The Bookseller
Encyclopedia
The Bookseller is a British
magazine reporting news on the publishing
industry. Neill Denny is editor-in-chief of the weekly print edition of the magazine, while Philip Jones
is deputy editor, having recently been promoted from the position of managing editor of the Bookseller.com. The magazine is home to the Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year
, a humorous award given annually to the book with the oddest title. The award is organised by The Booksellers diarist, Horace Bent, and had been administered in recent years by the former deputy editor, Joel Rickett, and the current charts editor,Philip Stone . Kirkus Reviews
is its American sister publication.
The subscription-only magazine is read by approximately 50,000 persons each week, in over 90 countries, and contains the latest news from the publishing and bookselling worlds, in-depth analysis and features, as well as containing bestseller information courtesy of Nielsen BookScan
. Approximately 15,000 retail employees, 14,000 librarians and 13,000 publishers read the magazine on a weekly basis.
The magazine also produces approximately a dozen supplements on an annual basis, and produces four "Buyers Guides". The Bookseller also produces three daily publications at both the annual London Book Fair
, in April, and the Frankfurt Book Fair
, in October. The website, TheBookseller.com, is visited by approximately 60,000 unique users each month.
severely disrupted publication and it was not until the late 1920s that the magazine resumed its weekly schedule. In 1928, The Bookseller enterred troublesome years, with the magazine enterring joint editorial control between both The Publishers Association and the Booksellers Association. It was edited by the Publishers Association president Geoffrey S Williams and became known as The Publisher and Bookseller. However, the decision proved less than successful, and in 1933 the decision was reversed, with editorship being awarded to the young Edmond Segrave - 28 years old at the time. He remained in charge for almost 40 years.
In 1945 he hired Philothea Thompson as his personal assistant, and when Edmond Segrave died in 1971, she took over stewardship of the magazine until 1976. David Whitaker
joined his family magazine in 1977 for little over two years, with Louis Baum assuming editorial responsibilities in 1980. Under Baum, the magazine went under radical change, with numerous design changes, culminating in the decision to become a full-colour publication in the late 1990s. The self-named "legendary diarist", Horace Bent, made his first appearance during this time (although "his" Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year began in the late 1970s), while the magazine also began to feature the first Nielsen BookScan bestseller lists.
In 1999, Nicholas Clee became editor, months before the magazine was sold to a division of Nielsen Business Media. In 2004 Retail Week
's Neill Denny arrived and oversaw its most recent redesign, which included the controversial decision to move its "Publications of the Week" information online only.
and Anthony Horowitz
, while the website provides an open forum for anyone to voice their opinions on news and features concerning the trade. Latterly, "hot topics" on the website have included W H Smith
's controversial decision to stock the international travel guides of both Dorling Kindersley
and Rough Guides
exclusively, a story that The Bookseller broke, and the cross-industry initiative to promote books under the controversial tagline "bookaholism".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
magazine reporting news on the publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
industry. Neill Denny is editor-in-chief of the weekly print edition of the magazine, while Philip Jones
Philip Jones
Philip Jones CBE was a British trumpeter and leader of an internationally famous brass chamber music ensemble.Philip Jones was born in Bath, England. In 1944 he won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music...
is deputy editor, having recently been promoted from the position of managing editor of the Bookseller.com. The magazine is home to the Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year
Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year
The Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year, originally known as the Diagram Group Prize for the Oddest Title at the Frankfurt Book Fair, commonly known as the Diagram Prize for short, is a humorous literary award that is given annually to the book with the oddest title...
, a humorous award given annually to the book with the oddest title. The award is organised by The Booksellers diarist, Horace Bent, and had been administered in recent years by the former deputy editor, Joel Rickett, and the current charts editor,
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus . Kirkus serves the book and literary trade sector, including libraries, publishers, literary and film agents, film and TV producers and booksellers. Kirkus Reviews is published on the first and 15th of each month...
is its American sister publication.
The subscription-only magazine is read by approximately 50,000 persons each week, in over 90 countries, and contains the latest news from the publishing and bookselling worlds, in-depth analysis and features, as well as containing bestseller information courtesy of Nielsen BookScan
Nielsen BookScan
Nielsen BookScan is a data provider for the book publishing industry, owned by the Nielsen Company. BookScan compiles point of sale data for book sales.-History:...
. Approximately 15,000 retail employees, 14,000 librarians and 13,000 publishers read the magazine on a weekly basis.
The magazine also produces approximately a dozen supplements on an annual basis, and produces four "Buyers Guides". The Bookseller also produces three daily publications at both the annual London Book Fair
London Book Fair
The London Book Fair is a large book-publishing trade fair held annually, usually in April, in London, England. The London Book Fair has grown in size and importance in recent years, and 23,000 publishers, booksellers, literary agents, librarians, media and industry suppliers from over 100...
, in April, and the Frankfurt Book Fair
Frankfurt Book Fair
The Frankfurt Book Fair is the world's largest trade fair for books, based on the number of publishing companies represented. As to the number of visitors, the Turin Book Fair attracts about as many visitors, viz. some 300,000....
, in October. The website, TheBookseller.com, is visited by approximately 60,000 unique users each month.
History
The Bookseller was founded by Joseph Whitaker, the first editor of the magazine, in January 1858, and was marketed as "A Handbook of British and Foreign Literature". His sons, Joseph Vernon Whitaker and George Herbert Whitaker took over editoriship of The Bookseller in 1875 and 1895 respectively, with George Herbert Whitaker taking the brave decision in 1909 to move the magazine from a monthly to a weekly publication. However, World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
severely disrupted publication and it was not until the late 1920s that the magazine resumed its weekly schedule. In 1928, The Bookseller enterred troublesome years, with the magazine enterring joint editorial control between both The Publishers Association and the Booksellers Association. It was edited by the Publishers Association president Geoffrey S Williams and became known as The Publisher and Bookseller. However, the decision proved less than successful, and in 1933 the decision was reversed, with editorship being awarded to the young Edmond Segrave - 28 years old at the time. He remained in charge for almost 40 years.
In 1945 he hired Philothea Thompson as his personal assistant, and when Edmond Segrave died in 1971, she took over stewardship of the magazine until 1976. David Whitaker
David Whitaker
David Whitaker was an English screenwriter and novelist best known for his work in the early days of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
joined his family magazine in 1977 for little over two years, with Louis Baum assuming editorial responsibilities in 1980. Under Baum, the magazine went under radical change, with numerous design changes, culminating in the decision to become a full-colour publication in the late 1990s. The self-named "legendary diarist", Horace Bent, made his first appearance during this time (although "his" Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year began in the late 1970s), while the magazine also began to feature the first Nielsen BookScan bestseller lists.
In 1999, Nicholas Clee became editor, months before the magazine was sold to a division of Nielsen Business Media. In 2004 Retail Week
Retail Week
Retail Week is a UK-based news magazine covering the retail industry.Founded in 1988 by financial journalist Patience Wheatcroft and her husband Tony Salter, it is now owned by the business magazine publisher EMAP.The magazine is published every Friday...
's Neill Denny arrived and oversaw its most recent redesign, which included the controversial decision to move its "Publications of the Week" information online only.
Modern day
Following the demise of Publishing News, The Bookseller is the only paper magazine reporting on the UK publishing, bookselling and library industry on a regular basis, although the magazine also includes frequent stories, features and columns from the international scene. Numerous famous names from the UK book trade contribute to the magazine via the opinion columns, including Kate MosseKate Mosse
Kate Mosse is an English author and broadcaster. She is best known for her 2005 novel Labyrinth, which has been translated into more than 37 languages.- Private life :...
and Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Craig Horowitz is an English novelist and screenwriter. He has written many children's novels, including The Power of Five, Alex Rider and The Diamond Brothers series and has written over fifty books. He has also written extensively for television, adapting many of Agatha Christie's...
, while the website provides an open forum for anyone to voice their opinions on news and features concerning the trade. Latterly, "hot topics" on the website have included W H Smith
W H Smith
WHSmith plc is a British retailer, headquartered in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. It is best known for its chain of high street, railway station, airport, hospital and motorway service station shops selling books, stationery, magazines, newspapers, and entertainment products...
's controversial decision to stock the international travel guides of both Dorling Kindersley
Dorling Kindersley
Dorling Kindersley is an international publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 51 languages. It is currently part of the Penguin Group....
and Rough Guides
Rough Guides
Rough Guides Ltd is a travel guidebook and reference publisher, owned by Pearson PLC. Their travel titles cover more than 200 destinations, and are distributed worldwide through the Penguin Group...
exclusively, a story that The Bookseller broke, and the cross-industry initiative to promote books under the controversial tagline "bookaholism".