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 ]
News tagged with: #great figures #sunday express

Other Publishing stories related to: 'An education from Alan Watkins, the master columnist of Fleet Street | Peter Oborne'


Heinemann buys début by Times columnist

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Fri, 21/10/2011 - 10:31 William Heinemann has bought a début novel by Times columnist Sathnam Sanghera about three generations of the same family and their Wolverhampton corner shop. Publisher Jason Arthur bought UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW Select Fall 2011: E-Book Master Class: PW Talks with Joshua Tallent

If self-publishing is a major part of the future of the publishing business, then its most uncharted region, and the frontier of greatest possibility, is digital self-publishing, where authors can make their own names and sell infinite numbers of books with the help of a handful of increasingly... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital self-publishing #joshua tallent #major part #publishing business


Pearson adds free learning management tools to Google Apps for Education

Publishing and educational tools company Pearson on Thursday launched the beta version of OpenClass, a free, cloud-based learning management system (LMS) that is integrated with Google Apps for Education, and will be available in the Google Apps Marketplace. Earlier today, techie Ryan Tyler... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2011-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #beta version #earlier today #big part


McGraw-Hill Education Ready To Go Solo

When McGraw-Hill Education becomes a stand-alone business some time in 2012 it will look toward global expansion and more digital sales for growth, executives stressed in promoting the plan to divide the current McGraw-Hill Companies into two distinct operations. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-09-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mcgraw-hill education #global expansion #digital sales #executives stressed


McGraw-Hill To Split Into Two Companies: McGraw-Hill Markets and McGraw-Hill Education

Following the call for a break-up and reorganization of McGraw-Hill Cos. by investors last month, McGraw-Hill announced today that it will split into two separate public companies: McGraw-Hill Markets, focused on the capital and commodities markets, and McGraw-Hill Education, focused on... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-09-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mcgraw-hill education #mcgraw-hill cos #digital learning


Faber to publish new Peter Carey novel

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 08/09/2011 - 08:45 Faber is to publish a new novel by Australian literary heavyweight Peter Carey next year, with the publisher already billing the dual-narrative title as a classic. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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High street "a goner" says Cumbrian indie owner

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 24/08/2011 - 15:16 The owner of Derwent Bookshop has declared the British high street “a goner” as the only bookshop in Workington is forced to close after 33 years. The Cumbrian store will shut up shop within a month, blaming competition from... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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High street bounces back for Bloomsbury

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 11/08/2011 - 09:30 Bloomsbury has said sales have bounced back significantly from a "soft" spring thanks to ebook downloads and greater sales through the high street. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin plans focus on organic growth and high street

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 01/08/2011 - 08:59 Digital sales have helped to bolster profitability for Penguin in the first six months of 2011, with company chiefs looking for organic growth and a focus on the high street over the second half of the year. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Macmillan Education to move out of Africa

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 29/07/2011 - 09:20 Macmillan has “walked away” from its education business in east and west Africa, and is understood to have put all its education publishing companies and interests across the continent (other than in Botswana) on the block.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ladybird to publish Peter Andre

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 14/06/2011 - 15:12 Ladybird Books is to publish a series of pre-school children's books in collaboration with singer and TV star Peter Andre. Publishing director Eric Huang, who bought world English language rights, excluding North America,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Agent Peter Cox offers 'impartial' review of author contracts

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Thu, 09/06/2011 - 10:05 Literary agent Peter Cox has offered to review "any" contract given to an author by an agent for free in order to ensure that the author has "impartial advice". The move is a response to agents setting up their own publishing... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HC acquires Alan Partridge memoir

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 27/05/2011 - 10:50 HarperCollins has acquired a memoir by comedian Steve Coogan of his most famous character, Alan Partridge. The title has moved publishers even before publication, having previously been listed on Nielsen BookData as being... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Le Carré and Peter James win at CrimeFest

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 25/05/2011 - 14:00 John Le Carré and Peter James were the big winners at this year's Sounds of Crime awards for audio crime fiction. The awards took place at this week's Crimefest in Bristol. Le Carré clinched the prize for the best abridged... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #le carr #peter james #big winners #audible uk


High street bookshops need greater support - Streeter

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 16/05/2011 - 09:56 The economics for booksellers "simply don't work" as they struggle with high costs and low margins, the president of the Booksellers Association has claimed. Jane Streeter was delivering the introduction at the BA Conference at... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Master Georgie wins Booker's Best of Beryl

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Tue, 19/04/2011 - 21:45 Beryl Bainbridge’s Crimean War novel Master Georgie has been voted the Man Booker Best of Beryl. Shortlisted in 1998, when it lost out to Ian McEwan’s Amsterdam, the novel was voted for via the Man Booker website, just pipping... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tindal Street signs festival find

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 07/04/2011 - 08:59 Tindal Street Press has acquired a debut novel after discovering the author at a writing festival. Editor Luke Brown bought world rights to Robyn directly from author Deborah Morgan. He discovered her work when judging a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tindal Street Press acquires Ryan Giggs title

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 06/04/2011 - 14:45 Tindal Street Press has bought UK and Commonwealth rights to a book about an obsessive ex-professional footballer's relationship with Manchester United player Ryan Giggs. Senior editor bought UK and Commonwealth rights to Bring... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Biteback acquires Peter Hain memoir

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 04/04/2011 - 15:00 Biteback has bought the memoir of former Northern Ireland secretary of state and anti-apartheid campaigner Peter Hain. Managing director Iain Dale bought UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Guam and South Africa) from... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Quarto defends high street as it posts strong results

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 15/02/2011 - 09:43 Most publishers are neglecting the marketing role provided by bricks and mortar bookshops, said the head of Quarto as it unveiled its annual results. Chairman and c.e.o. Laurence Orbach said he was "pleased" with the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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