The political writer’s A Short Walk Down Fleet Street vividly describes the characters and culture of a golden age in newspaper publishingWhen I was a schoolboy in the 1970s, I used to read Alan Watkins’s column in the New Statesman every week. Through him I felt I personally knew and understood the great figures of the age: Crosland, Jenkins, Castle, Healey, Foot, Whitelaw, Carr, Heath. There were hardly any political columnists back then, while there are dozens today. It remains the case that the only ones worth bothering with are those who can write. Watkins had some of the gifts of a novelist and he brought them into political journalism.His talent for dialogue was extraordinary. Only the greatly underrated Bruce Anderson and the Daily Mail sketchwriter Quentin Letts possess the ear to do this nowadays.Watkins’s editor at the Sunday Express was the monstrous John Junor, who told him that 'only poofs drink rose' Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2015-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
The political writer’s A Short Walk Down Fleet Street vividly describes the characters and culture of a golden age in newspaper publishingWhen I was a schoolboy in the 1970s, I used to read Alan Watkins’s column in the New Statesman every week. Through him I felt I personally knew and understood... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Portrayal of liberal lawyer’s dark side praised for its realism by civil rights campaignerOne of the great figures of American literature has suffered dramatic reputational damage this weekend. The unexpected early release of shocking plot details from the new novel by Harper Lee, a sequel to... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hachette Livre has announced the death of publisher Claude Durand at the age of 76. Durand was chairman and chief executive of Editions Fayard between 1980 and 2009. Arnaud Nourry, chairman and chief executive of Hachette Livre, paid tribute to Durand as a tireless defender of authors and a... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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