Bookseller who transformed the perception of sports writing and set up the William Hill Sports Book awardJohn Gaustad, who has died aged 68, was a quietly spoken New Zealander who revolutionised the British sports books industry. In 1985 he opened Sportspages, a small shop in Caxton Walk, off Charing Cross Road in London; and for two decades it played an extraordinary role – part-conventional bookshop, part-social club, part-shrine – that transformed the perception of sports writing within publishing. Though Sportspages itself has gone, Gaustad’s other brainchild, the William Hill Sports Book award, lives on as testament to his vision.Born in Wellington, John was the son of Robert, an accountant, and his wife, Nancy (nee Bennett), a legal secretary. He travelled to Britain in 1974, with a philosophy degree from the Victoria University of Wellington, where he had worked in the bookshop. That experience helped him get jobs at Dillons in London and Heffers in Cambridge, where he began to think about the possibilities of niche bookselling. He settled on sport.A good sports book was a good book that happened to be about sport Related: Guardian writers nominated for William Hill Sports Book of the Year award Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2016-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
With a larger screen and waterproof design, Amazon's new Kindle Oasis is for well-heeled readers who struggle to put down a good book. Starting at NZ$400, the Oasis has dropped in price but is still the most expensive Kindle by far. In return it steps up to a 7-inch screen, with the extra space... Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2017-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Like other ex-presidents, Obama is now freer to enjoy the great pleasure of a good book. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2017-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With a chill in the air, it's the perfect time to head back into the house and curl up under a blanket with a good book. Looking for a captivating novel? Intriguing nonfiction? You're sure to find something that suits your interests on this list of the 10 best books to be released this month,... Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2016-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bookseller who transformed the perception of sports writing and set up the William Hill Sports Book awardJohn Gaustad, who has died aged 68, was a quietly spoken New Zealander who revolutionised the British sports books industry. In 1985 he opened Sportspages, a small shop in Caxton Walk, off... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nothing says summer like lying on a beach and getting stuck into a good book. But what to read? A 19th century classic, or perhaps Murakami's latest surrealist tale? What about the fascinating story of how mobile provider EE came to be? Well, look no... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2016-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The addition of 46 titles to Penguin’s Little Black Classics, from Jane Austen to the suffragettes, gives cause for renewed celebrationThe people at Penguin might be overstating things when they insist that their Little Black Classics “sparked a reading revolution”. All the same, sales of these... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Scottish bookshop Mainstreet Trading Company has been highly commended in the Britain's Best Small Shop competition. The shop, based in St Boswells, Roxburghshire, was highly commended by the judges, but lost out on the top accolade to Hunters of Helmsley, a deli in Helmsley, North... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A good book is all you ever used to need on the beach but data-use figures show we're still reaching for our cellphones even when we're on holiday. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2015-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It's like the phrase "curl up with a good book" was invented for the month of December. Here's what we're reading by the fire. The post A Time-Traveling Graphic Novel and More Great Books We’re Reading This Month appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2014-12-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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JetBlue is adding ebooks from HarperCollins to its entertainment mix. Passengers can read excerpts from new titles and then choose to purchase the rest. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's leaked 'Netflix for books' plan will alarm publishers and doom old-fashioned anonymous readingOnce upon a time, 12 years ago to be precise, David Bowie said something very perceptive. "Music itself is going to become like running water or electricity," he told a New York Times... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A recent study done by New York's New School for Social Research found that, after reading literary fiction, participants displayed more social perception and empathy. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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