Hands up who loves The Archers? (Cue the music tum de tum de
tum de tum) You’ll love this one then! Leading scholars combine their love of
the long running Radio 4 show with their specialist subjects, in Custard, Culverts and Cake
(pb, £14.99, 978 1787432864); a sometimes serious, but most often wry
look at the people of Ambridge. A group of Archers Academics take on subjects
such as food, geography, social media and faith and wearing their scholarship
lightly, lead us easily through topics as diverse as prison diets for nursing
mothers, the psychology of domestic violence perpetrators and why Ambridge men
don’t make their own sandwiches. To enjoy this collection, readers do not need
to be experts on forensics, farming or flooding (though it helps if you like
cake). There is, naturally, an entire section dedicated to the Helen and Rob
storyline! This looks like a total winner to me, here's
a piece in the Times Higher Education supplement, discussing the
chapter entitled “My Parsnips Are Bigger Than Your Parsnips” which
focuses on the lesser moral failings of those involved in the annual Ambridge
Flower and Produce Show. We read about the notorious “chutneygate” when Jill
Archer’s chutney was confused with Carol Tregorran’s and she was wrongly
awarded Best in Show. Even this was matched by the times when Jim Lloyd’s
onions were disqualified following illicit use of twine and when labels were
swapped on the runner beans. Custard, Culverts and
Cake is edited by Dr Cara Courage and Dr Nicola Headlam and is the perfect gift for all Archers fans –
the BBC Radio 4 soap has well over 5 million listeners, so that’s a lot
of people who’d be v happy to find this book under their Xmas trees! Quite a
bit of publicity confirmed for it too; there will be an interview on Radio 4 in the next
couple of weeks, and there will also be interviews with the authors in lots of local
media including the Portsmouth News, on BBC Radio Bristol, in the
Sheffield Star and Yorkshire Post. The Times are likely to
run a piece in their entertainment pages as are the Telegraph. It will
be in the Christmas Book Selection for the Church Times and also in
December Waitrose, BBC Wildlife and Good Housekeeping
magazines. The book jacket features the official Archers logo,
and it has just been published by Emerald Publishing – here's a super
display of it at Blackwell's Oxford!
And if you are an Archers fan, then you will probably
like this – an
original recording from 1958!
We were very excited to see that three of our publishers
have titles on the Saltire Awards
shortlists. In Search of Dustie-Fute by David Kinloch;
Moon for Sale by
Richard Price and
Farm by the Shore
by Thomas A. Clark which are all published by Carcanet have been
shortlisted for the Poetry Book of the Year
Award. Scotland: Mapping the Islands edited by Christopher
Fleet, Charles W.J. Withers, and Margaret Wilkes from Birlinn is
on the award for Scottish Non-Fiction Book of
the Year and Goblin by Ever Dundas published by Freight is up for First Book of the Year. Widely regarded as
Scotland’s most prestigious book awards; the Saltire
Literary Awards are organised by
the Saltire Society, a non-political independent charity founded in 1936 which
aims to celebrate the Scottish imagination. You can see the shortlists for all
seven of the awards on their website here.
The Awards Ceremony will be held on the 30th November at Central Halls,
Edinburgh.
A good review for a “sparklingly sardonic book” by Peter Fleming, The
Death of Homo Economicus: Work, Debt and the Myth of Endless Accumulation (pb,
978 0745399409) in the Guardian last week which you can read here. Author Peter Fleming believes that in today's workplaces we work harder
and longer, labouring under the illusion that this will bring us more wealth.
He feels that as this myth becomes increasingly preposterous, it's time to
understand just why we insist on believing in it. “The nicest thing about
his book is its avoidance of despair: it is often hilariously angry, but the
stylish expression of outrage can itself be a positive and optimistic act”
says the review. It’s just been published by Pluto and you can see a
great pic of it here looking
very fine at the London Review Bookshop.
Whatever your feelings about her, there’s no doubt that Theresa May has got her work cut out at the
moment; all the more surprising considering that running the country was never
part of her – or anyone else’s – plan. Theresa May:
The Enigmatic Prime Minister (pb,
£10.00, 978 1785902734) is a fascinating biography in which Rosa Prince explores
the self-styled unflashy politician whose commitment to public service was
instilled in her from childhood. More than a decade after she warned stunned
Conservatives of their “nasty” image, May has become Britain's second female
premier, a woman who had to fight against the odds to become an MP, who remained
overlooked and undervalued during much of her time in Parliament, yet who went
on to become a formidable Home Secretary and, now, the leader of her country as
it faces its greatest challenge since the Second World War. Out in paperback
from Biteback this month, the Sunday Times called this biography “immensely
thorough”.
The New Complete Pressure Cooker
Cookbook by Jennie Shapter (hb,
£15.00, 978 0754832881) which was published in September by Lorenz, has
been selected for the latest Lakeland catalogue. This is really quite an
accolade as Lakeland are renowned for very thoroughly assessing all the
competition before deciding which product is the best one to recommend for
their discerning customer base! They said it was “complete in every detail …
includes a no-nonsense introduction to the ‘science’ of pressure cooking…
offers plenty of interesting and practical advice … filled with delicious and
inspiring recipes, illustrated with over 500 photographs, and cover every type
of cookery… from baked eggs to fiery curry, from kedgeree to Swedish meatballs,
and from winter warmers to summer salads, you’re sure to find loads of tasty
ideas and new family favourites, many of which can be served up after just
minutes under pressure. There’s even room for scrumptious sweet treats like
banoffee pie or lemon cheesecake – plus an authentic, but speedy, Christmas
pudding recipe to inspire you for the festive season." You can see the
full listing for this superb cookbook here
– this title really is the best in the business!
An interesting story in the Bookseller here
about the whole crowdfunding phenomenon – and how it relates to the
publishing industry. Authors David Walliams, David Nicholls and S J Watson are
among those who have pledged money to crowdfund the publication of journalist
Matt Cain’s book after it was rejected more than 30 times by traditional
publishers.
Journalist Nancy Stevens interviewed “one the nicest men
in showbiz” actor and author Hugh Fraser for her local Milton Keynes radio show Stevens on
Sunday last weekend; his newest book Malice
(pb, £8.99, 978 1911583066) (“a five-star belter of a thriller”) in his Rina Walker series
(which began with Harm and then Threat) was published by Urbane this
summer. Hugh will also be speaking at the Harrogate Literary Festival
later this month and at the fabulous Lit and Phil Library in Newcastle
as part of the Books on Tyne festival on the 25th Nov. This author has a
massive fan base – both for his writing and his much-loved portrayal of
Hastings to David Suchet’s Poirot – and this series set in the 1960’s
London underworld, about a female assassin for hire, comes highly recommended.
You can read an interview with Hugh about his writing on the blog Fangirl
Nation here.
What you maybe don’t know about Hugh Fraser is that
he is the co-author of the Rainbow theme tune! “What’s that?” I
hear you younger booksellers cry! Here you go!
What if there were a prescription that could slim, energize
and protect your body from major health risks? What if there were a remedy for
everything from fatigue to stress to chronic pain? There is. Food Can Fix It (£22.99,
pb, 978 1788170192) is a ground-breaking new 368-page book by Dr Mehmet Oz – America’s number one authority on
health and well-being which has just been published by Hay House. It is
featured this month in Bella and will also appear in Women’s Fitness
and Woman’s Way. Dr Oz introduces the reader to a wonder prescription
– simple, healing, wholesome food. Food Can
Fix It sets out an easy-to-follow 21-Day
Weight-Loss Jumpstart Plan for harnessing the power of nutrition with clear
information and a meal plan full of superfoods. He explains how to kick-start
weight loss, improve your energy, decrease inflammation and prevent or
alleviate a host of other common conditions – all without medication.
We have just heard that Charlotte
Peacock, the author of Into the Mountain:
A Life of Nan Shepherd (978
1903385562, £20, hb) will be on Janice Forsyth’s BBC Radio Scotland
show, on November 6th and there has also been some been publicity
for this title which has just been published by Galileo in the Herald.
In the 1930s, the writer and poet, Nan Shepherd was one Scotland’s best-known literati. Three novels,
as well as a volume of poetry, In the Cairngorms, all published while
she was still only in her thirties, established her reputation as one of the
most highly respected members of the Scottish modernist movement. Then, much
later, and immediately declared a masterpiece, came The Living Mountain,
her meditation on mountains which has become a classic and a bestseller. Nan Shepherd was an
intensely private woman, but Charlotte Peacock,
in this first ever biography, has been as successful in finding her way into
the life of her subject as Nan herself was in “finding her way into the
mountains”. She has had unparalleled access to all Nan’s archives and to
all her remaining friends and acquaintances and this beautifully written book
unravels the mysteries, dispels some of the rumours and gives a real insight
into the life and work of this extraordinary writer.
You may know that Nan Shepherd is currently the face on the RBS Scottish £5 note?
Have a look at this rather
beautiful three-minute film about its creation and Nan’s life – lovely stuff!
Great to see two of our books featured in the first ever Foyles
Indie Spotlight Newsletter. The titles are Words
from the Word’s End (pb, £8.99, 978
1911508106), Joanna Walsh's dazzling
collection of shorts published by And Other Stories and Protest: Stories of Resistance (£14.99, pb, 978 1905583737), published by Comma.
The newsletter says the titles featured are “a joy to sell … some of the
biggest innovation comes from independents. It'd be easy in the Autumn season
to get lost in the flurry of big bestsellers and celeb bios — so we thought
we'd take an email to focus solely on the great work that independent
publishers are doing. So, this one's for the indies — for all of them, no
matter their size — but especially for the little guys, the underdogs, the
overworked and underpaid. For the risk-takers, the rediscoverers, the
trendsetters, the neck-sticker-outers; the pioneers, the curious and the
brave.” Hear, hear, we couldn’t agree more – and thanks Foyles for
your support!
Talking of Protest,
two of its contributors have been on BBC Radio Manchester recently. Courttia Newland was on The People programme
on Sunday, ahead of his appearance at the sold-out Manchester Literature
Festival event. Skip to 51:46 here to
hear him speak about his Poll Tax Riot story and his feelings on present day protest
movements. And here is the Protest
editor Ra Page speaking
to Mike Sweeney.
Lots and lots more publicity this week for The Good Hotel Guide 2018; here
is a big piece in the Mail and there have been articles about the
awards pretty much everywhere. Over the past forty years, The Good Hotel Guide (pb,
£20, 978 0993248429) has established a unique position as a reliable and
independent guide, which has won more media praise than any other hotel guide
on the market. Whether your taste runs to luxury castles or simple B&Bs,
this book has the answer! Remember it includes 25% off vouchers – which makes
the £20 cover price look like a bit of a bargain to me!
A great interview with Brian May on Sky Breakfast News this week, talking about
the fabulous Queen in 3-D (£50, hb, 978
0957424685) published by London Stereo. What a great publicity plug for
this title, which is selling extremely well, has had rave reviews and need I
say, is absolutely ideal as a Christmas gift! And here is
Brian May talking about the book at the Cheltenham
Literary Festival this week. There was also some great publicity in the Express
which you can see here
along with lots of other fab Queen in 3-D promotional news on the dedicated website for the
title, www.Queenin3-D.com.
I’m pleased to say that a Brian
May guitar solo makes it into the Top
Ten Guitar solos list here
– but is he number one? Time to get out those air guitars while you
find out!
That’s
all for now folks! More next week!
This
newsletter 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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