George Weidenfeld’s death marks the end of a publishing era

The co-founder and chairman of Weidenfeld & Nicolson, who died this week, had unique status as both brand and editorLast year, Lord Weidenfeld joined his Hachette colleagues in moving to a shiny new HQ overlooking the Thames. Still regularly putting in office shifts, the nonagenarian co-founder and chairman of Weidenfeld & Nicolson was awarded a single privilege: he had the sole enclosed office in an open-plan setup, nicely symbolising his one-of-a-kind status as both brand and editor, a publisher continuing (though part of a multi-division behemoth like Hachette) to head the list he had established.Weidenfeld was then the last man standing out of a group of Hitler refugees, also including André Deutsch, Paul Hamlyn and Tom Maschler, who came to Britain in the 30s and became publishers after the war. Among their rivals in late 40s and 50s London were the children or grandchildren of fugitives from earlier tyrannies, such as Victor Gollancz, Fredric Warburg (of Secker & Warburg) and Manya Harari (co-founder of Harvill), as well as the present incumbents at long-established British family firms. Related: Publishing giant George Weidenfeld dies aged 96 Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Other Publishing stories related to: 'George Weidenfeld’s death marks the end of a publishing era'


First George Orwell festival launched

Publication Date: Mon, 16/05/2011 - 08:50 A team of volunteers has set up the UK's first festival devoted to Animal Farm author George Orwell. Taking place from 9th-18th September in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, the George Orwell Festival is being run by volunteers including representatives from... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bodley Head latest to publish Bin Laden title

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 16/05/2011 - 09:06 The Bodley Head has acquired a title looking at the operation that searched for, and finally killed, Osama bin Laden, by al-Qaeda expert Peter Bergen. Publishing director Will Sulkin acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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More agents to explore publishing models

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 13/05/2011 - 08:38 Literary agents Curtis Brown and Blake Friedman have said they are planning to follow Ed Victor's move into publishing, after he announced an ebook and print-on-demand venture earlier this week. Curtis Brown m.d. Jonathan... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers battle for Townshend and Walliams books

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Fri, 13/05/2011 - 08:30 The Who guitarist Pete Townshend and "Little Britain" star David Walliams are the latest figures to have memoirs put in front of publishers, as the trade shows no sign of losing its appetite for celebrity autobiographies. Ed... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers could follow Random's agency move

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 12/05/2011 - 15:34 Random House UK's switch to the agency model this week could lead other publishers to follow suit, despite the Office of Fair Trading investigating ebook pricing. The publisher's switch on Tuesday meant it has around... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers should use authors to help fight piracy

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Thu, 12/05/2011 - 09:31 Publishers should not overspend in the fight against piracy, and should use their authors to present a "human face" in the battle for hearts and minds, a panel discussion at the World e-Reading Congress declared. The industry... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperPress memoir brought forward after bin Laden death

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Thu, 12/05/2011 - 09:04 HarperPress is bringing forward publication of Sherard Cowper-Coles' memoir about his time as British Afghan envoy because of the revived interest in the region following the death of Osama bin Laden. The book, Cables from... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers losing the battle against Angry Birds

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Thu, 12/05/2011 - 15:36 Publishers need to diversify and compete head-on with other media in order to deflect the 'one-screen' effect of tablet devices, a panel discussion at the World e-Reading Congress declared. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers must change "radically' in digital age - Johnson

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Wed, 11/05/2011 - 10:46 Publishers selling direct to readers, printers folding and more agents becoming publishers are some of the implications of digital, claims former Borders chairman Luke Johnson. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Three French publishers file new lawsuit against Google

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Wed, 11/05/2011 - 08:11 French publishers Albin Michel, Flammarion and Gallimard are suing Google for having scanned 9,797 books without prior permission for its Google Book Search programme, a publishing source told The Bookseller. Lawyers for... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Waterstone's plans ebook push for post-HMV era

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 10/05/2011 - 15:49 Waterstone's could soon bring e-reading front of store in its physical bookshops in a manner similar to Barnes & Noble with its Nook in the US, according to e-commerce manager Alex Ingrams. Speaking to delegates at the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ed Victor sets up publishing imprint

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 10/05/2011 - 12:22 The Ed Victor Literary Agency, one of the most powerful agencies in London, has launched its own ebook and print on demand venture, focusing initially on putting back into circulation out of print books or those on which... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Think short-term to stay ahead of digital change, publishers told

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Tue, 10/05/2011 - 16:07 Publishers should avoid locking themselves into any long term strategy, technology or partnerships in their digital publishing because they cannot accurately predict the next two years' developments, today's World eReading... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers Make a Plan: A ‘One Stop’ Book Site

In starting Bookish.com, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Group USA and Hachette Book Group hope to provide one-stop shopping for books and information about authors. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-05-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Paul Jowdy Named Vice President, Publisher of Every Day With Rachael Ray

Paul Jowdy, formerly vice president and publisher at Conde Nast’s Details and Details.com, is now vice president and publisher of Every Day with Rachael Ray. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-05-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Heinemann to publish Godfather prequel

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 06/05/2011 - 16:25 William Heinemann is to publish a prequel to Mario Puzo's The Godfather series, written by author Ed Falco and based on an unproduced screenplay by Puzo. Publisher Jason Arthur bought UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harland Simon to Upgrade the Goss HT70 press controls at Turkish Newspaper Publisher

The Turkish newspaper publisher Turkuvaz Medya Group whose titles include the daily Sabah are now benefiting from an upgrade to their Harland Simon press control systems. Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2011-05-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Publishers, AOL To Launch New Book Recommendation Site [MediaMemo]

Three big publishers and AOL are set to launch Bookish, a "new digital platform for readers". Hachette Book Group, Penguin Group, and CBS' Simon & Schuster are backing the new site, which is supposed to launch this summer; AOL will promote the property and handle ad sales. A press release... Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2011-05-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers "have nothing to fear from Hargreaves" - Vaizey

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 05/05/2011 - 09:35 Culture minister Ed Vaizey has suggested the results of the Hargreaves intellectual property review should not be feared by publishers, giving the earliest indication that the review takes into account industry concerns.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Notting Hill Editions to revive essay publishing

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 05/05/2011 - 15:22 New imprint Notting Hill Editions launches today (5th May), with the aim of revitalising essay publishing. Essays by George Perec, Roland Barthes, Lavinia Greenlaw and Jonathan Keates, accompanied by introductions by the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-05-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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