Sad news today that one of Britain’s finest character
actors Andrew Sachs, who played Spanish
waiter Manuel in Fawlty Towers, has died at 86. His autobiography I Know Nothing (£9.99, pb, 978 1849549004) is
available in B-format paperback from Biteback. As the Times said “There
is a lot more to the memoir than Manuel… as well as telling a jolly showbiz
tale, he can also strike a more serious and insightful tone when the subject
matter requires it.” The memoir begins in 1938, when few weeks before
Kristallnacht Andrew Sachs looked on as Nazi officers arrested his father while
the family was eating in a restaurant. The son of a Jewish father and a lapsed
Catholic mother, a few days later he watched as the Nazis burned and looted
Jewish shops on the streets of Berlin. I Know
Nothing is full of stories of Sachs’
extraordinary life, as well as plenty of entertaining anecdotes about working
with a galaxy of stars including Rex Harrison, Norman Wisdom, Noel Coward, Alec
Guinness, Richard Burton and Peter Sellers. And of course, it tells of how he
eventually came to team up with John Cleese (who has written the foreword for
the book) on the show that would make him famous as the hapless waiter from
Barcelona. It is a touching and inspiring read.
Which are your favourite Manuel moments? Well, I think two
very strong contenders must be this and this!
Vahni Capildeo’s Measures of Expatriation (pb, £9.99, 978
1784101688) published by Carcanet has been selected as one of the Telegraph’s
Best Books for Christmas – you can read the whole piece here
and also as one of the Guardian’s Best Books 2016 where
Marina Warner said “Measures of Expatriation by the Trinidadian-British poet Vahni Capildeo gives
a long, searching look at dislocation and plurality and polyvocality and
diasporas: it’s a very singular and powerful collection.”
Talking of Carcanet; their brand new January to
August 2017 Catalogue is now online – have a browse here
to see what tempting poetry goodies are in store for next year! Carcanet’s
2017 is a year rich in geographies with collections from Jamaica, the United
States, France, China, Australia, Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland and
England; and the imprint moves forward much enhanced by the addition of Anvil
Press Poetry with its wonderful mix of new English-language poetry and
translation, modern and classical.
Congratulations to Michael
Bradley, who is a finalist in the People’s
Book Prize for his book Teenage Kicks: My Life as an Undertone (pb, £15.99 978 1785581809) which is published by Omnibus
Press. This bitter-sweet and heart-warming tale of unlikely success, petty
feuding and playful mischief during five years of growing up in the music
industry has been highly praised as “fascinating, brilliantly written and
told with such a delightful humour that I found myself laughing out loud. It’s
a must read, not just for Undertones fans, but for anyone interested in music.
Without out a doubt this is the best music book to hit the shelves… Ever.” The People’s Book Prize is a national competition aimed at finding, supporting and
promoting new and undiscovered works. Its founding patron was Dame Beryl
Bainbridge and the current patrons are Frederick Forsyth and The Publishers
Association. It aspires to champion new authors, showcase undiscovered works
and empower the public to vote with confidence for the nation's next
bestsellers and writers of tomorrow. It also wants to engage the community and
raise the profile of publishers, libraries and new writers, forming an alliance
with retailers to sell and distribute winners' books and you can see the whole
shortlist and find out more about the prize here. The winners
will be announced at the eighth Awards Ceremony in late May 2017.
Ooh let’s have a listen of Teenage
Kicks John Peel's favourite record!) right now to celebrate!
Pumpkin Flowers: A Soldier’s Story by Matti Friedman (pb, £12.99, 978 1785900433) published by Biteback
has been chosen as one of the New York Times’ 100 Most Notable Books of 2016.
You can see the whole list here.
Pumpkin Flowers is a lyrical yet devastating insight into the
day-to-day realities of war, and a powerful coming-of-age narrative. Part
memoir, part reportage and part haunting elegy for lost youth, it follows a
band of young soldiers – the author among them – conscripted out of high school
into holding a remote outpost in Lebanon. Raw and beautifully rendered, this
essential chronicle casts an unflinching look at the nature of modern warfare,
in which there is never a clear victor and innocence is not all that is lost.
The current focus on Cuba means there may well be renewed
interest in Slow Train to Guantanamo: A Rail Odyssey
through Cuba in the Last Days of the Castros
(978 1908129505, £11.99, pb). Award-winning journalist Peter Millar jumps
aboard a railway system that was once the pride of Latin America – and is now a
crippled casualty case – to undertake a railway odyssey the length of Cuba in
the dying days of the Castro regime. Starting in the ramshackle but romantic
capital of Havana, once dominated by the US mafia, he travels with ordinary
Cubans, sharing anecdotes, life stories and political opinions; to the
Guantanamo naval base and detention camp. Peter
Millar has been a correspondent for Reuters,
the Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph and was named Foreign Correspondent
of the Year for his reporting on the dying stages of the Cold War. He has a
new book out next spring – and Slow Train to Guantanamo is available from Arcadia
now. “Loved this book. Travelled to Cuba whilst reading it and everything he
says comes true. He packs in so much information without you even realising how
much he is telling you. Definitely worth reading whether you plan to go or
not.”
Who’s enjoying The Crown on Netflix – isn’t it
fab?! There’s no doubt that it provokes an enormous surge of affection and
respect for our queen. Some of you may have spotted that her first cousin Margaret Rhodes died
this week aged 91; her intimate and revealing autobiography The Final Curtsey has
already been a number one bestseller and is well worth putting on display with
all the current interest in the monarchy. This is an enthralling account of a
singular life, and a unique insight into the intimate moments of the British
Royal family. The Queen Mother regarded Margaret
Rhodes as her "third
daughter", and she was extremely close to her cousins the Queen and
Princess Margaret throughout their lives. The book is full of charming
anecdotes, fascinating characters, and personal photographs and is an
unparalleled insight into the private life of the British monarchy. The Final Curtsey: A Royal Memoir by the Queen’s Cousin (978-1780270852, £8.99, pb) is available from Birlinn
now.
Here's
a short interview Margaret Rhodes did in 2013 with CNN, talking about her very special
relationship with the royal family.
Over a million people in the UK work in call centres, and
the phrase has become synonymous with low-paid high stress work and dictatorial
supervisors. However, rarely does the public have access to the true picture of
what goes on in these institutions. Working the
Phones (pb, £17.99, 978 0745399065)
is a masterful account of life in a British call-centre by Jamie Woodcock who
worked undercover to gather insights into the everyday experiences of the
workers: it’s just been published by Pluto. He shows how this work has
become emblematic of the shift towards a post-industrial service economy, and
all the issues that this produces, such as the destruction of a unionised work
force, isolation and alienation, loss of agency and, ominously, the
proliferation of surveillance and control which affects mental and physical
wellbeing of the workers. By applying a sophisticated, radical analysis to a
thoroughly international 21st century phenomenon; Working
the Phones presents a window onto the methods of resistance that are
developing on our office floors, and considers whether there is any hope left
for the modern worker today. Peter Fleming, author of The Mythology of
Work said “This brilliant insider account of life in a British call-centre
reveals the dirty realities of digital capitalism ... a book that is sure to
become a classic.” You can hear Jamie talking about the book on YouTube here and read
an extract from it here.
And talking of phone calls, I still think this complaint to Asda
about a pizza with no topping must surely be the funniest phone call
ever!
And finally, a charming festive title that you may not be
aware was published today by Hesperus Press. The
Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (pb,
£8.99, pb) by L. Frank Baum (author of the Wizard of Oz of course) tells
the true story of Santa Claus, from being found as a baby in the woods to
making the first toy the world has ever seen (a carving of his cat Blinkie), to
the invention of the dolly, the Christmas stocking, the Christmas tree, his
battles with the evil Awgwas and being granted the mantle of immortality so he
can keep bringing joy to children forever.
Beautifully written, and with
glorious new illustrations by John Shelley,
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus brings the magic of the Oz books to the life of
Father Christmas and introduces the reader to unforgettable characters like the
Master Woodsman, Necile the Wood-Nymph and little Mayrie, who just wants a toy
of her own. This is truly a book for children of all ages.
That’s a version of Father Christmas you may not be
familiar with – but who played him best on screen? Have a look here to see the
top ten movie Santas!
Compass is on Twitter! Follow us
@CompassIPS. Here are some of our favourite tweets from this week...
Michael Bradley @MickeyUndertone Thank you to everyone who voted for the book.
It's through to the final next year. Conga through Derry now. @PeoplesBkPrize
@OmnibusPress
Mark
Thompson @marktwrites The
Mayor and Mayoress of Stockton-on-Tees - 'Civilised Saturday' and signing of
DUST. Fabulous day! @RedDoorBooks
Eddie Marsan @eddiemarsan RIP Andrew Sachs. You came here as a refugee
with nothing but your talent and your spirit, and you enriched our lives. Thank
you so much.
Miranda Hart @mermhart Andrew Sachs made me cry with laughter in
my favourite sitcom. That legacy won't die but today a little cry that he and
his era have gone.
Piers Morgan @piersmorgan Very sad to hear about Andrew Sachs - a true
comedy legend & great actor. Thinking of you @johnrsachs & all the
family. RIP.
Freight Books @FreightBooks Join us to launch Whisky Island - get a
complimentary nip of whisky and sort out someone's Christmas gift in one go!
Sara @bookwitchsara No matter how goth you think you are, you
aren't Charlotte "I repaired my mourning shoes with the hair of my dead
siblings" Bronte
Claire Eastham @ClaireyLove #GivingTuesday - Take 5 mins today to ask
someone how they are. You can even do it over a brew with no slap on!
mentalhealth #anxiety
Red Lion Books @RedLionBooks 'You can't get a cup of tea big enough or a
book long enough to suit me.' - C S Lewis, born on this day in 1898.
That’s all for now folks! More
next week!
This blog is taken from a newsletter which is sent weekly to over 700 booksellers as
well as publishers and publicists. If you would like to order any of the titles
mentioned, then please talk to your Compass Sales Manager, or call the office
on 020 8326 5696.
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