Nobel prize winners and stocking fillers – 65 years in the murky waters of London publishing

Ernest Hecht set up Souvenir Press from his bedroom in 1951. Now, following the death of Lord Weidenfeld, he is the last of the group of remarkable Jewish émigrés who transformed postwar British publishingA 65th birthday is a milestone but – now the official retirement age has been abolished – not that big a deal. A medium to large company celebrating 65 years in business is just looking for cheap publicity. But a one-man band of a company that has lasted 65 years? It’s a business in which it’s now thought only sprawling megacorps can possibly survive.And yet, still swimming merrily in the murky waters of London publishing, there amid the whales, sharks and giant squid, is this totally improbable tiddler: Souvenir Press, founded in 1951 by 21-year-old Ernest Hecht in his bedroom in Bayswater, London; still run in 2016 by 86-year-old Ernest Hecht OBE from his charmingly dotty HQ opposite the British Museum, where it has been for the past 42 years. It is an extraordinary story, to put it mildly. Related: Jewish community mark 75th anniversary of Kindertransport Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #lord weidenfeld #ernest hecht #british museum #extraordinary story

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Publishers urged to follow Compass' lead

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 04/07/2011 - 08:36 Pan Macmillan will be offering "enhanced rates" on the titles it publishes under its new digital-only imprint, with agents welcoming the initiative and urging publishers to pursue similar projects. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing: Staying Put

With the global economy still struggling to get on a solid footing in 2010, the world’s largest publishers had a mixed performance in the year, although the majority of companies managed to post sales gains in the year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Walker Books launches prize in tribute to late founder

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 01/07/2011 - 09:00 Walker Books has launched an award for new illustration to help mark the 20th anniversary of the death of the company's founder, Sebastian Walker. The Sebastian Walker Award will be run in collaboration with the MA course in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harvill Secker to publish death row lawyer memoir

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 30/06/2011 - 13:09 Harvill Secker has acquired a non-fiction title about the work of British lawyer Clive Stafford Smith over 25 years to save those on death row in the US. Editor-at-large Rebecca Carter bought UK and Commonwealth rights... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Media Decoder: Conrad Black, Still in Prison, Finds Publisher for Memoir

The former newspaper baron, serving out a sentence for fraud and obstruction, will publish "A Matter of Principle" in the fall. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Faber to publish Jarvis Cocker's lyrics

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Thu, 30/06/2011 - 13:12 Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker is set to publish a book of his song lyrics with Faber. The book, entitled Mother, Brother, Lover: Selected Lyrics, was bought by Faber’s editorial director of fiction, Lee Brackstone, and editor... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Obama's agents move into e-publishing

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 29/06/2011 - 09:21 The literary agency representing Barack Obama has become the latest to move into ebook publishing but stresses it is not trying to compete with publishers. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Booktrust puts three prizes on hold due to funding cuts

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishing Vet Opens Oakland-based Speakers Bureau

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-06-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shortlist revealed for Royal Society Winton Prize

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Mon, 27/06/2011 - 10:01 Titles on waves, malaria and spiders’ webs have been longlisted for the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books. The 13 titles also include titles by Matt Ridley, Tim Flanney and Alex Bellos. Chair of judges, author Monica... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Longlist revealed for Royal Society Winton Prize

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Anjali Joseph scoops Desmond Elliott Prize

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Vintage Publishing launches Nigella ebooks

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cox dubs agents who publish "foxes in hen house"

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Boris to celebrate the people who made London

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Makinson confident as publishers face digital "flux"

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ladybird to publish Hello Kitty

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Goodwin inaugural winner of East Midlands Book Award

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[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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