An education from Alan Watkins, the master columnist of Fleet Street | Peter Oborne

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 ]
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German book trade's Christmas saved by last-minute high street surge

Germany’s book market narrowly avoided another major disappointment when a last-minute surge in the high street before Christmas pushed sales marginally ahead of 2017. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BA exec chairman hails booksellers bucking high street trend

The executive chairman of the Booksellers Association has called for positivity in the year ahead as he says booksellers are bucking the trend of high street closures.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-01-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors Newman and Coe urge readers to turn to high street after stock delays at 'Scrooge' Amazon

Authors Cathy Newman and Jonathan Coe have urged customers to take their business to the high street this Christmas season after suffering stock shortages of their titles on Amazon.co.uk. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-12-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Brover, Donohue, Malat Promoted at B&N Education

In the wake of Patrick Maloney's upcoming retirement as executive v-p, operations, BNED and president, BNC, Barry Brover, Thomas D. Donohue, and Lisa Malat have been promoted and have taken on new duties. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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At Peter Mayer’s Memorial Service: Appreciation for a Publishing Giant

The late Peter Mayer is remembered as the man who made the Penguin Group 'the world’s most admired and successful publishing company.' The post At Peter Mayer’s Memorial Service: Appreciation for a Publishing Giant appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Senker wins educational writing award for refugee title

Cath Senker has won this year’s £2,000 Educational Writers’ Award for her book about refugees and mass migration. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Peter James and Lynda La Plante to headline new festival Capital Crime

Peter James and Lynda La Plante have been announced as headline guests at Adam Hamdy and David Headley's new London-based crime and thriller festival, Capital Crime 2019. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After Outcry, MWA Withdraws Fairstein's Grand Master Honor

Just two days after Mystery Writers of America said it would name Linda Fairstein a Grand Master for 2019, the organization withdrew the award following a public outcry over her role in the prosecution of the Central Park Five. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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4th Estate snaps up Vogue columnist's 'irreverent take on modern life'

4th Estate will publish the debut non-fiction title, Raven Smith’s Trivial Pursuits, described as “a smart and irreverent take on modern life” from the Vogue columnist’s perspective. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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NearSt joins with Google to show high street book stock

A retail tech start-up, NearSt, has partnered with Google to show online what is available in local stores, with around 60 bookshops signed up nationwide. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Verso to publish 'masterly' Brexit book

Verso Books has acquired a "masterly portrait of an anxious nation" under Brexit, called Dreams of Leaving and Remaining, by James Meek. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Blue Peter Book Awards' 2019 shortlists revealed

Two debuts have made it on to the 2019 Blue Peter Book Awards' Best Story shortlist. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Farrow's #MeToo probe goes to Fleet for 'significant' sum

Fleet is publishing investigative reporter Ronan Farrow’s book, Catch and Kill, about his year-long investigation into sexual misconduct that triggered the #MeToo movement. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Peter Rabbit brought to life on augmented reality app Bookful

Peter Rabbit is to be brought to virtual life via augmented reality app Bookful, launched by Israeli immersive content company Inception. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Support for the high street

Philip Jones reacts to this week's Budget news, including Hammond's mooted UK digital services tax. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UAE Ministry Affirms Commitment to Local Educational Publishers

In this week's publishing conference at the Sharjah International Book Fair, delegates are welcoming an education ministry commitment to local publishers. The post UAE Ministry Affirms Commitment to Local Educational Publishers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Writer and physicist Alan Lightman finds room for science and spirituality

An interview with the MIT Astrophysicist and novelist at this year's Boston Book Festival, including excerpts and a link to the full interview.  Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2018-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fleet to publish 'devastating' new novel from Colson Whitehead

Little, Brown imprint Fleet is publishing a "devastating" new novel from Colson Whitehead next summer called The Nickel Boys. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Frankfurt Book Fair 2018: Friends Gather to Remember Peter Mayer

Some 200 friends of former Penguin CEO and Overlook Press co-founder Peter Mayer gathered in a ballroom at the Grandhotel Hessischer Hof in Frankfurt on Tuesday to remember the late publisher. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-10-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins partners with Nestlé’s Quality Street on factory-set novel

​HarperCollins UK will next month publish a novel inspired by Quality Street after signing a publishing partnership with the Nestlé brand. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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