Is the LRB one of the best magazines in the world?

The London Review of Books has become the most successful – and controversial – literary publication in Europe. Just what is Mary-Kay Wilmers, its 75-year-old editor, getting so right?The offices of the London Review of Books are situated on the top two floors of a Georgian townhouse in the shadow of the British Museum. To reach them, you either brave the claustrophobically small lift or walk up five flights of brown-carpeted stairs, before emerging in a light-filled room containing a scattering of terrifically bright people sitting at computers, surrounded by piles of books and an air of quiet industry.The windows on one side of the large open-plan room overlook the nurses' accommodation for the nearby University College Hospital, where someone has left a carton of orange juice to chill on a window ledge. The LRB's editor, Mary-Kay Wilmers, likes this view. She enjoys "seeing what the nurses get up to". On the other side, the windows overlook a fine Hawksmoor church spire, with carved heraldic symbols of a lion and a unicorn at its base. Wilmers doesn't have as much time for this. Most people would proffer some admiring blandishment about architectural style – but not Wilmers. "They're too fat," she sniffs at the stonework animals. And looking at them, it's hard not to concede that they are, indeed, a bit flabby.The opposing London vistas, and Wilmers' reaction to them, seem to sum up her approach to editing what is now deemed to be the most successful literary... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]

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Trade gears up for World Book Day

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Tue, 22/02/2011 - 15:42 read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A World of Recipes: The International Cookbook Market

As the Paris Cookbook Fair gets underway next month, cookbook publishers are getting ready to do some shopping--and not just the sort that involves stocking up on Dijon mustard and bonbons from Fauchon. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Want more women writers in magazines? Get more female editors.

As Meghan O'Rourke reported here last week, VIDA, an organization for women writers, has released a tally of male and female bylines for the 2010 run of 14 high-end, literary-oriented magazines. Despite a couple of relatively bright spots (the New York Times Book Review surprisingly being one),... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2011-02-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Yahoo follows News Corp, announces Livestand 'magazine' for tablets

By Tim Conneally, Betanews Yahoo on Thursday announced that it will soon debut a new magazine-style method of digital content delivery especially aimed at touchscreen mobile devices like tablets and smartphones called Livestand."Publishers and advertisers must expand their content to [phones and... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2011-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst walks away from BBC Magazines deal

Hearst Corporation, parent to the National Magazine Company, has confirmed for the first time it is no longer in talks to buy BBC Magazines following its Lagardère move. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2011-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Consumer Magazine Circulation Falls 1.2 Percent In Second Half 2010

Consumer magazines slowed their general circulation skid, with total paid and verified circ dropping 1.2 percent for the second half of 2010 (compared to a 2.3 percent drop in the first half of the year), according to preliminary figures reported in the Audit Bureau of Circulations' most recent... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It's a Digital Book World

There was no shortage of debates and discussions at last week's second annual Digital Book World, where about 1,300 members of the trade publishing industry turned out in New York to explore ways to navigate the digital transition. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst To Buy Lagardere Magazine, Digital Units for $889 Million

Hearst Corp. announced today that it has made an offer of 651 million euros (or about $889 million) for Lagardere's international press and magazine business, including 102 titles in 15 countries, and 50 related Web sites. The deal includes publishing rights to Elle in 15 countries as well as 10... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst pays €651m for Lagardère magazine business

Hearst Corporation has made a "binding offer" of €651m (£559m) for Lagardère's international magazine business, which includes a licensing agreement for fashion magazine Elle. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2011-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hachette to close teen magazine Sugar after 16 years

Hachette Filipacchi is to close teen print magazine Sugar in March, which has suffered flagging circulation figures, and ahead of an anticipated group sale to US publisher Hearst. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2011-01-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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