Comedians, punks and sportspeople now among 'notables' in the online reference work, once the preserve of the great and goodThe Dictionary of National Biography has charted the lives of the British establishment for 130 years. But while entry into its prestigious pages after death used to depend on financial standing and pedigree, the latest online version is responding to a growing taste for mavericks and risk-takers.Fashion designer Alexander McQueen, irreverent novelist Beryl Bainbridge, comedian and clown Norman Wisdom, turkey farmer Bernard Matthews and hard-living snooker player Alex "Hurricane" Higgins are all to be announced this week as new entrants, selected by experts for inclusion in the 2014 edition.None of these people would have counted themselves among the great and good of the land. "We are looking for 'notability', and what that word means has changed," said the dictionary's editor, Dr Lawrence Goldman, explaining that an impact on national culture is now an important factor. "There are people in there who were rebels, and certainly there is something about death that adds a silver lustre to many well-known figures. We include someone like Malcolm McLaren now. He was a punk and a maverick, but also an influential businessman – almost an exemplar of his age."In the past the dictionary was almost exclusively male and white and gave little space to entertainers, sports stars or even businessmen. "It was very much a Victorian dictionary, interested in the... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2014-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Thu, 31/03/2011 - 15:30 Beautiful Books has acquired an inquisitive biography of Brideshead Revisited author Evelyn Waugh. Evelyn! Rhapsody for an Obsessive Love by Duncan McLaren is lined up for hardback and ebook publication on 26th September.... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Wed, 30/03/2011 - 09:15 Three authors from the UK have made it onto the list of finalists for the Man Booker International Prize 2011. James Kelman, Philip Pullman and John le Carré have joined the list of 13 for the biennial £60,000 award, which... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Thu, 10/03/2011 - 15:22 Christian book wholesaler STL Distribution is cutting a quarter of its 124-strong workforce following poor sales. The Carlisle-based company said 30 positions will be affected, with only around 5% of employees opting for... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 07/03/2011 - 09:14 HMV Group has moved to reassure publishers of Waterstone's future, revealing the bookseller is on track to achieve its predicted 2%3% operating margin by the end of its financial year. Tuesday's [1st March] trading statement... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 24/02/2011 - 15:29 read more Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Thu, 10/02/2011 - 16:00 The National Maritime Museum is looking to publish its "unrivalled" archive of images. The London-based museum has appointed the Creative Rights Agency to pursue publishing opportunities and also seek product licensees for the... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Katie Allen Little, Brown imprint Sphere has acquired a "shocking" debut novel about the murder of a little girl. Editorial director Catherine Burke acquired UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) including audio and ebook in The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood from Laetitia... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After a month of negotiations, Hearst has made an offer to buy 102 magazine titles from the French publisher. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2011-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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