Sunday Telegraph book deal that compromised a murder trial

Sebastian Faulks gave his former Sunday Telegraph boss, John Thompson, a warm send-off in his tribute yesterday, "A nurturing force in the final days of Fleet Street".It reinforced the picture drawn of Thompson in the more formal Daily Telegraph obituary following Thompson's death, aged 93, on 24 November.Thompson, who edited the Sunday Telegraph for 10 years from 1976, was mild of manner and ran a kindly regime but had "an inner steel", wrote Faulks. This characteristic was necessary, as both Faulks and the obituary pointed out, because of the difficulties he faced in producing a paper in Fleet Street's final days of continual union disputes.Faulks pointed out that it was difficult to know Thompson well because "he was a diffident man who did not invite intimacy." It reminded me of a description of him by Henry Porter as "retiring to the point of joining a trappist order." But Faulks and the Telegraph's obituarist overlooked Thompson's most extraordinary, and disastrous, decision as an editor. In 1978, the Sunday Telegraph negotiated the serialisation of an autobiography by a former Liberal MP, Peter Bessell, who was a chief prosecution witness in the trial of Jeremy Thorpe, his party's leader. Thorpe was accused of conspiring to murder a male model, Norman Scott, who was said to have blackmailed him over their alleged gay relationship.Two months after Thorpe was charged, Thompson agreed a contract with Bessell which stated that he would receive £50,000 for extracts... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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VIDEO: Mantel: 'Be patient' for next book

The double-Booker Prize winning author Hilary Mantel has told fans to 'be patient' as there may be a gap of several years until her next novel. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2013-10-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster and Yilin Press in Deal for Worldwide EBook Distribution

Earlier this month, Simon & Schuster and Yilin Press announced a new distribution and publishing agreement that will expand the availability of electronic editions for works in Mandarin for readers worldwide. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-10-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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First book prize for Edinburgh author

Edinburgh author Angela Jackson is named the winner of the 2013 Edinburgh International Book Festival's First Book Award. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2013-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Books in Browsers IV: The Rise of the Reader

At Books in Browsers 2013, the summit kicked off with several discussions about how readers, both as consumers and creators of content, are transforming the book publishing industry. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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World Book Night 2014 titles include 'Wild,' 'Where'd You Go, Bernadette'

The titles which will be distributed for free as part of World Book Night include works by Cheryl Strayed, Maria Semple, Agatha Christie, and more. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Turning the page: the best book reviews

Colleen McCullough is back with a family saga, while Louis Nowra exposes the underbelly of Kings Cross. Our round-up of this week's best book reviews.     Continue reading at The Sydney Morning Herald

[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2013-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Watch the Books in Browsers IV Live Stream

Tune in to this year's Books in Browsers conference live from San Francisco. Books in Browsers is a summit for the next generation of publishing companies exploring the digital future of reading online. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Angela Jackson wins Edinburgh First Book Award

Angela Jackson has won the 2013 Edinburgh International Book Festival First Book Award, sponsored... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tove Jansson centenary marked by Sort Of Books

Indie publisher Sort Of Books is celebrating the centenary of the birth of Moomins creator Tove... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'</em>s Comic Book Easter Eggs: Pyrokinesis and Code Names

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[ Wired | 2013-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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London Book Fair consults on future location

The London Book Fair has begun a consultation over the fair's future location following the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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London Book Fair's Return to ExCel Raises Industry Concerns

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Scratch–N–Sniff Book For Budding Wine Snobs

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[ Fast Company | 2013-10-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New Books Top the Overseas Charts

New titles commandeered the top slots across the bestseller lists in international markets in September. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A New Comic Book Confronts Bipolar Disorder, Our Notions Of The "Crazy" Artist

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[ Fast Company | 2013-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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People of the Book: Spanish-Language Publishing 2013

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-10-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Donaldson on book prize shortlist

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[ BBC News | 2013-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Global digital book signing' for Beckham

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Red House Children's Book Award shortlist unveiled

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Market Licensing Snapshots: Croatia and Israel

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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