebrations, Books and Libraries is sure to take pride of place on the shelves of the book-obsessed. Books have long captured the imagination of readers everywhere, commanding their love, earning their veneration. For Emily Dickinson they are frigates that 'take us Lands away'; for Wordsworth they are 'a substantial world, both pure and good'; Alberto Rios calls them 'the deli offerings of civilization itself'. This affection extends to the hallowed gathering places of the written word: libraries where one can best hear "a choir of authors murmuring inside their books," as Billy Collins has it; bookshops, especially second-hand ones, 'too small for the worlds they hold, where words that sing you to sleep, stories that stalk your dreams, open like windows in a wall' (Gillian Clarke). The poets collected here include Catullus, Horace, T'ao Ch'ien, Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Ronsard, Lope de Vega, Shakespeare, Marvell, Blake, Pope and Keats; more recent luminaries include Brecht, Cavafy, Gabriela Mistral, Dylan Thomas, Iku Takenaka, Pablo Neruda, Wislawa Szymborska, Anne Stevenson, Maya Angelou, Derek Walcott, John Burnside and Ian McMillan.

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Book SynopsisEvery bookshop has a story.Trade Review...it wonderfully illustrates the love of books that sellers and buyers across the world can have * Image Magazine *...a perfect present for any booklover of your acquaintance -- Harriet Devine

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Book SynopsisThis book tells the story of the turbulent decades when the book publishing industry collided with the great technological revolution of our time. From the surge of ebooks to the self-publishing explosion and the growing popularity of audiobooks, Book Wars provides a comprehensive and fine-grained account of technological disruption in one of our most important and successful creative industries. Like other sectors, publishing has been thrown into disarray by the digital revolution. The foundation on which this industry had been based for 500 years – the packaging and sale of words and images in the form of printed books – was called into question by a technological revolution that enabled symbolic content to be stored, manipulated and transmitted quickly and cheaply. Publishers and retailers found themselves facing a proliferation of new players who were offering new products and services and challenging some of their most deeply held principles and beliefs. The old industry was suddenly thrust into the limelight as bitter conflicts erupted between publishers and new entrants, including powerful new tech giants who saw the world in very different ways. The book wars had begun. While ebooks were at the heart of many of these conflicts, Thompson argues that the most fundamental consequences lie elsewhere. The print-on-paper book has proven to be a remarkably resilient cultural form, but the digital revolution has transformed the industry in other ways, spawning new players which now wield unprecedented power and giving rise to an array of new publishing forms. Most important of all, it has transformed the broader information and communication environment, creating new challenges and new opportunities for publishers as they seek to redefine their role in the digital age. This unrivalled account of the book publishing industry as it faces its greatest challenge since Gutenberg will be essential reading for anyone interested in books and their future.Trade ReviewOne of Tyler Cowen's 'Best Non-Fiction Books of 2021' in Marginal Revolution“An expert diagnosis of publishers and publishing, robustly illustrated with charts, graphs, tables, statistics and case studies… For anyone bewildered by the transformation of the book world, Mr. Thompson offers a pointed, thorough and business-literate survey.”The Wall Street Journal“Thompson takes the reader on a wild and exciting ride exploring the changes that have turned book publishing on its head over the last 30 years, with the development of many new technologies that readers may have come to take for granted or never considered… well worth reading to understand where the book was in the latter part of the twentieth century and where it is headed well into the twenty-first.”LSE Review of Books“Book Wars is as comprehensive, wide-ranging and deeply considered an appraisal of the book publishing world as one can imagine – and a sober consideration of what the digital age has meant to a print-centred business. This masterful work should be the foundation for all future thinking about book publishing, and much future thinking about how new technologies change – and don’t change – societies.”Michael Schudson, Columbia University “Thompson weaves together a remarkable account of how and why one of the oldest forms of media has persisted through the challenges posed by digital disruption. Extraordinary in its breadth and depth, Book Wars unpacks the complex implications of digital production and distribution and draws crucial lessons that are relevant well beyond the world of books, providing a valuable lens for examining the profound changes that internet communication has brought to nearly every sector of the economy, and especially media industries.”Amanda Lotz, Queensland University of Technology “John Thompson was there when the digital-driven changes were in full swing, and he uses his bird’s-eye view and thoroughly researched analysis to give the reader the story behind the stories. And it’s a great read too.”John Sargent, CEO of Macmillan Publishers USA“An astute deep dive into the current publishing predicament ─ how we got here and what lies ahead. For anyone who wants to understand the key challenges facing our industry today, this book is highly instructive.”Jonathan Galassi, President, Farrar Straus & Giroux “Thrilling reports from the trade-publishing front lines by a leading (as it were) war correspondent….I once (rather pompously) wrote that we need a 'contemporary history of the book'. Well, now we have it, for trade presses at least. I just didn’t expect it to be so interesting.”Times Higher Education“magisterial”The Independent“insightful and intelligent”Publisher’s Weekly “excellent… Every skirmish, every battle, every standoff is covered objectively with supporting data and entertainingly with the case studies I would have chosen.”Richard Charkin, Publishing Perspectives“An important book for anyone interested in publishing.”The Toronto Star“John B. Thompson’s Book Wars: The Digital Revolution in Publishing is certain to become this year’s must-read for anyone serious about the publishing industry.”Thad McIlroy, The Future of Publishing “an extremely authoritative account of the revolution which at one time looked like it was going to destroy the fusty old world of book publishing, but has actually ended up reinvigorating it in ways that no one predicted… for anybody wanting to get into publishing this should be compulsory reading. If you are about to go for a job interview anywhere in the industry, read this book first!”Authors Electric“Exceptionally well written, organized and presented... Book Wars: The Digital Revolution in Publishing is an extraordinary study and one that is especially and unreservedly recommended for anyone with an interest in how and why the publishing industry works as it does today.”Midwest Book Review “If you’re a serious professional author like me, this book is a must-read because it gives historical perspective. Younger and less experienced writers often lack historical perspective and there aren’t many books on the history of the publishing industry, so Thompson’s book is required reading.”M. L. Ron, Indie Author Confidential Vol. 5 “Thompson’s work is authoritative and will be of tremendous value to future readers and researchers in understanding how a 500-year-old culture of print was able to absorb and adapt. I’m aware of no other title that provides such a useful account of how publishing professionals have fought to ensure stabilization and reliable delivery of content.”The Scholarly Kitchen “magisterial… Thompson has provided an invaluable reference and resource for researchers into the complex and rapidly changing field of book publishing. Elegantly written, thoroughly researched, and remarkably comprehensive, Book Wars tells a fascinating story of how publishers large and small are adapting to the transformational effects of the digital revolution.”Publishing Research Quarterly “Thompson’s Book Wars has been the book-about-book-publishing event of 2021…no one else has Thompson’s ability to marshal the facts into comprehensive and illuminating accounts of publishing in all its splendor.”Publishers Weekly“Nobody arrives better equipped than Thompson to map how the publishing ecosystem has persisted and morphed in the digital environment… it's invaluable to have such thorough documentation of the digital publishing multiverse.”The Los Angeles Review of Books“Thompson sets out to detail the recent history of the digital revolution of books and succeeds in not only providing such a history, but also showing a clear warning sign of how the digital revolution impacts every industry and individual differently… fascinating.”Real Change“fascinating and salutary”The Critic“Thompson is an eloquent and lucid writer who has a real talent for telescoping smoothly from individual cases to a bird's-eye view of the industry of trade publishing… I do not imagine there are many other scholars working today who could provide such a magisterial account of the past two decades of the digital revolution in Anglo-American trade book publishing.”Robert Brown, Journal of Scholarly Publishing“This is a deeply informative book that can be read cover to cover and then put on a nearby shelf as a reference, not only to the grand themes of the digital revolution in books, but to a plethora of companies and organizations that have contributed to every aspect of that revolution, from Smashwords to Booksmart to Blurb to Unbound to Inkshares to so many more.”Alex Holzman, Journal of Scholarly Publishing“Book Wars brings depth and empirical richness to its account of the rapidly changing publishing industry, while contributing to theoretical and conceptual debates about digital platforms and culture industries.”International Journal of Communication“A great book… This is a comprehensive and thoroughly convincing monograph on the digital revolution in publishing. There is just no way round this book, for publishing studies scholars (and students) as well as for book business professionals interested in the inner workings of the digital sector of their industry.”Logos 'a brilliant and singular work'Escola de Llibreria ‘Book Wars presents a comprehensive and compelling narrative of new forms of book production, publication, and dissemination. Anyone considering the current and historical states of Anglo-American trade publishing would benefit from reading this impressive piece of scholarship.’Information & Culture ‘Literary scholars, professionals with a vested interest in books’ value, stand to benefit enormously from Thompson’s account… Book Wars shows that understanding the major forces shaping literary production and circulation requires methods appropriate to resolutely non-textual phenomena. Our disciplinary habitus may not be a reliable guide to the hidden continents of literary media. Thompson’s map of the changing publishing field points to different lines of inquiry for contemporary literary studies—different objects, different questions—than the ones we have so far taken up.’Contemporary Literature ‘Book Wars provides an expansive look at the state of publishing today, and will find readers across a wealth of disciplines and approaches… it will prompt and inform ongoing discussions about the book industry and publishing – and ultimately, help us understand the value of what we still call “the book” in our heavily digitized and media-filled lives.’Zeitschrift für Anglistik und Amerikanistik“Thompson has a long view of publishing, one that isn’t mired in nostalgia. He isn’t dismissive or jaded about the digital revolution, which is exactly the right attitude for any publisher hoping to navigate its turbulent future."The AuthorTable of ContentsPreface Introduction 1 The Faltering Rise of the Ebook 2 Reinventing the Book 3 The Backlist Wars 4 Google Trouble 5 Amazon's Ascent 6 Struggles for Visibility 7 The Self-publishing Explosion 8 Crowdfunding Books 9 Bookflix 10 The New Orality 11 Storytelling in Social Media 12 Old Media, New Media Conclusion: Worlds in Flux Appendix 1: Sales data from a large US trade publisher Appendix 2: Note on Research Methods Index

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Book Synopsis'Remarkable lives in extraordinary times - a gripping and exceptional literary journey.' Philippe Sands'Alexander Wolff is keen, after a generation of silence, to follow the untold stories wherever they might lead.' Claire Messud, Harpers Magazine'As riveting as the fiction the Wolffs themselves have published, and deeply affecting.' NewsweekIn 2017, acclaimed journalist Alexander Wolff moved to Berlin to take up a long-deferred task: learning his family's history. His grandfather Kurt Wolff set up his own publishing firm in 1910 at the age of twenty-three, publishing Franz Kafka, Émile Zola, Anton Chekhov and others whose books would be burned by the Nazis. In 1933, Kurt and his wife Helen fled to France and Italy, and later to New York, where they would bring books including Doctor Zhivago, The Leopard and The Tin Drum to English-speaking readers.Meanwhile, Kurt's son Niko, born from an earlier marriage, was left behind in Germany. Despite his Jewish heritage, he served in the German army and ended up in an prisoner of war camp before emigrating to the US in 1948. As Alexander gains a better understanding of his taciturn father's life, he finds secrets that never made it to America and is forced to confront his family's complex relationship with the Nazis.This stunning account of a family navigating wartime and its aftershocks brilliantly evokes the perils, triumphs and secrets of history and exile.Trade Reviewan event-filled biography and, along the way, a captivating case study in the challenges faced by refugees attempting to remake a life...as enlightening as it is engaging. * Wall Street Journal *as riveting as the fiction the Wolffs themselves have published, and deeply affecting. * Newsweek *Alexander Wolff is keen, after a generation of silence, to follow the untold stories wherever they might lead. -- Claire Messud * Harpers Magazine *Remarkable lives in extraordinary times - a gripping and exceptional literary journey. -- Philippe Sands[A] poignant portrait...Wolff skillfully contextualizes his father and grandfather's tales with military and political history; details links between Merck and the Nazi regime; and uncovers family secrets, including the existence of his father's illegitimate half-brother. History buffs and literary enthusiasts will be rewarded * Publishers Weekly *An astonishing, compelling, confronting story of a divided family, reaching sharply into the present. -- Tim Bonyhady, author of GOOD LIVING STREETMeticulously researched and beautifully written, Endpapers, at its heart, is an absorbing family history. But it is so much more than that, a haunting exploration of guilt and responsibility, of roots and new beginnings. Filled with stunning literary details that any bibliophile will cherish, this is an intimate and complex portrait of a remarkable family that also tells a wider story of Europe and America in the twentieth century. Endpapers is a treasure - a brave and moving book. -- Ariana Neumann, author of WHEN TIME STOPPEDA powerfully told story of family, honor, love and truth, by a masterful writer who sees across the oceans and through the generations. In Endpapers we see the Wolff family through war and love, detention camps and immigration hearings, kindness and betrayal, occupying a world equal parts Casablanca and Kafka. It is engrossing and entertaining, a book of conscience and remembrance that tells the beautiful truth that so often those who contribute most to the culture and civic life of a place are the outcast and the refugee. -- Beto O'RourkeAlexander Wolff - a writer of superb grace - traces a complex and compelling family history in this deeply absorbing narrative of high culture under threat, of political and moral violence, and the deep wish for what Wolff refers to as Heimkehr or 'homecoming.' Endpapers held me in its spell for days. -- Jay Parini, author of BORGES AND ME: AN ENCOUNTERA stunning and brave book, deep and absorbing. I was enraptured by the story of Kurt, Niko and Alex as they moved through the crosswinds of the twentieth century, from Munich to Princeton, and into the modern world. -- David Maraniss, author of A GOOD AMERICAN FAMILYIn a compelling, frequently thrilling and - if you have an ear for the biting tone of Hitler's exiles - often hilarious book, Alexander Wolff combines biography, memoir and cultural history, rendering them indivisible, and making clear the uncanny and terrifying parallels between Kurt Wolff's day and ours. -- Anthony Heilbut, author of EXILED IN PARADISE and THOMAS MANN[A] revelatory, riveting and deeply moving account of his family's involvement in Germany's recent history. -- Joshua Hammer * New York Review of Books *Table of ContentsPrologue: Prologue Introduction: Introduction 1: Bildung and Books 2: Done with the War 3: Technical Boy and the Deposed Sovereign 4: Mediterranean Refuge 5: Surrender on Demand 6: Into a Dark Room 7: A Debt for Rescue 8: An End with Horror 9: Blood and Shame 10: Chain Migration 11: Late Evening 12: Second Exile 13: Schweinenest 14: Turtle Bay 15: Mr. Bitte Nicht Ansprechen 16: Shallow Draft 17: Play on the Bones of the Dead 18: The End, Come by Itself

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Book SynopsisWritten with an intimacy and spontaneity even more revealing than her celebrated memoirs, Diana Athill's correspondence with the American poet Edward Field covers thirty years of pleasure and pain, fame and gossip, relationships and ailments. Edited, selected and introduced by Athill, this collection of those letters covers her career as an editor and the adventure of her retirement, revealing a sharply intelligent woman with a keen eye for the absurd, a brilliant turn of phrase and a wicked sense of humour. Vivid, direct and entertaining, Instead of a Book is a wonderful insight into a woman growing older without ever losing her zest for life.Trade ReviewFascinating and surprising ... Athill is a wonderful letter writer - always aware of the need to entertain and beguile the reader ... Every page of this book shows that Athill's eye is as beady as ever -- Daisy Goodwin * Sunday Times *Encounter again, the sheer joy of her brisk, wry and hugely energetic prose -- Christina Patterson * Independent *These are vivid reports on life in late 20th-century Britain as experienced by a writer, editor, daughter, partner and pensioner with an extraordinarily "beady eye" on human relations and a phenomenal capacity for making the most of everything that comes her way ... She owes us nothing. She has given a very great deal -- Alexandra Harris * Guardian *She documents her dotage with affecting candour ... Athill is never remotely maudlin or self-pitying, and she describes beautifully those "lovely moments of pure being" that make it all worthwhile -- David Evans * Financial Times *A joy to read ... Grand, splendid and wonderfully entertaining, Athill makes you hope that letter-writing is not a lost art -- Tina Jackson * Metro *Athill is wonderful - always aware of the need to entertain and beguile her reader ... Fascinating and surprising -- Daisy Goodwin * Sunday Times *A superb description of a woman growing older without losing her sense of humour or enthusiasm for life * Daily Telegraph *Spirited sketches of OAP life... tackles the big questions through the small increments -- Alexandra Harris * Guardian *A revealing document... There's a disarming honesty in the detail of [her] daily struggles with domesticity and mortality * Big Issue in the North *The keenly intelligent letters between Athill and her friend, the American poet Edward Field, provide an intimate insight into the relationship between the two writers * Good Homes *

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Book SynopsisWhen the sleepy English village of Green Bottom hosts its first literary festival, the good, the bad and the ugly of the book world descend upon its leafy lanes. But the villagers are not prepared for the peculiar habits, petty rivalries and unspeakable desires of the authors. And they are certainly not equipped to deal with Wilberforce Selfram, the ghoul-faced, ageing enfant terrible who wreaks havoc wherever he goes. Sour Grapes is a hilarious satire on the literary world which takes no prisoners as it skewers authors, agents, publishers and reviewers alike.Trade Review'A true original' - Hilary Mantel;'Few writers can match Rhodes gag for gag' - Daily Telegraph;'Dan Rhodes is totally sick and brilliant in all the right ways' - Douglas Coupland;'Going too far is Dan Rhodes' forte' - The Observer; 'Laugh out loud hilarious' - Stewart Lee

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Book SynopsisTheoretically there has never been a better time to become a published writer. But for anyone looking to venture into today's publishing landscape, it can be a daunting prospect - self-publish? Look for an agent? Go direct to an indie publisher? And what exactly is digital-first publishing? 'How to Be Published' is the first book to offer an unbiased guide to the pros and cons of self-publishing versus traditional publishing, along with all the myriad options in between - helping an author navigate the complex world of publishing and find the best path for them, their book and their writing aspirations.Trade Review'So, you've written and published... now what? You read this manual! It's a fantastic resource for anyone looking to get their writing in front of more people. Morrison turns the overwhelming task of marketing into bite-size tips and tutorials that anyone can implement' —Stephanie Jankowski, author of Schooled (Page Street Publishing, January 2020); 'Navigating the murky waters of first-time publishing can be intimidating. I wish I'd had a guide like this when I was first deciding between self and traditional publishing' —Mary Widdicks, author of the 'Mermaid Asylum' series

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Book SynopsisUniversity literary journals allow students to create their own venue for learning, have a hands-on part of their development in real-world skills, and strive towards professional achievement. But producing an undergraduate literary magazine requires commitment, funding, and knowledge of the industry. This practical guide assists students and faculty in choosing a workable structure for setting up, and then successfully running, their own literary publication. Whether the journal is print or online, in-house or international, Creating an Undergraduate Literary Journal is a step-by-step handbook, walking the reader through the process of literary journal production. Chapters focus on: defining the journal; the financial logistics; editing the journal; distribution; and what could come next for a student writer-editor after graduation. The first book of its kind to offer instruction directly to those running university-based literary magazines, this book includes insights from forTrade ReviewAudrey Colombe’s Creating An Undergraduate Literary Journal provides a wealth of information for faculty advisors, student and faculty editors, and undergraduates and graduate students alike on the business of literary publishing and tips for building, developing, expanding, and marketing a successful literary magazine. * Keya Mitra, Pacific University, USA *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Running a Literary Journal The sorrows, the joys What to expect from this book 1.Defining Your Journal Start Out by Looking Around: What Defines Your School and Your Project? Are you working on an existing journal, or starting from scratch? Considering the Possibilities: In house National/International Online In print 2. Financial and In-kind Support The Budget University: Student Fees, Department, College, Provost Advisory Board Fundraising 101 Faculty Advisor/Graduate Advisor Partner Journals Advertising 3. Editing the Journal Editing tasks: creating a handbook and editorial practices Diversity – Staff and Selections Establishing an Annual Schedule Communication Between yourselves With your writers Production and Design Awards – Or Not 4. Writer-Editor Citizen Reading Series and Other Literary Events Creating Writing Opportunities for Everyone Collaborative Work with Other Student Artists Community Outreach: Getting Writers from the Community Involved University engagement (with Admissions, Alumni Relations, Development) 5. Networking and Professionalization State and Local Writing Groups AWP & FUSE National and International Writing Conferences Internships Graduate School Index Appendix A: List of undergraduate literary magazines, print and online Appendix B: List of helpful literary organizations

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Book SynopsisIn this insightful memoir Lennie Goodings takes the reader behind the scenes at Virago, the feminist press that she has led for twenty years. Moving from Virago's early days of independence, through its various commercial incarnations, the author reflects on idealistic publishing and how it feels to be a beacon for change.Trade ReviewAn immersive, lovingly written memoir, whose story resonates beyond publishing. * Johanna Thomas-Corr, The Sunday Times *An inspiring book. * Sarah Baxter, The Sunday Times *Pensive and surprisingly poignant...this book glows with the gratitude of doing [the work of an editor], and in doing so, finding oneself occupying a front seat to feminist history...It's a memoir that doesn't merely look backward, but in its form, in all its limitations, gestures at the work to be done. It's a memoir of a Virago reader. * Parul Sehgal, New York Times *Moving and hugely inspiring ... As a cultural history, A Bite of the Apple is clear. As a reminder of female artists' ongoing fight for space and respect, it's necessary. As a riff on writers and writing, it's essential. * Bidisha, The Observer *What Goodings is so good at drawing out are the interrelations between various social and political movements and their correlatives in publishing and literature. Not only does she recover Virago's story, but she loops in the narratives of various authors and movements, building up a rich and textured historical fabric ... An inspiring, entertaining and insightful read, full of the energy and fervour of hard-won wisdom. * Seán Hewitt, The Irish Times *This history has it all: boardroom wrangles, bestsellers, legendary authors ... fascinating stuff on the complex alchemy of talent, political fashion and marketability that propels certain authors forward at certain times, and the loving effort and attention involved in editing a manuscript. * Melissa Benn, New Statesman *What runs through A Bite of the Apple, unifying it and contributing to its charm, is the passion for books you'd expect, but also an impressive idealism about the ways in which the published word can change society and help readers to become the people they want to be. * Mark Bostridge, The Spectator *This little book is as candid and charming as its cover ... One of the most interesting chapters relates to the craft closest to editor Goodings' heart, the craft of editing and the complex relationship between editor and author. * Jane Hailé, New York Journal of Books *[Goodings'] thoughts on the great industry issues of the day are well worth reading. * DJ Taylor, Literary Review *A Bite of the Apple feels effortless, and so alive to the conversations about women's rights today ... [Goodings'] voice is engaging and full of warmth. * Julie Vuong, BookBrunch *Goodings' account of her life at the inkface vividly, and with immediacy, transports us from those poky London rooms where the mouse that roared was born, into the realpolitik of international publishing. * The Sydney Morning Herald *Consistently fascinating ... a book that shows how Virago transformed the world. * Colin Oehring, The Saturday Paper *Fascinating and beautifully written. * Dan Carrier, Camden New Journal *Informative, lively, reflective, and somehow a poignant mix of honest, generous, and forgiving. * Simon, Shiny New Books *All an apple should be: crisp, tart but sweet, steeped in mysterious history and tangled symbolism, and not a bad missile when it comes to alleyway combat. Oh, and delicious! * Margaret Atwood, on Twitter *There is so very much to enjoy -and learn about- in this engaging book. We meet a young Lennie from Canada, in love with books, who lands a job at Virago and over the years survives and steers many of its changes to ensure its safety and vibrancy. Along the way, we track the changes in the publishing industry, feminist practice, and encounter the magnificence of Virago authors. A wonderful memoir and such a great read. * Susie Orbach *An indispensable piece of feminist history; nothing less than the exciting story of how women found their voice and made society listen. I enjoyed it hugely. * Caroline Criado Perez *Lively, frank, fascinating and above all, inspiring. A celebration of boldness: of wanting something better and making change happen. * Sarah Waters *Behind every great book there is a great editor. And behind every feminist press, a remarkable set of women. Lennie Goodings is one of both. * Sarah Dunant *A fascinating, charming and sometimes fierce, but always beguiling memoir... A celebration of the power of women supporting women. * Kate Mosse *Enthralling ...the best book I've read on publishing since Diana Athill's Stet. * Caroline Sanderson, The Bookseller *Table of ContentsPreface Part One: A New Kind of Being 1: First Bites: The early years 2: Setting the world on fire 3: The acceptable face of feminism? Why not! Part Two: The Books 4: The Virago Modern Classics 5: Fuck the Patriarchy!: Nonfiction 6: What Stories Can Do: Fiction Part Three: The Politics: office and otherwise 7: The Dramas 8: Disrupting the old stories 9: Beyond Borders 10: Up, Down and Up Again Part Four: The Power to Publish is a Wonderful Thing 11: The Intimacy of Editing 12: Does any other successful publisher get asked constantly if they are still necessary? 13: Why can't a man read like a woman? 14: Giving and taking courage

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER''A moving portrait of Diwan and the Cairo that embraced it, an ode to all the people who have kept it going'' Harvard ReviewIn 2002, three young women with no business degrees, no formal training, and nothing to lose founded a fiercely independent bookstore. At the time, nothing like Diwan existed in Cairo. Culture was languishing under government mismanagement, and books were considered a luxury, not a necessity. Over the next decade, these three women would contend with censors, chauvinists, critics, one another and many people who said they would never succeed in establishing Diwan as Cairo''s leading bookstore.Frank, fresh and very funny, Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller is a portrait of a country hurtling toward a revolution, a feminist rallying cry, and an unapologetic crash course in running a business under the law of entropy. Above all, it is a celebration of the power of words to Trade Review'A moving portrait of Diwan and the Cairo that embraced it, an ode to all the people who have kept it going' * Harvard Review *'A unique memoir about career, life, love, friendship, motherhood, and the impossibility of succeeding at all of them at the same time. It is the story of Diwan, the first modern bookstore in Cairo, which was opened by three women, one of whom penned this book. As a bookstore owner I found this fascinating. As a reader I found it fascinating. Blunt, honest, funny' -- enny Lawson, author of Broken (in the best possible way)'Each chapter tells of a different section of the bookshop/cafe, with the memoir exploring the many challenges and difficulties the women faced in their enterprise. Her story is a fascinating and enlightening one' * Choice Magazine *

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Book SynopsisChosen as one of the Daily Mail's Memoirs of the YearTim Waterstone is one of Britain's most successful businessmen, having built the Waterstone's empire that started with one small bookshop in 1982. In this charming and evocative memoir, he recalls the childhood experiences that led him to become an entrepreneur and outlines the business philosophy that allowed Waterstone's to dominate the bookselling business throughout the country.Tim explores his formative years in a small town in rural England at the end of the Second World War, and the troubled relationship he had with his father, before moving on to the epiphany he had while studying at Cambridge, which set him on the road to Waterstone's and gave birth to the creative strategy that made him a high street name.Trade Review[A] moving, funny take on business, family and mortality -- Jim Armitage * Evening Standard *The rollicking, page-turning memoir of Britain's biggest book tycoon * Daily Mail *[Waterstone] writes movingly... Small, poignant images stand out... From such raw clay are great entrepreneurs moulded * The Tablet *The Face Pressed Against a Window confirms one's sense that this extraordinarily energetic and well-meaning man has been, and still is, a force for good. * Literary Review *Table of Contents1: Prologue 1: Part One 2: Where the Children of My Childhood Played 2: Part Two 3: I do, ladies. I do. I 'ave a go. 3: Epilogue 4: Miranda Beeching 5: The Carriage Clock

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Book SynopsisUncovers the gripping untold story of how the US government used comic books as propaganda tools to help wage World War II and the Cold War.Trade Review"I'll be frank: I love this book. Hirsch's writing is crisp and exciting and it's a joy to see the history of comic books and the Cold War United States told from such a fresh angle. This fun, sharp book is one I'll be thinking about for a while."-- "Daniel Immerwahr, author of How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States"Table of ContentsIntroduction: Making an American Monster 1 This Is Our Enemy 2 The Wild Spree of the Laughing Sadist 3 Donald Duck’s Atom Bomb 4 The Devil’s Ally 5 American Civilization Means Airstrips and Comic Strips 6 The Free World Speaks 7 Thor Battles the Vietcong Conclusion: The Ghosts among Us Acknowledgments Notes Index

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Book SynopsisMost journal articles and research proposals are rejected. That represents a waste of everyone's time, energy, and spirit, especially now when, more than ever, academic careers are precarious. In this practical book, Professor Abby Day addresses these two inter-related and most challenging areas for academics and researchers in their professional careers: how to secure research funding and how to get research published.Reviewers, unpaid and often unappreciated, are over-stretched with their regular academic jobs, and increasingly reluctant to spend time reading poorly constructed papers or proposals. As fewer reviewers are available, the waiting time for a decision increases. Everyone loses. It doesn't have to be like that. Professor Day's ground-breaking strategy covers both publishing and funding challenges in similar, yet distinct ways. Lack of time? Conflicting priorities? No idea where to start or what matters most? This book explains how to overcome these and othTable of ContentsPart I: Setting a strategy 1. Introduction: a circle of success 2. Why publish (or not)? 3. Why look for research funding? 4. What is good research? 5. Diversity and inclusion in research 6. A sense of purpose 7. So what? Implications Part II: Knowing Yyur audience 8. Choosing the right publisher or funder 9. Understanding editors, reviewers, readers 10. Criteria for success Part III: Papers, proposals, and beyond 11. Writing better, writing faster 12. Managing relationships and academic careers

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Book SynopsisBy the late 1980s the concept of the work had slipped out of sight, consigned to its last refuge in the library catalogue as concepts of discourse and text took its place. Scholarly editors, who depended on it, found no grounding in literary theory for their practice. But fundamental ideas do not go away, and the work is proving to be one of them. New interest in the activity of the reader in the work has broadened the concept, extending it historically and sweeping away its once-supposed aesthetic objecthood. Concurrently, the advent of digital scholarly editions is recasting the editorial endeavour.The Work and The Reader in Literary Studiestests its argument against a range of book-historically inflected case-studies from Hamlet editions to Romantic poetry archives to the writing practices of Joseph Conrad and D. H. Lawrence. It newly justifies the practice of close reading in the digital age.Trade Review'Eggert's evident expertise and genuine passion for the subject underpins a volume of true worth. The Work and The Reader in Literary Studies offers an informed reflection of scholarly editing, book history and literary studies by a textual editor of international standing. It is a welcome addition to the field of textual studies, exploring the possibilities of the discipline and re-envisioning the role of the scholarly editor.' Allan H. Simmons, St Mary's University and General Editor of the series The Cambridge Edition of the Works of Joseph Conrad'Advancing a literary-aware form of book history and a book-historically informed literary criticism, Paul Eggert's The Work and The Reader in Literary Studies presents one of the finest and best-argued editorial theories textual scholarship has seen since the beginning of the twenty-first century.' Dirk Van Hulle, Universiteit Antwerpen'We can imagine Eggert's digitally deployed work-concept as … an assembly in cyberspace-time, a gathering of minds around a matter of common concern.' Christine Froula, Textual Cultures'This book will certainly be of interest to textual scholars and scholarly editors (especially those engaged in digital projects) … [and] for those seeking an introduction to the major theoretical problems in scholarly editing and textual studies.' Anna Muenchrath, The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America'… practising print and especially digital editors, book historians, and those more broadly interested in (re)incorporating those disciplines into the practice of reading, will find much to learn from in this always fascinating and richly detailed volume.' John K. Young, Script & Print'What follows is 200 pages of brilliant editorial discussion that blends strands of nostalgia wth strands of elegant self-deprecating irony.' Cristina Urchueguía, Ecdotica'The Work and the Reader in Literary Studies is the most substantial book I am aware of today to lay out the land of literary study on foundations of documented transmission of works of literature …' Hans Walter Gabler, Variants'Paul Eggert's The Work and the Reader in Literary Studies makes an important intervention in textual scholarship by redefining scholarly editions as functions of a process enacted in dynamic relation to an idea of a work on one hand and imagined readers - including the author as a first reader of drafts - on the other.' Matt Cohen, Textual Cultures'Concepts of document, text, and work are parsed with care, generating many valuable insights and clarifications …' Ian Cornelius, Textual Cultures'Paul Eggert's The Work and the Reader in Literary Studies offers an important perspective on the value of the work-concept in textual scholarship.' Alan Galey, Textual Cultures'In the meantime, practising print and especially digital editors, book historians, and those more broadly interested in (re)incorporating those disciplines into the practice of reading, will find much to learn from in this always fascinating and richly detailed volume.' John K. Young, Script and Print'… The Work and the Reader in Literary Studies is the most substantial book I am aware of today to lay out the land of literary study on foundations of documented transmission of works of literature: works and the texts that adumbrate them, written and re-written, read and re-read, and ever safeguarded by the manifold agencies of authors, scribes, typists and typesetters, digital key-strokers, publisher's editors, book historians, commercial or scholarly editors, and ever and ever again readers. The Work and the Reader in Literary Studies forms an important point of entry to re conceptualisings of literary study.' Hans Walter Gabler, Journal of the European Society for Textual Scholarship (ESTS)Table of ContentsPreface; List of illustrations; 1. Introduction: the book, the work and the scholarly edition; 2. Reviving the work-concept: music, literature and historic buildings; 3. The digital native encounters the printed scholarly edition called Hamlet; 4. The reader-oriented scholarly edition; 5. Digital editions: the archival impulse and the editorial impulse; 6. The work, the version and the Charles Harpur Critical Archive; 7. Book history and literary study: the late nineteenth century and Rolf Boldrewood; 8. Book history and literary study: Joseph Conrad and D. H. Lawrence; 9. Adaptation, folklore and the work: the Ned Kelly story; 10. Conclusion: what editors edit, and the role of the reader; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe W&A Guide to Getting Published provides the would-be published author with expert knowledge on securing a book deal from preparing a manuscript for submission, to finding an agent, from working with an Editor, to effective self-promotion. It considers all stages in the selling' of your idea and manuscript and gives up-to-date information on how the publishing industry functions and how authors can best navigate its mysteries and complexities.Each chapter provides practical, how-to advice on what to do, where to seek additional help, what costs might be involved, cautionary dos and don'ts, and useful case studies.This guide considers all publishing formats (print, digital and audio) and markets (fiction, non-fiction, children''s and books for adults) to offer all-round support for the budding writer.Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1 Which publishing route to take? Chapter 2 Writing, editing and perfecting your manuscript Chapter 3 Submitting your work to a literary agent Chapter 4 Contracts, legal matters and finance Chapter 5 From final manuscript to published book Chapter 6 Reaching your readers: marketing, publicity and selling Chapter 7 Life after publication Resources: Further reading; Book sites, blogs and podcasts; Glossary;, Software to support writers Index

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Book SynopsisThe Organised Writer is a practical, no-nonsense system that allows you to write without worrying about administration, business affairs, or scheduling. This straight-talking guide will help you become more productive, cope with multiple projects, and make time within your life to write while also dealing with non-writing tasks more efficiently. It includes advice on how to: Manage your schedule Prioritise your writing time Take notes effectively Work with a clean mind' Get more written every day Deal effectively with non-writing tasks Set up a foolproof filing system Organise your working spaceRead the book, then spend a weekend setting-up the system described, and you'll make the time back with interest. You'll get more written every day and complete more of your other tasks without being overwhelmed by all the things you have to do, forgot to do, or don't want to do.Trade ReviewI’m a messy-brained writer. The Organised Writer helped me tidy up, and improved my working life on a daily basis. * Kieron Gillen *Johnston has uncovered a secret I wish I’d learned twenty years ago; writing benefits way less from inspiration than from sound process. * Merlin Mann *I’ve been a working writer for thirty years. Johnston convinced me I’ve been doing it wrong. * John Birmingham *Johnston packs his book with practical insights and clever methods — the chapters on calendar management and time-blocking alone were like a bolt of lightning to my daily routine. The Organised Writer is the manual you've been looking for. * Helene Wecker *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Becoming an Organised Writer Part One: Get Organised Chapter One: FASTEN Your Seatbelt Chapter Two: Clocking In (and Out) Chapter Three: Taking Notes and Making Lists Part Two: Write! Chapter Four: Five Pages After Breakfast Chapter Five: From Scribbles to Script Part Three: Non-Writing Stuff Chapter Six: Money Matters Chapter Seven: It’s a Set-Up Chapter Eight: The Future Acknowledgements Appendices I: Summary Checklists II: Job Sheets III: Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisBook history has emerged in the last twenty years as one of the most important new fields of interdisciplinary study. It has produced new interpretations of major historical events, has made possible new approaches to history, literature, media, and culture, and presents a distinctive historical perspective on current debates about the future of the book. The Broadview Introduction to Book History provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date introduction to this field.Written in a lively, accessible style, chapters on materiality, textuality, printing and reading, intermediality, and remediation guide readers through numerous key concepts, illustrated with examples from literary texts and historical documents produced across a wide historical range. An ideal text for undergraduate and graduate courses in book history, it offers a road map to this dynamic inter-disciplinary field.Trade Review“This introduction to the still emerging and expanding field of book history is timely, welcome, and a delight to read. It is grounded in an appreciation of the myriad ways in which books can be studied and how they can illuminate important questions in literary, historical, and cultural studies. This lucid and nuanced overview of the discipline is the perfection introduction for students interested in the possibilities of book history and a welcome synthesis of new directions in scholarship including intermediality—oral and writing, manuscript and print—and the remediations accompanying developments in digital media and its textuality and reading practices.” — Margaret J.M. Ezell, Texas A&M University“Remarkably concise, this substantive volume provides a very useful introduction to concepts and issues relevant to the study of the history of the book. No other text summarizes the multiple disciplinary contributions to this field across such a wide scope. The authors offer a useful overview of work in materiality, textuality, bibliography, production, and readership, as well as current debates on digitization and distant reading. One of the several unique dimensions of this book is the authors’ integration of media studies approaches into the study of books, print, manuscript, and electronic communications. The result is fresh and contemporary while respectfully inclusive of the scholarly traditions that have been vital to book history for more than a century. This will be exceptionally useful for introducing students and scholars at all levels to the overview of methods and topics in the field of book history. The book works as a stand-alone volume, but complements the work in the Broadview Reader on Book History assembled by the same authors.” — Johanna Drucker, University of California, Los Angeles“This is a lucid and compendious introduction—suitable for undergraduates, graduate students, and more advanced scholars—to the production and dissemination of printed books, with a substantial concluding chapter on digital textuality and the co-existence of printed and digital books. A particular strength of BIHB is that it approaches its subject from multiple perspectives: historical, technological, and theoretical. Its purview not only extends across the ‘four epochs’ of the book—from the development of the manuscript codex to the arrival of the digital ‘media ecology’—but includes materials and techniques used in printing texts and images, the physical aspects of the book (essential information for bibliographical description), the evolution of reading practices, different schools of bibliographical and editorial theory (very useful in teaching students how to use scholarly editions critically), and the impact of digitization on publication and reading. Throughout the emphasis is on processes of mediation, reminding students that the relationship between writer and reader is always conditioned by technological, economic, and ideological factors, regardless of the textual medium.” — Nicholas Halmi, University of Oxford“[The Broadview Introduction to Book History] provides an informed introduction that is scholarly, concise and accessible to readers at different points in their education. At the same time, it is written in such an animated style and tone that I cannot wait to use it in class and follow through on the suggested readings myself … The content and style are exemplary as educational prompts.” — Jacqueline Reid-Walsh, Pennsylvania State University“The Broadview Introduction to Book History, [is] a compact and accessible primer that wears its considerable erudition with comfortable humility … The authors have adopted an appropriately conversational tone that conveys the unabashed pleasure they take from their subject, one that gives their prose the feel of a personal tutorial with that rare breed of tutor whose passion makes you want to study whatever they're teaching … Levy and Mole have put together a friendly and reliable guide to what may well be the most complex and socially relevant of the academic reconfigurations of the traditional humanities, the history of the book” — Stephen W. Brown, Journal of the Edinburgh Bibliographical Society“This is an excellent addition to texts on Book History and should help to ensure the field continues to grow into the future. Highly recommended.” — Samantha Rayner, Interscript Journal“The study of books is as rich and broad as the history of the humans who created them. Just as they did with the collected essays of The Broadview Reader in Book History, Michelle Levy and Tom Mole have successfully tackled this complex and wide-ranging topic in a way that is both digestible and even entertaining at times.” — Jaidree Braddix, Publishing Research QuarterlyTable of Contents Chapter 1: Materiality Reading Books Bibliography Making Printed Books Typography Chapter 2: Textuality Whose been tampering with my text? Copy-text Variants Authorial Intentions Textual Pluralism Chapter 3: Printing and Reading Print and the Book The Impact of Print Models for Book History Print Economies Controlling Print / Controlling Reading Methods for a History of Reading Chapter 4: Intermediality Models of Intermediality Orality and Writing Manuscript and Print Text and Image Chapter 5: New Media, New Materiality (Hyper)textuality Digital Printing and Screen Reading Reading, Knowledge, and the Digital Turn Works cited Chronology Glossary Further Reading

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Book SynopsisRichard Charkin’s experience as a publisher is unique among his generation. Over the past half century he has been (at different times) a scientific and medical publisher, a journal publisher, a digital publisher and a general publisher. He has worked for family-owned, publicly-owned, university-owned companies and start-ups. In this memoir he uses his unrivalled experience to illustrate the profound changes that have affected the identity and practices but not the purpose of publishing. Of course there are stories about well-known personalities he has encountered in his career - Madonna, Jeffrey Archer, Robert Maxwell, Paul Hamlyn, Mohammed Al-Fayed and many more. But his primary purpose is to provide an insider’s account of the social, technological, commercial and geographical developments as seen through the eyes of a gifted all-round publisher who has made a very significant contribution to the profession. This is an insider’s account of the last fifty years of the publishing industry: the essential guide for writers, readers, students of publishing, and book industry professionals including librarians, booksellers, literary agents, printers, copyright lawyers, digital experts. Table of ContentsPreamble; 1. Starting Out; Working Life of a Young Editor; Family Ownership and Management; Fast Forward Fifty Years: Last Day at the Bloomsbury Office. 2. The Brave New World of Scientific Publishing; Publishing and the Life Sciences; Leaving Pergamon in Abrupt Circumstances; The Not so Brave New World of Oxford University Press; Decision-Making at Oxford University Press: A Beginner’s Guide. 3. A Time of Crisis; Cost-cutting, Upheavals and Outsourcing; First Encounters with Computers; The Transformation of Printing ; The Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition; Trying to Leave Oxford University Press. 4. Things Speed Up; The World of Trade Publishing; Bad Behaviour in the Roaring 80s; Academic vs Trade Publishing; The Perils of Literary Publishing; Distinctly Non-Literary Bestsellers. 5. Consolidation, Change and Controversies; The ‘Big Bang’ of Trade Publishing; The Changing Retail Landscape; The Demise of Book Clubs; The Decline of Theological Publishing; The End of the Net Book Agreement; Reed Elsevier: The Anti-Book Publisher. 6. The Start-up Years; The Art of the Publishing Deal; Multimedia CD-ROMs; Innovation and Adding Value;The Rise and Rise of Journal Publishing. 7. A Global Family Business; Nurturing Nature; Open Access takes on Journal Publishing; Do No Evil: Going to Battle against a Tech Giant; Macmillan India: an Imperial Legacy; Children’s Publishing Grows Up; Accidental Successes; Managerial Diversions. 8. Making Bloomsbury Less Magical; Wisden – a Long-running Love Affair; Becoming a Digital Publisher in a Digital World; Public Library Online: Trying to Modernise Library Services; The Culture of Bloomsbury and Industry Progress; Design, Marketing and Sales. 9. British Publishing: An International Bestseller; The Growth of ELT Publishing; The Dominance of the English Language; Adventures in the Gulf; International Diplomacy. 10. Being a Mensch; Publicity and Sales in a Digital World; Publishing by Numbers; Coming to Terms with Agents; Print on Demand and the Curse of Book Returns; How Do you Value a Publishing Company?; The Ever-Changing Geography of London Publishing; An International Publisher in a Post-Brexit World. Afterword; Reasons to be Cheerful, or Why 2022 might be Better than 1972; Publishing People; Companies; Technology; Marketplace; Authors. And Finally…Post-amble


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Book SynopsisGhostwriters, for so long the publishing industry's best kept secret, are finally stepping out from the shadows.The Complete Guide To Ghostwriting is a comprehensive overview of this secretive profession, which has seen a rapid increase in demand in every genre of book. Teena Lyons has enlisted the help of more than thirty of the UK's best-known ghostwriters, publishers and agents who share stories about their collaborations and valuable tips for success.Read this book to understand: Why people use ghostwriters and who might need one from ordinary people to celebrities What to expect when working with a ghostwriter, from beginning to end How to get the best out of a publishing collaboration What to do if the process doesn't go to plan The skills and knowledge you need to succeed as a ghostwriter

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Book SynopsisJohn Haynes - The man behind the manuals., This fascinating and inspiring biography of John H Haynes – the man behind Haynes Manuals – looks 'under the bonnet' at his extraordinary life, and his legacy to the motoring world. This is the story of how one man's vision and enthusiasm gave a small enterprise in rural Somerset a global footprint., The author, Ned Temko, has spent many hours with the Haynes family, uncovering the rich and varied life that passionate motoring enthusiast John Haynes led. The story begins with John's childhood in Ceylon and his school days – when as a young entrepreneur he sowed the seeds for what would become the iconic Haynes car-repair manuals – to his time as a young RAF officer, and then as the driving force behind the growth of the iconic Haynes brand and the Haynes International Motor Museum., What makes John's story especially compelling is that the idea for his car Owners' Workshop Manuals didn't emerge fully formed. It wasn't a product of business school, or consumer focus groups. Just as the roots of Steve Jobs's Apple Mac can be traced to his personal urge to build the most perfect personal computer he could imagine, Haynes's journey began when, as a teenaged schoolboy, he was dead set on figuring out how to turn the remains of an old Austin he'd found in a scrap yard into a fully working sports car. The simple booklet he produced about building this 750 Special was the spark that would eventually result in the building of a global brand. This biography will appeal not only to motoring enthusiasts, but a wider audience who will be intrigued by the story of the Haynes family and the business dynamics - exploring the evolution of a global, yet truly British company and brand, led and overseen by John Haynes for 59 years., Author: Ned Temko began his journalistic career in 1975, in post-revolutionary Portugal. After a brief posting in Brussels, he was based in Beirut, Moscow, Jerusalem and Johannesburg for the American newspaper The Christian Science Monitor before being transferred to London, where he has lived and worked since., He was editor at the Jewish Chronicle for 15 years, during which it won unprecedented national recognition. In 2005, he joined The Observer as its Chief Political Correspondent. Since 2008, while continuing to make broadcast appearances as an analyst and commentator on the BBC and Sky, he has ghosted and edited a number of political memoirs and business books. He is also the author of To Win or To Die, a biography of the former Israeli Prime Minister, Menachem Begin, and writes a regular international-affairs column for the Monitor.

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Book SynopsisThis collection of imagined book covers will have you scratching your head and laughing out loud with every page turn. Though Pranks with Sausages and Holy Bible II don't actually exist, Rejected Books offers up a professionally produced catalogue of the worst books imaginable, and what these tomes (and plenty more) could look like.Rejected Books includes delightfully weird covers of imagined books like:The Sculptors Who Couldn't Do HandsCooking with Breast MilkPossessed Toys: A Buying GuideUnfortunate Gluing AccidentsCamel Toes Through HistoryEnjoy the worst book pitches of all time and rest assured that anyone can have a future in publishing ... even if your ideas are totally horrible.

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Book SynopsisThese days, regardless of whether a book is self-published or traditionally published, there will be an expectation on the author to take an active role in marketing their book. Based on a series of interviews with successful authors from both sides of the publishing divide and both sides of the pond, Lynn lays out in detail the marketing strategies that have worked for them, alongside an explanation of how book marketing works based on her own long-standing career as a senior marketing exec. From developing social media tactics and arranging promotional events to handling press and trying to start viral campaigns, Lynn offers practical advice designed to help an author find a book marketing strategy that best works for them, based on their personal strengths and budget.Trade Review'So, you've written and published... now what? You read this manual! It's a fantastic resource for anyone looking to get their writing in front of more people. Morrison turns the overwhelming task of marketing into bite-size tips and tutorials that anyone can implement' —Stephanie Jankowski, author of 'Schooled'

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Book SynopsisA New York Times Critics'' Pick for 2023 Born into a Jewish family in Vienna in 1919, George Weidenfeld fled to England in 1938 to escape the Nazi regime. There he began a career in publishing that would make him one of the most influential figures in the industry. Over the course of his long and illustrious career he championed some of the most important voices of the twentieth century, from Vladimir Nabokov, Mary McCarthy and Saul Bellow to Harold Wilson, Isaiah Berlin and Henry Kissinger.But what do we know about the man himself? Was he, as described by some, the ''greatest salesperson'', ''the world''s best networker'', ''the publisher''s publisher'' and ''a great intellectual''? Was his lifelong effort to be the world''s most famous host a cover for his desperate loneliness? Who, in fact, was the real George Weidenfeld and how did he rise so successfully within the ranks of London and New York society? Providing a full, unvarnished and at times difTrade ReviewA history of the golden age of publishing from the perspective of one man . . . fascinating -- Anne de Courcy * SPECTATOR *A marvellous biography . . . Thomas Harding has brought a great publisher and the shenanigans of the book trade gloriously to life -- Jilly Cooper * DAILY MAIL *An entertaining biography . . . The Maverick is packed with fascinating accounts of book deals and debacles during the 'golden age of publishing,' as well as plenty of high-society gossip * WASHINGTON POST *Thomas Harding's admirably even-handed and readable biography places Weidenfeld in both his social and cultural contexts, never excusing his more dubious actions, but also celebrating his undeniable pizzazz, application and drive -- Alexander Larman * OBSERVER *The Maverick anchors George Weidenfeld as one of the foremost influencers in modern literature and a man who rose from extraordinary circumstances to lead an even more extraordinary life and legacy. A treasure trove of insight and history -- ARIANNA HUFFINGTONMeticulously researched, cunningly constructed and compellingly written. A vivid account of publishing's glory years told through the action-packed life of one of its most charismatic pioneers -- ANTHONY HOLDENThe Maverick recalls a champion of ideas with a knack for networking and a taste for the high life . . . an organizational feat * NEW YORK TIMES *Uncovers the secrets of a chameolonic outsider who made himself a fixture of the cultural establishment . . . [A] compact, unfussy and well-sourced life * Financial Times *George Weidenfeld was a titan of a man, an irresistible character and something of a genius. This book does him full justice -- SIMON HEFFER, author of THE AGE OF DECADENCE and HIGH MINDS[George Weidenfeld] modernized Britain's small but influential publishing sector. . . The Maverick traces the parallel arcs of Weidenfeld's career and postwar publishing through his contacts and contracts . . . a skillful and subtle study in biography, British attitudes and the book business -- Dominic Green * WALL STREET JOURNAL *Like George Weidenfeld himself, Thomas Harding's accomplishment is substantial, lively and full of interest. The Maverick is a fine biography -- HENRY KISSINGERHarding has fun detailing his subject's four marriages and associated romantic interludes . . . We're always on the edge, wondering if George, the cosmopolitan charmer who made it to the House of Lords, will pull another cracker from the hat -- Andrew Lycett * DAILY MAIL *Offers a behind-the-scenes peek at an imprint that published some of the most seminal works of the 20th century, when books, and the ideas within them, were far more revered. A golden age indeed * IRISH TIMES *A fascinating biography of an unlikely cultural hero. I couldn't put it down -- ALAN POSENER, journalist for Die WeltThe Maverick is a vivid portrait, warts and all, of perhaps the most successful publisher in post-war Britain. But it is much more than this - a gripping study of the assimilation of Jewish emigres into Britain's strangely rigid but porous class system, a guide to the golden age of publishing, an analysis of post-war intellectual life through a succession of landmark books -- ADRIAN WOOLDRIDGE, Bloomberg OpinionIf a publisher can be called a genius . . . [George Weidenfeld] undoubtedly merits a place on this list. [He made] an astounding contribution to the world of literature and ideas. The riveting standout among Harding's chapters is the story of Weidenfeld's publication, in 1976, of David Pryce-Jones's biography of Unity Mitford -- Mark Bostridge * THE OLDIE *Weidenfeld was perhaps the most well-connected man in the Western world, whose calls to politicians, thinkers, business leaders and philanthropists - even popes - would always be taken. The strength of Thomas Harding's biography is the context it provides . . . by structuring the book as a series of chapters telling the stories behind Weidenfeld's publication of various key books, and then diverting within those stories to other aspects of his life - ignoring chronology to explore what made Weidenfeld tick, what he was interested in and what he was doing - The Maverick well reflects Weidenfeld himself, who was never at any time focused on just one thing . . . a sensitive and worthy study of a great man * THE JEWISH CHRONICLE *[An] intriguing life story * SUNDAY INDEPENDENT *A revealing look behind the scenes . . . Harding takes an intriguing approach by looking at Weidenfeld's life story through the lens of specific books he published. Along the way, readers are treated to firsthand accounts of author versus publisher spats and insights into the challenges of managing international rights for a surefire bestseller . . . will leave readers with a vivid picture of the working life of a publisher * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *Thomas Harding has doggedly unearthed fascinating and surprising tales from George Weidenfeld's life as he rose from poverty and Nazi persecution to become one of the world's most powerful publishers. Harding reveals a complex personality in a richly told narrative that leaves the reader awed -- LYNN MEDFORD, former editor, Washington Post Magazine[George Weidenfeld] was fascinating in many ways. [He] had more backbone than most . . . his life was courageous, too * THE ECONOMIST *Makes the inspired choice of leading with the books that built the publisher's fame and fortune . . . Harding's approach works exceptionally well and allows him to cover a huge amount of ground . . . Will inform and entertain in equal measure * PROSPECT *

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Book SynopsisHistories you can trust.In 14 original essays, The Oxford History of the Book reveals the history of books in all their various forms, from the ancient world to the digital present. Leading international scholars offer an original and richly illustrated narrative that is global in scope.The history of the book is the history of millions of written, printed, and illustrated texts, their manufacture, distribution, and reception. Here are different types of production, from clay tablets to scrolls, from inscribed codices to printed books, pamphlets, magazines, and newspapers, from written parchment to digital texts. The history of the book is a history of different methods of circulation and dissemination, all dependent on innovations in transport, from coastal and transoceanic shipping to roads, trains, planes and the internet. It is a history of different modes of reading and reception, from learned debate and individual study to public instruction and entertainment. It is a history of manufacture, craftsmanship, dissemination, reading and debate.Yet the history of books is not simply a question of material form, nor indeed of the history of reading and reception. The larger question is of the effect of textual production, distribution and reception - of how books themselves made history. To this end, each chapter of this volume, succinctly bounded by period and geography, offers incisive and stimulating insights into the relationship between books and the story of their times.Trade ReviewThis book will become an invaluable point of departure for students new to the field, for scholars who need to venture outside their normal chronological and geographical comfort zones, and - as it should be - to that elusive general reader. * John Feather, Library & Information History *Raven... has drawn together scholarly essays offering a sweeping, erudite, and thoroughly engaging narrative... A handsomely produced intellectual history. * Kirkus, Starred Review *Together, these fourteen essays form a thorough picture of how and why books progressed along the lines that they did. In an age when books are once again experiencing momentous changes, this well-researched reminder of their durability and timelessness is very welcome. * Eileen Gonzalez, Foreword Reviews *This volume is a cultural biography of the book, taking a global view of its underlying function as a portable, durable conveyor of reproducible information... Other works trace the history of the book, but Oxford's treatment is a deeper, more multicultural, and more visually appealing approach. * Lesley Farmer, Booklist *Beautifully comprehensively history of the book... the essays are stimulating and thought provoking. This is a scholarly work but it's also a coffee table book intended to be widely read and accessible. This is a very well curated collection... Fascinating and beautiful. * Paul Burke, NB Magazine *This is an excellent compilation on the world-wide history of the book... Put it on your Christmas present list. * Prof. T.D. Wilson, Information Research *The Oxford History of the Book is a seminal and original work of meticulous scholarship * Midwest Book Review *A sumptuous production. * Liz Dexter, Shiny New Books *Table of Contents1: James Raven: Introduction 2: Eleanor Robson: The Ancient World 3: Barbara Crostini: Byzantium 4: Cynthia Brokaw: Medieval and Early Modern East Asia 5: David Rundle: Medieval Western Europe 6: James Raven and Joran Proot: Renaissance and Reformation 7: Ann Blair: Managing Information 8: Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom: The Islamic World 9: Jeffrey Freedman: Enlightenment and Revolution 10: Graham Shaw: South Asia 11: Jeffrey Freedman: Industrialization 12: Christopher A. Reed and M. William Steele: Modern China, Japan, and Korea 13: Eva Hemmungs Wirtén: Globalization 14: Jeffrey T. Schnapp: Books Transformed Abbreviations and Glossary Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisCopyright law was once an esoteric backwater, the special province of professional authors, publishers, and media companies. This is no longer the case. In the age of social media and cloud storage, we have become a copying and sharing culture. Much of our everyday communication, work, and entertainment now directly involves copyright law. Copyright law and policy are ferociously contested. Record labels, movie studios, book publishers, newspapers, and many authors rage that those who share music, video, text, and images over the Internet are âstealingâ their property. By contrast, copyright industry critics celebrate digital technologyâs potential to make the universe of movies, music, books, and art accessible anytime and anywhere â and to empower individuals the world over to express themselves by sharing and remixing those works. These critics argue that excessive copyright enforcement threatens that promise and stifles creativity.In Copyright: What Everyone Needs to Know, Neil Weinstock Netanel explains the concepts needed to understand the heated debates about copyright law and policy. He identifies the combatants, unpacks their arguments, and illuminates what is at stake in the debates over copyrightâs present and future.Table of ContentsIntroductionI. The Battles over Copyright: OverviewII. Copyright - What It Is and What It Is NotIII. Why Have Copyright Law?IV. Fair UseV. Current ControversiesVI. Copyright in the International ArenaVII. "The Next Great Copyright Act": How Might Copyright Be Reformed?AcknowledgementsNotesFurther ReadingIndex

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Book SynopsisThe mid-nineteenth century brought a revolution in popular and scholarly understandings of old and second-hand books. Manuals introduced new ideas and practices to increasing numbers of collectors, exhibitions offered opportunities previously unheard of, and scholars worked together to transform how the history of printing was understood. These dramatic changes would have profound consequences for bibliographical study and collecting, accompanied as they were by a proliferation in means of access. Many ideas arising during this time would even continue to exert their influence in the digitised arena of today. This book traces this revolution to its roots in commercial and personal ties between key players in England, France and beyond, illuminating how exhibitions, libraries, booksellers, scholars and popular writers all contributed to the modern world of book studies. For students and researchers, it offers an invaluable means of orientation in a field now once again undergoing deep aTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Re-shaping the world; 3. Books in abundance; 4. Celebrating print: Libraries; 5. Access: National Collections; 6. The British Museum Commission, 1847-50; 7. Libraries in confusion; 8. Collaboration: Trading and Collecting; 9. The trade in second-hand books; 10. Private collectors and the public: Books in Detail; 11. Writing in books; 12. Bookbinding: Books on Show; 13. Reproduction; 14. Exhibitions: Another Generation; 15. Changes in direction; 16. Advice and guidance; 17. Standing back; 18. The next generation; Conclusion; 19. Then and now.

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Book SynopsisThis Element analyses the relationship between gender and literary letterpress printing from the early 20th century to the beginning of the 21st. Drawing on examples from modernist writer/printers of the 1920s to literary book artists of the early 21st, it offers a way of thinking about the feminist historiography of printing as we confront the presence and particular character of letterpress in a digital age. This Element is divided into four sections: the first, ''Historicizing'' traces the critical histories of women and print through to the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The second section, ''Learning,'' offers an analysis of some of the modes of discourse and training through which women and gender minorities have learned the craft of printing. The third section, ''Individualizing'' offers brief biographical vignettes. The fourth section, ''Writing,'' focuses on printers'' own written reflections about letterpress. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge CoTable of ContentsPreface; 1. Historicizing; 2. Learning; 3. Individualizing; 4. Writing; Coda: Letterpress at a Distance; Glossary.

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Book SynopsisThe creation of texts preserves culture, literature, myth, and society, and provides invaluable insights into history. Yet we still have much to learn about the history of how those texts were produced and how the production of texts has influenced modern societies, particularly in smaller nations like Wales. The story of publishing in Wales is closely connected to the story of Wales itself. Wales, the Welsh people, and the Welsh language have survived invasion, migration, oppression, revolt, resistance, religious and social upheaval, and economic depression. The books of Wales chronicle this story and the Welsh people''s endurance over centuries of challenges. Ancient law-books, medieval manuscripts, legends and myths, secretly printed religious works, poetry, song, social commentary, and modern novels tell a story of a tiny nation, its hardy people, and an enduring literary legacy that has an outsized influence on culture and literature far beyond the Welsh borders.Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Welsh History and Identity; 3. Poetry, Literacy, and Manuscripts; 4. Early Welsh Printing; 5. The Industrial Era; 6. Resistance and Renaissance; 7. Conclusion: Into the Electronic Age.

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Book SynopsisWhy did so many early modern scientific authors dislike and distrust the printing press?While there is no denying the importance of the printing press to the scientific and medical advances of the early modern era, a closer look at authorial attitudes toward this technology refutes simplistic interpretations of how print was viewed at the time. Rather than embracing the press, scientific authors often disliked and distrusted it. In many cases, they sought to avoid putting their work into print altogether. In Loath to Print, Nicole Howard takes a fresh look at early modern printing technology from the perspective of the natural philosophers and physicians who relied on it to share ideas. She offers a new perspective on scientific publishing in the early modern period, one that turns the celebration of print on its head. Exploring both these scholars' attitudes and their strategies for navigating the publishing world, Howard argues that scientists had many concerns, including the potentiTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction. "A Vast Ocean of Books"1. Authorial Attitudes toward Print2. "To the Unprejudiced Reader": The Rhetoric of Prefaces in Early Modern Science3. The Controlled Distribution of Scientific Works4. "A True and Ingenious Discovery": New Print Technologies and the Sciences5. Silent Midwives: The Role of Editors in Early Modern ScienceConclusion. Reluctance OvercomeNotesIndex

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