Who are the world’s craziest politicians? Well,
according to Brian O’Connell, those in
the UK are among the world's most
bonkers! Boris Johnson, Brooks Newmark, Nigel Farage, Alex Salmond and George
Galloway are singled out as some of the 300 nuttiest politicians in the world,
along with Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin. The Fat
Boy with the Bomb and 299 more of the World's Craziest Politicians
identifies the downright dangerous leaders, as well as the just plain stupid
lawmakers from around the world, and ranges from the endearingly eccentric to
the pathologically insane. Here are the fanatics and the revolutionaries, the
xenophobes and the homophobes, Islamists, Zionists and bible thumpers;
anarchists and fascists, the idealists and the corrupt. Between them they’ve
pronounced that homosexuality destroys nations, that wind turbines have motors
in them to fool people and that that long hair saps energy from the brain. "The US is
known for producing stupid politicians," says Brian O'Connell. "But if I was handing out an
award for the dumbest politician on the planet right now, it would have to go to
Harvard and Oxford-educated, former banker, Brooks Newmark, although he's not
the first politician to snap and share a selfie of his family jewels. Lars Ohly,
former chairman of Sweden's Left party, accidentally shared his on
Instagram." Joining Newmark are Brits Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage, Bill
Ethreridge, Mark Reckless, George Galloway, Nadine Dorries, Douglas Carswell,
Zac Goldsmith, Neil Hamilton, Kate Hoey, Denis Skinner, Alex Salmond, Jacob
Rees-Mogg and Eric Joyce. "The UK actually has more than its fair
share of whacko politicians," says O'Connell. "They're just more inbred
and insipid than some of the crazier Americans." The Fat Boy with the Bomb and 299 more of the World's
Craziest Politicians profiles individuals from every corner of the
world; 18 of the included politicians come from Africa, 70 from North
Americas,19 from Central and South America, 47 from Asia, 16 Australasia as well
as 80 from Western Europe and 43 from Eastern Europe. And all have a brilliant
caricature illustration by artist Norm
Chung. This is a genre crossing gift book, for those enjoying humour,
politics and current affairs, and is sure to provoke controversy and discussion!
Everyone loves a list – and this list of 300 wackos is hilarious! "I'm not
trying to shock," says O'Connell. “But this book is really about lifting
the lid on the mad and bad that the world doesn't yet know, like Quincy
Timberlake who says he plans to stand in the 2017 Kenyan presidential elections,
but has been charged with the murder of his three year old son."The Fat Boy with a Bomb (978 1910183090 £12.99,
pb) by Brian O'Connell and Norm Chung is
published by Myrmidon Books in November.
And here’s a little moment from the
crazycrazy
world inside the head of Kim Jong Un!
The Official Formula 1 Season Review
2014 is the inside story from the
paddocks, pit lanes and track-side of the world’s most thrilling motorsport
series. The Official Formula 1 Season Review 20
14 gives fans a unique, access-all-areas pass behind the scenes of
one of the most thrilling F1 seasons of recent years. Throwing new light on all
the headlines and key incidents, this official Formula One Management review
includes a foreword by Bernie Ecclestone
and features full race reports from all 19 races. Completely re-designed for the
2014 season, illustrated with amazing photography from LAT and with exclusive
insight from the drivers themselves, this book also contains all the official
statistics from an action-packed year of Formula 1 racing. The Official Formula 1 Season Review 2014 is
published in December by Illustrated London News (978 0957532069, hb,
£35)
And what do Formula 1 Drivers do when they’re not
driving? Make even more money starring in cheesy commercials of course -
have a
look at this selection!
What are we all thinking about at this time of year?
No, not how many dreadful relatives we’re going to have to put up with at
Christmas, but next year’s holidays of course! So don’t forget to stock B&Bs and Hotels 2015 , Camping, Touring and Holiday Parks 2015 and
Self Catering 2015, all published by
VisitBritain. These three titles have everything your customers need for
a great British holiday or short break: where to go, what to do and how to get
there. They contain thousands of colour photos, and are the authoritative voice
on national tourism. And six golden prize tickets are included inside the guides
- worth £500 each! B&Bs and Hotels
2015 (978 0851015491, £8.99), Camping,
Touring and Holiday Parks 2015 (978 0851015507, £5.99) and Self Catering 2015 (978 0851015484, £5.99) are all
paperbacks and are published in December.
Great news for Carcanet’s author Louise Glück whose poetry collection Faithful and Virtuous Night (also shortlisted for
this year’s Forward Prize) has been
shortlisted for the T S Eliot Prize,
which is to increase the winner’s award to £20,000 from 2015.The prize money,
previously £15,000, has been increased to mark the 50th anniversary of T S
Eliot’s death on 4th January next year, and each of the shortlisted poets will
receive £1,500. JonathanCape has three shortlisted poets – John
Burnside, for All One Breath, Michael Longley for The Stairwell;
also shortlisted is previous winner Hugo Williams, this time for his collection
I Knew the Bride (Faber). Faber has a second shortlisting for David
Harsent’s Fire Songs and Ruth Padel is shortlisted for Learning to
Make an Oud in Nazareth (Chatto & Windus). The other shortlisted poets
are Pascale Petit for Fauverie ( Seren); Iraq
war veteran Kevin Powers for Letter Composed During a Lull in Fighting
(Sceptre); and Arundhathi Subramaniam for When God is a Traveller
(Bloodaxe). Chair of judges Helen Dunmore said: “After reading more than a
hundred poetry collections the three judges for this year's T S Eliot Prize were
delighted - and excited - by the quality of the work submitted. Our shortlist
reflects the musicality, mastery and ambition of these ten chosen poets. It's
worth saying that while our discussions were searching; our decisions were in
all cases unanimous.” The T S Eliot
Prize Readings will take place on 11th January in Southbank Centre’s Royal
Festival Hall and the winner will be announced at an award ceremony at the
Wallace Collection in London on 12th January. Faithful and Virtuous Night (978 1 847774 79 8,
£9.95, pb) by Louise Glück is available
now, find out
more on the Carcanet website here.
Who said: “One martini is all right, two are too
many, three are not enough”? And which tipple provided the creative madness
behind Picasso, Hemmingway and Toulouse-Lautrec? And how can you test the
percentage of alcohol in a drink using the perfectly safe ‘gunpowder and
magnifying glass’ trick? Discover the answers to these conundrums and many more
in Who’s on the Bottle: Liquid Curiosities Uncorked
by Robert Booth. This is anthology of the forgotten creators of, and
the stories behind the drinks now known and enjoyed worldwide. You can find out
all about the original cola wars of Dr John Pemberton and Caleb Davis Bradham as
well as discovering how Beau Brummel thought you could be decadent and
fastidious in equal measure with your champagne. An entertaining addition to the
Christmas food and drink gift section of your bookshop; Who’s on the Bottle: Liquid Curiosities Uncorked (978
1909657748, £9.99, hb) by Robert Booth is
published in November by Bene Factum Publishingand you can find out more and order it
here.
We've just heard that Griff Rhys Jones will be on The One Show
next Wednesday promoting great Welsh national treasures (yes we do have plenty
thank you very much) and more to the point, talking up Insufficiently Welsh (978 1909844995, pb, £9.99).
The One Show has a very big audience – and this is great publicity for
this book which is published in November by Parthian. No need to remind
you that Griff Rhys Jones is definitely a
bit of a national treasure himself, and this book will appeal to his many fans,
as he searches for that Welsh part of himself that he has felt ever since being
forced to sing in the choir in church and pack down for the school first XV, all
in suburban Essex. It’s packed with all manner of weird, wonderful and
enlightening facts and you’ll learn as much about Wales as you do
Griff! As he says: “I am going out on the road to search for my Celtic roots
and explore ‘the land of my aunties’ The language, the landscape, rugby, dogs,
legends, botany, wildlife, furniture and a bit more on the side: I looked into
them all and here are the results...”
Always interesting to hear famous people’s school
stories, as it usually gives hope to all of us that anyone can succeed despite a
succession of horrendous school reports! Telling
Tales Out of School: A Miscellany of Celebrity School Days by
Jonathan Sale is a fascinating collection
of interviews with celebrities who, whilst normally reticent about their adult
personal lives speak candidly about their childhood. Their stories are
intriguing and their anecdotes often startling and hilarious. So which
celebrities are included I hear you ask? Well, how about David Bailey, Rory McGrath, Clare Balding, Jeremy Vine,
Cherie Blair, Steve Redgrave, Chris Packham, Billy Bragg, Terry Jones, Melvyn
Bragg, Duncan Bannatyne, Gary Lineker, Simon Schama, the Astronomer Royal, Zippo
the Clown for starters? These and 200 other well-known and
interesting broadcasters, writers, actors, singers, scientists, politicians,
sportsmen and sportswomen pay tribute to the teachers who opened doors and sneak
on the ones who slammed doors in their faces. At times hilarious and at times
incredibly poignant, this book will transport all of us back to our formative
years. Telling Tales Out of School
(9781849547734, £17.99, hb) by Jonathan
Sale is published in November by Robson Pressand you can order it here.
Talking of school days nostalgia, which is the best
school pop video of all time do you think? Is it Madness’s Baggy
Trousers? Or could it be Pink Floyd’s Another
Brick in the Wall? Now that is a tricky
one…
That’s all for now
folks, more next week!
This blog for booksellers, publishers and publicists has over 1,500 readers a month. If you would like to order any
of the titles mentioned, then please click here to go to the Compass New Titles
Website or talk to your Compass Sales
representative.
Hello there! Who’d like to give up their job as a lowly
bookseller and become a secret agent? Or maybe some of you are operating in deep
cover, and are already on her Majesty’s Secret Service? As Scouting for Girls
memorably sang, who doesn’t Wish they Were James Bond – and you can watch a
great montage of that pop song here!
This Christmas, everyone can get a taste of life as
a Double O with a cracking bit of publishing from Biteback: The Secret Agent's Bedside Reader. This handsome
hardback is a terrific collection of thrilling and absorbing stories told by
some of the greatest spies and spy writers ever. Daring wartime plans devised by Ian Fleming to steal an Enigma machine for the
Bletchley Park code breakers sit side by side with reports from MI6 traitor
Kim Philby to Moscow Centre, operations
in Bolshevik Russia, and the literary spy stories of Joseph Conrad and Erskine Childers. This is the ultimate book for
those fascinated by espionage and spies, and with its enticing mix of fictional
and real spies , there is nothing else available on the market like this. And
best of all, the collection is edited by a former intelligence officer and one
of the leading authorities on the history of Britain's spies; Michael Smith, who really knows his stuff. Each
story is accompanied by an expert introduction from Smith on everything from
John Buchan's classic The 39
Steps, to accounts by Sir Paul
Dukes and George
Hill, two of the earliest heroes of MI6; and descriptions by the
Cambridge spies
from the KGB archives of the details they passed to the Russians. Stories of
espionage never cease to engage and enthral and this really is a perfect
Christmas gift for readers of espionage fact and fiction – a colossal market!
The Secret Agent's
Bedside Reader edited by Michael Smith was published last month by
Biteback (£20, hb, 978 1849547406).
Well, in my opinion you
can never really have too much of James Bond – so have a watch here
for a very classy 50 years of
the suave one – set to Adele’s Skyfall.
The Good Hotel Guide
2015 by Desmond Balmer and Adam Raphael (pb, £20,
9780954940492) was launched at a party last week where they handed out the much
coveted awards for the best places to stay in Britain. Awards included Newcomer
of the Year, Best Small Hotel, Family Friendly Hotel, Most Dog Friendly
Hotel and many more, and there has been plenty of publicity including this
big piece in the Daily Mail.The Good Hotel Guide is the market leader. It is
totally independent, extremely comprehensive, includes £150 worth of discount
vouchers, contains user-friendly colour maps and covers nearly 900 selected
hotels in Great Britain and
Ireland. This is the peak time of
year for your customers to be thinking about their next year’s hols – make the
most of the great publicity for this book and keep The Good Hotel Guide 2015 on prominent display!
The dust is still settling – or rather swirling –
from the storm that was the Scottish referendum – and opportunely,
Biteback have just signed up an insider account of the Scottish
independence referendum, by Daily Telegraph journalist Alan Cochrane. Alex
Salmond – My Part in his Downfall will be published as a hardback on
18 November, and draws on Cochrane's
diaries, columns and interviews with politicians, written over the past three
years, covering the entire independence campaign. Cochrane, the Scottish editor of
the Telegraph, was described by Salmond's wife as a "ghastly man"
and had close access to politicians throughout the events of the campaign. The
book is described as an account of "the cynical, the chaotic, the incompetent
and the cruel world of politics, sparing no one from with withering
observations." Cochrane emerged as
one of the Unionist heroes in theindependence battle and used his daily newspaper columns, and long list
of Westminster and Scottish contacts to plot behind the scenes, mounting a
mission all of his own to see off the Scottish Nationalist threat and bring
about the downfall of the SNP leader. Now he reveals how the UK was really
won. Through the pages of his detailed diary, kept secretly throughout the three
years of the build-up to the referendum, he offers insights into every stage of
the historic campaign. With his access to David Cameron, Alistair Darling,
Gordon Brown and everyone in between, this is going to be a unique and explosive
piece of publishing! Alex Salmond – My Part in his Downfall by Alan Cochrane (hb, £18.99 978 1849548267) is
published by Biteback.
Bookworms, Dog-Ears and Squashy Big
Armchairs: A Book Lover’s Alphabet
by Heather Reyes has just been selected
by Readers Digest as their Book of the Month for December.
Readers Digest’s circulation is 214,000, its readership is 986,000 and
the digital and print audience per month is 1.1m so this is great publicity.
This endearing title was also the
editor’s pick in The Bookseller for November, with Caroline Sanderson
saying. “Here's to squashy big armchairs and everyone buying lots of books
this Christmas ... this informative compendium of thought-provoking bookish
facts and anecdotes, written with the same wit, style and erudition which
characterised Reyes' An Everywhere: A Little Book
About Reading. A delightful gift for a fellow book-lover”.
Bookworms, Dog-Ears and Squashy Big Armchairs: A
Book Lover’s Alphabet by Heather
Reyes (pb, £8.99, 978 0992636463) is published in November by
Oxygen Booksand you can order it here.
Current crazes within fiction (The White
Queen; A Discovery of Witches), film (Hansel and Gretel:
Witch Hunters) and television (True Blood; Supernatural) prove
that our fascination with witchcraft, Wicca and ancient lore is far from over.
Charmed: 200 Spells Omens and Charms to Entrance
Your Lover is an exquisitely illustrated lavish gift book which
offers 200 pearls of ancient wisdom and romantic lore. There is a big market for
this sort of nonsense – sorry invaluable hints and potent rituals – for example
Titania Hardie’s light-hearted series of spell books have sold well over a
million copies in the UK alone. So whether your customers
are planning the wedding of their dreams, looking to entrance an elusive new
love, or still seeking a soul-mate to set your heart aflame; Charmed (hb, £9.99, 978 0859655262) is for them!
It’s published in October by Plexus and you can find out more and order it here.
Let’s have a little burst of Love
Potion Number Nine to get us in the mood shall we – loving this cool
1971 version from The Coasters!
That’s China by Mark
Kitto is a British entrepreneur’s memoir about his daring attempt to
force open China’s closed media sector. To the
Chinese communist party, media is state propaganda. No individuals, let alone
foreigners will ever have a stake in it. For seven roller-coaster years,
Mark Kitto outwitted competitors and
jealous partners to build the most popular and profitable English language
publishing business in China since 1949. No foreigner in
modern times has come so close to the heart of the Chinese propaganda machine on
his own terms. Not even Rupert. Told with self deprecating humour, and
unsettling honesty; this is that rare thing, a business saga that will have you
on the edge of your seat to the final showdown in the highest law court in
China. That’s China by Mark
Kitto (pb, £9.99, 978 9881677570) is published by Forty-six in
November, and Mark will be doing lots of publicity for it – it’s sure to attract
attention. His first book, about his experience of living in China –
China Cuckoo – was a bestseller, and will
be republished next year by Forty-six in an updated
edition.
Talking of business entrepreneurs; The
Apprentice is back – yay! Sadly, I can’t bring you any Apprentice related
publishing, but I can give you a chance to look again at the
genius Cassetteboy skit on some of Siralan's finest moments!
Enjoy!
And finally – when youlock up your bookshops this evening and go home, at whatever ungodly hour that may be – please please check to
make sure no hapless American tourist is hiding behind that pile of Gone
Girls and Awful Aunties! Pity poor David Willis who had been browsing
in Waterstone’s in Trafalgar Square yesterday, but went downstairs
shortly after 9pm to find the lights out and the shop deserted. Despite calls to
the shop’s security and police, he spent two hours trapped inside the darkened
store – and was only rescued when he used Twitter to alert the world to his
predicament! Read the whole story in the Guardian here.
That’s all for now
folks, more next week!
This blog is read by booksellers as well as publishers and publicists, and gets over 1,500 hits a month! If you would like to order any
of the titles mentioned, then please click here to go to the Compass New Titles
Website or talk to your Compass Sales
representative.
We start with two sober – but ultimately inspiring
titles. Placed in care at a very early age, Paolo
Hewitt went to live with a foster family where he endured extreme
abuse and humiliation. Following years of abuse he was sent to Burbank children's home at
the age of ten where he met a gang of children. Like him, they w ere outsiders
struggling to find their place in the world. Paolo paints a vivid picture of his
coming of age in his classic memoir of growing up in care; The Looked After Kid – a testament to the
resilience of children who “go to sleep at night believing the world to be a
dark and terrible place” but wonderfully emerge from the darkness to shine
their lights on all. Irvine Welsh called it: “An uplifting story about
refusing to give up on your dreams... real inspiration to loads of people who
have had similar backgrounds to Paolo.” This title originally sold 10,000
copies via Mainstream/Random House and has now been fully revised with a new
section describing the reaction to the book and the authors' subsequent work
with children in care. It is published this month by Jessica Kingsley
Publishers.
And Paolo Hewitt has also
written a brand new title which will be published on the same day. But We All Shine On tells the inspiring story of
the author’s journey to track down the group of friends who shared his childhood
in care at the children's home. Stepping into the past, Paolo hears remarkable
stories about how his friends coped with life both in and out of care. We meet
Des, the boy who reinvented himself, Norman, the runaway child who crossed a
continent, David, the boy who couldn't be heard, and the curious case of Terry –
the child who stood in a school field for four days. Paolo hears about his
friends' struggles and triumphs, and discovers many things: about himself, about
care, but most of all about the indomitable force of the human spirit – even
when faced with the most overwhelming odds. These are two extraordinary titles,
and sadly, the stories that Hewitt tells, could not be more pertinent today with
the revelations about life in care that come to light on an almost daily
basis. As Dr Robert of The Blow
Monkeys says: “Hewitt has shed a light on the murky world of late 60s and
early 70s children's homes. An empathetic listener and master story teller his
is the authentic voice... from the inside… first hand. The characters are his
friends. They trust him. The stories herein are touching, funny and most of all
redemptive. It's quite possibly his masterpiece.” These are books that that
many people will want to read, and the media will be very interested in.
Paolo Hewitt is a well-known journalist
with a strong media profile, and there will be a big interview with Margarette
Driscoll in the Sunday Times this weekend or next. The publishers are be backing up the article
with ads on Facebook and Twitter mentioning the article and the new book, and I
am certain there will be more press coverage to come – the books have evocative
covers and these moving accounts of the strength and resilience of children are
gripping, insightful and honest and deserve to sell extremely well. But We All Shine On: The Remarkable Orphans of Burbank Children's
Home (978 1849055833, £8.99, pb) and The
Looked After Kid: Memoirs from a Children's Home (978 1849055888, pb,
£12.99) by Paolo Hewitt are published by
Jessica Kingsley Publishers on 21 October.
For something a little lighter, don’t forget about
Brandon Graham’s hilarious novel Good for Nothing which is being reissued in
paperback in time for Christmas by Skyscraper (November 27th, £8.99, 978 095518105 4). This
title has had huge number of word of mouth recommendations, and readers on
Amazon absolutely love it saying “this is unlike anything I have read
lately…a brilliant book and Brandon Graham is a very special writer… both
literary and popular…amazing, page-turning, FUN and insightful read. … You MUST
share some funny lines with your spouse because it's THAT GOOD. … A seamless,
brilliantly-paced book. … I cannot wait for Brandon Graham’s next book… an
entertaining, funny and yet poignant look at modern life…” The Daily
Mail called it “very, very funny” and Stephen Fry said he was
“enchanted.” If you haven’t read it yet – please do – it’s been one of
the most universally enjoyed titles here in the Compass Office for this year –
and it cheers you up no end!
The News is Read By… by Charlotte Green (978 1849546911, hb, £20.00) is getting absolutely loads of
publicity at present thanks to Charlotte’s willingness to tell all about her BBC
boss’s wandering hands, and other sex pest stories from the 1970’s. You can read
some of the revelations from the book in the Daily Mail here and in an article from the Telegraph here – both published last week. This
autobiography in fact has far more of interest in it than those headlines might
imply; since the broadcaster Charlotte
Green is a true national treasure. When news broke that she was to
replace James Alexander Gordon as the voice of BBC Radio 5’s football
results, the Times announced, “Exquisite voice to announce results
of the beautiful game”. Until her retirement in early 2013, Charlotte was the voice of
Radio 4. Her warm and perfectly modulated tones reassured millions of
devoted listeners that, despite some of the dreadful news stories she had to
read out to the nation over a period of 27 years, we were safe in her hands.
When she resigned listeners took to Twitter in their thousands to bemoan their
loss and colleagues at the BBC gave her a rare spontaneous and emotional
send-off. Charlotte was there with us, when we woke up in
the mornings and as we drifted off to sleep at the end of the day, when she
would read the Shipping Forecast. As the newsreader on Radio 4’s bulletins she
describes how she got through the worst news stories, such as the London bombings on 7/7/05,
for which she received a Sony Gold Award. Memorably her bulletins would
occasionally degenerate into suppressed laughter or a full-on fit of giggles on
air during the very serious Today programme. Her highly entertaining
autobiography is a the book all Radio 4 and Classic FM devotees
will feel compelled to buy for the joy of spending a few hours in her company,
and finding out about this wonderfully warm, funny and modest woman whose
writing is as beautiful as her voice. I know this is a phrase that you have
probably heard one time too many this autumn from various keenie beanie
publisher’s reps – but this book genuinely is the perfect Christmas prezzie for
all those hard-to-buy-for older rellies! It is published by Robson Press
and you can order The News is Read By
here
Well, if that has caused you to all have a little
doze for a few moments, imagine if while you were having your afternoon siesta
in the stock room you could actually decide what you wanted to dream about. A
pretty appealing thought you must agree, and now Lucid Dreaming: A Beginners Guide to Becoming Conscious in
Your Dreams by Charlie Morley
will show us all how to do just that. A fascinating and accessible introduction
to the theory, practice, and innovative techniques behind becoming lucid in your
dreams; this book spells out the benefits of living a more awakened life and
also contains amazing, real-life case studies and contributions from the world's
leading lucid dreaming experts. Lucid Dreaming: A
Beginners Guide to Becoming Conscious in Your Dreams by Charlie Morley (978 1781803431, pb, 8.99) is
published by Hay House in November.
Well this all sounds a bit like the plot of
Inception – and if like me you never really worked out what on earth this
film was on about – then you’ll enjoy
this honest trailer – i.e. NOT the official
one!
Something thatprobably won’t be
featuring in your lucid dreams is a middle aged man in Lycra – butnevertheless, there are an awful lot of them
around these days. How to be A Cyclist: An A-Z of Life on Two
Wheels by John Deering and Phil Ashley
(hb, 978 1909715158, £12.99) was launched this week in London at a party stuffed
full of hearty biking types. As one reader has commented, “this book is both
useful and funny, like a bin man in his underwear.” Cycling has never been
more popular, and this humorous one-of-a-kind gift book features some stunning
photography, as well as much laugh-out-loud advice. It’s an essential manual and
source of wisdom for those who would be kings of the road. Many pitfalls await
the unwary middle-aged-man-in-Lycra, but fear not, for the Guide is here to
steer you through choppy waters. No more passing out halfway up a hill. No more
ridicule in the work place. No more hurty knee. And no more sock crimes. Pearls
of wisdom are scattered throughout this book like rose petals before a princess
on her wedding day. For instance, who could deny that life is too short to drink
bad coffee? That a noisy bike is marginally more annoying than a whiney toddler?
Or that style should ever be sacrificed for speed? Written by experts who know
everything there is to know about cycling, yet never forget that there is
nothing funnier than a rabbit playing a trumpet, How
to Be a Cyclist is mandatory reading for all bike riders and is out
now from Arena Sport. There’s lots of publicity coming up in the cycling
mags and on social media – and should be some features in the general press this
month too.
I bet you look good on the dance floor. No really –
I do. Of course the savvy among you will realise that I am of course referring
to those cool and trendy popstrels, the Arctic Monkeys. Arctic Monkeys: Pretend Memories (978 1905959730,
£14.95) by Rob Jovanovic is an
illustrated paperback biography of the band out from Red PlanetPublishing in November. By all accounts it is now time for a good book
about this multiple No 1 band, and the fact that there will be no new album
before Christmas means this book will be the perfect purchase for their fans.
The Arctic Monkeys are the most
interesting British band of the 21st century, constantly evolving but ensuring
that each album kicks just as hard and fast as the previous one. Alex Turner and
co are not going away, this is a band in it for the long haul and their fan base
is ultra-loyal. You don’t ‘grow out’ of the Arctic
Monkeys. The band is riding higher than ever, which is pretty high.
Every album has gone to number one in the UK (while they have also strengthened their
following in the US and elsewhere overseas) and this
lengthy in-depth appraisal with a 16 pages photographic section should sell
really well.
And finally … here’s are some interesting musings on the art of book cover design – and some
great examples – now that’s something that you certainly don’t get with an
eBook!
That’s all for now
folks, more next week!
This blog for booksellers is sent out weekly as an e-newsletter to over 700
booksellers as well as publishers and publicists. If you would like to order any
of the titles mentioned then please click here to go to the Compass New Titles
Website or talk to your Compass Sales
representative.
It’s the 100th edition of Compass Points! Yippee! To
celebrate, here are the 100 most
iconic movie shots of all time! This is five minutes of bliss –
starting right back in the silent movie era – I reckon I can name a pretty large
number of the films shown – how many do you know?
Pep Guardiola is one of the world’s most successful football
managers, and coming this month is Pep
Confidential - Marti
Perarnau’s extraordinary, behind-the-scenes diary of life with him.
This title is going to get a LOT of publicity
when it is published in a couple of weeks on 18 October – the PR for this book is being orchestrated by Back
Page Press, who did such a great job, with Pirlo, and there is a similar strategy being
followed for this book. The Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph and the
Independent have confirmed that they will definitely will all run
extracts from the book during publication week – and the Sun, Daily
Mirror, Daily Express, Guardian, and the Times are all
expected to do likewise. On the web, Goal.com, the biggest football
website in the world, has a content package for publication day and the BBC and
ESPN will also run features on the book. Graham Hunter and Sid Lowe are strong
advocates of the book and will plug it, with a combined Twitter following of
500,000; and the author Marti Perarnau
has 68,000 Twitter followers. This book is going to be very big indeed – so
please make sure you have plenty of copies. Pep
Confidential by Marti Perarnau
is published by Arena Sport (978 1909715257, hb, £14.99) and you can find
out more and order it here
We are delighted to announce that the Carcanet
poet Kei Miller has been awarded the
prestigious Forward Prize for Best Poetry
Collection for The Cartographer Tries to
Map A Way to Zion at the Southbank Centre this week. The chair of the
judges, Jeremy Paxman, said: “Kei is doing something you don’t come across
often: this is a beautifully voiced collection which struck us all with its
boldness and wit. Many poets refer to multiple realities, different ways of
observing the world. Kei doesn’t just refer, he articulates them.” There has been lots of terrific publicity for
this amazing win: Kei was interviewed in the Guardian on Monday as the
“one to watch” which you can read here, he was interviewed on BBC
Radio 4’s Front Rowand you can listen to that here, and Kei and Jeremy
Paxman were photographed in the Telegraphwhich you can see here!The
Cartographer Tries to Map A
Way to Zion (£9.95, 978 1 847772 67 1) is
available in paperback now.
When it was published in France, Merci Pour Ce Moment, Valérie Trierweiler’s memoir about her tumultuous
relationship with President Francois Hollande, sent shockwaves through the
French political establishment for what it revealed about the President’s
personal life. In a nation that strives not to pry into the private lives of its
politicians, Trierweiler’s voice demanded to be heard, and the book went on to
sell over 400,000 copies in just three weeks, becoming France’s fastest
selling book ever. At its heart is a compelling tale of politics, love and
betrayal that has electrified a nation. It began back in January 2014 when a
story in Closer magazine featured photographs which allegedly proved a
secret relationship between Hollande and actress Julie Gayet. Trierweiler was
subsequently admitted to hospital. She learnt of the President’s alleged
infidelity from the press, just like everyone else; then the man she loved broke
up with her in an eighteen-word press release. I’m pleased to tell you that
Thank You for the Moment by Valerie Trierweiler (translated by Clemence Sebag)
will be published in the UK by Biteback (£18.99, hb 978 1849548236) in
November, and Valerie Trierweiler is
coming over to the UK to publicise it! Iain Dale from Biteback said
"We are thrilled to be publishing Valerie’s memoirs, which reveal the truth
about her relationship with the President, from its passionate beginnings to its
brutal ending in a brief press statement.” And Trierweiler added: "I am
delighted to be publishing my memoirs with Biteback - they know how to publish a
book like this. My reputation was always trashed by the press in
France so at last I decided to write
my story. I wanted for people in England, Australia and New
Zealand to hear from me directly - who I really
am and what I have been through." There is certain to be plenty of press
interest in Valérie Trierweiler‘s visit –
and in her explosive book.
And if you don’t feel you are entirely au fait with
the ins and outs of Francois Holland – here’s an entertaining 3 minute
guide to his love life made by the Telegraph back in January –
already out of date already of course – but it gives you the general idea! Sacré
bleu, what are those French politicians like?! Well, I suppose at least they are
genuinely getting on with a bit of actual ooh la la rather than just sending
reporters snaps of themselves in their paisley pyjamas!
Moving from one continent to another, and from one
President to a possible would-be President – Hillary Clinton looks as if she may
be ready for the top job, but the question is, are we Ready for Hillary? Published again by Biteback
in November, Ready for Hillary?byRobin
Renwick (hb, £17.99 978 1849547888) is a candid biography of Hillary
Clinton and assessment of her chances and abilities should she reach the highest
office in the world. Renwick, (Baron Renwick of Clifton: a crossbench peer in
the House of Lords) who was British ambassador in Washington when the Clintons
arrived in the White House; examines Hillary’s record, looks at her remarkable
life and her talent for statesmanship, as well as for survival, and paints a
vivid, completely balanced portrait. Hillary Clinton is very likely to run for
office and will announce her position early in the New Year and Renwick seeks to
show what the world can expect from Hillary if she gets to the White
House.
And if you’re not remotely interested in the
politics of FranceorAmerica, then how about this entertaining rap from none other than our very own
PM at this week’s party conference – who knew he could be so
amusing.
Talking of posh people being funny, the return of
Downton Abbey has given a whole new lease of life to the Buffer’s Guide to Etiquette – and its author
William Hanson has been doing the media
rounds promoting it - here he is on radio 2 talking to Steve Wright for
example. William Hanson is a trusted
authority on matters of etiquette, manners and good taste. He rose to prominence
as 'Britain's Youngest Etiquette Expert' and has since gone on to work within
Royal and other VIP households; coach diplomats, businessmen, schools and
colleges and advise several multi-national brands such as Bentley, Champagne
Bollinger, The National Lottery and Green & Black's – so he definitely knows
his stuff. There is an absolute obsession at the moment with social class and
the “right” way of behaving – plus a fascination with/hatred of old Etonions,
and the Bullingdon Club; and interest in the royals has never been greater – so
how about doing a “posh” window display in your shop including all related
titles – and of course plenty of copies of The
Bluffer’s Guide to Etiquette! (pb, 978
1909937000)
And if you want an example of some lads who
definitely need to have a quick read of
William Hanson’sBuffer’s Guide to Etiquette – then here’s the
trailer for new film The Riot Club – posh boys behaving very badly
indeed.
Great news that Played
in London: Charting the Heritage of a City at Play by Simon Inglis (pb, 978 1848020573 25.00) has been
longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of
the Year. This is a really terrific title, which reveals the history
and heritage of sport in London and takes the reader right up to and
beyond the 2012 Olympics. It covers a vast range of sports from rowing to rugby,
archery to athletics, billiards to boxing and much more. It’s beautifully
illustrated with over 350 illustrations – ranging from archive and contemporary
photography, maps and manuscripts. Played in
London is published by English Heritage and you can find out more and order it here.
And if this is your cup of tea, then you’ll no doubt
enjoy this old Pathe News footage of the Test Match played at
Lords in 1905.
That’s all for now
folks, more next week!
This blog is read weekly by over 700
booksellers as well as publishers and publicists. If you would like to order any
of the titles mentioned, then please click here to go to the Compass New Titles
Website or talk to your Compass Sales
representative.
The Official Formula 1 Season Review
2014 is the inside story from the
paddocks, pit lanes and track-side of the world’s most thrilling motorsport
series. The Official Formula 1 Season Review 20
14 gives fans a unique, access-all-areas pass behind the scenes of
one of the most thrilling F1 seasons of recent years. Throwing new light on all
the headlines and key incidents, this official Formula One Management review
includes a foreword by Bernie Ecclestone
and features full race reports from all 19 races. Completely re-designed for the
2014 season, illustrated with amazing photography from LAT and with exclusive
insight from the drivers themselves, this book also contains all the official
statistics from an action-packed year of Formula 1 racing. The Official Formula 1 Season Review 2014 is
published in December by Illustrated London News (978 0957532069, hb,
£35)
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