books that I enjoyed

[PMarione]

"The War for All the Oceans: From Nelson at the Nile to Napoleon at Waterloo" by Roy and Lesley Adkins is again available on Amazon.

"Too Great a Lady: The Notorious, Glorious Life of Emma, Lady Hamilton" by Amanda Elyot. A well researched, easy to read novel. Perfect for a rainy WE.

[Roy Adkins]

Many thanks, Patrick, for that mention of our book, The War for All the Oceans. It was out-of-stock on Amazon for a month, then at long last they were selling copies again – but now it’s out of stock once more! We have just learned that the publisher is reluctant to reprint copies, because the paperback is due in August. (The best place to buy the hardback is WH Smith, either in their shops or much cheaper online – free posting if you pick up an online order at one of their stores). Publishers wring their hands and say how terrible things are for them, too scared on the one hand to print a few hundred extra copies, yet quite happy to waste hundreds of thousands of pounds (or more) on the latest so-called celebrity book, which we bookbuyers could all tell them was doomed from the start. I think the lesson is that if any of us enjoy a naval history, biography or whatever, we should sing its praises loud and clear, otherwise the day will come when nothing worthwhile is being published. As for the novel on Emma that you also mention, I haven’t yet bought a copy, but must do so!

[PMarione]

Publishers have no heart but a cash register.
They can only read numbers. That's the reason why there are numbers besides the dishes in fashionable restaurants.
They have no heart attacks but losses of cash flow.

Then they give big advances on books that they have not read, just because the lady is good looking on the ads and the jacket.

The problem is more general: culture has to make money. Movies, theatres, books, musea. Look at what has become of the NMM.