Overview

The British book trade underwent radical change at the end of the twentieth century. The old family firms were being replaced by conglomerates and the ending of the Net Book Agreement gave shops new freedom to compete by cutting prices. ""The British Book Trade: An Oral History"" is more than a book about books - it describes the world in which books happened, and how that world has changed. This volume provides access to a culture often perceived as glamorous, incestuous and hard to enter, through the words of insiders across the board, from sales representatives and shop assistants, to secretaries, editors and executives. Their experiences range from the 1920s to the present day and include recollections of the British trade at home and overseas as far as Australia, South East Asia and India. The accounts are drawn from the Book Trade Lives collection of in-depth oral history interviews recorded by National Life Stories and accessible through the British Library Sound Archive. To anyone with an interest in the book trade or oral history, they have challenging, entertaining and illuminating things to say.

Full Product Details

9780712350914

Table of Contents

Reviews

'It is difficult to convey how enjoyable this wonderfully paced collection is to read: interviews to savour, which are perceptive, poignant, frequently moving, and often hilarious.' Andrew Carlin, The Library

Author Information

Sue Bradley directed the seven-year recording project Book Trade Lives, at the British Library, upon which this volume is based.

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