MY BACK PAGES (MY BACK PAGES: An undeniably personal history of publishing 1972-2022)

Product Information

What’s puzzling me is the French title, Dix Pour Cent. How come actors typically pay their agents 10 percent while authors typically pay their agents 15 percent? And how did literary agents manage to increase their share of the cake by 50 percent without any apparent resistance? You have to admire their skill. Charkin, R. (2023, January 22). Richard Charkin: Three Gifts for Publishing's Christmas. Publishing Perspectives. Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://publishingperspectives.com/2022/12/richard-charkin-three-gifts-for-publishings-christmas/ So my resolutions this year relate to improving publishing by measuring things other than those I’ve mentioned above. The 2022 Audit Wish List Reading between the lines Charkin is aware that he was not great as a trade publisher, although it is clear that Reed the real problem was the corporate culture. Charkin’s boss at Reed, Ian Irvine raved about how the profits of consumer book publishing added up to “the square root of bugger all”, but never questioned the extraordinary extravagance of Reed at the holding company level. Irvine had a chauffeur-driven Bentley to take him to work and indeed so many other executives enjoyed similar perks that there was a drivers’ waiting room at Reed HQ to house them all. All this activity is overdue, important, and commendable. One lesson that may have been learned from this—and indeed from the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic—is the importance of collecting and analyzing data, and then interpreting that data in a meaningful way. I think we should start applying this skill to other areas of concern in publishing.

Richard Charkin: A prince of publishing looks back on the Richard Charkin: A prince of publishing looks back on the

Charkin told the Citizen: “We suddenly had 60,000 words. People say Tom has really captured my voice which is great. We ended up being very selective and tried to get into the social changes as well as the business changes. The meetings took place in various unprepossessing cafés and bars around Newington Green in North London, halfway between our homes—the beginning of an entirely 50-50 relationship. The process turned out to be enormous fun, with Tom guiding me and quietly cajoling me to dig out whatever interesting stuff might be hiding deep in the recesses of my faltering brain. I found it fascinating and full of interest....Your early years in the business are particularly riveting to somebody who joined much later on." Antony Topping, Managing Director, Greene & Heaton Literary Agency In publishing terms, the opening of offices across Europe, Asia, and Latin America laid the foundations for Oxford dominance in English Language Teaching (ELP). The prioritization of scholarly journals made Oxford a legitimate competitor to the massive scientific publishers. The computerization of the Oxford English Dictionary not only preserved a great scholarly work but also furnished OUP with digital skills ahead of its competitors.Farewell to those meetings with the cast of Ben Hur. Those gatherings’ only purpose was to have a meeting and be seen to be there. What is in a name? Quite a lot if, like veteran publisher Richard Charkin, you set up an independent publishing firm and call it Mensch Publishing. It was the only name he considered five years ago and it reflects values that were inculcated in him early in life. But some things will never—or never should—be the same again. While I’m absolutely certain others that others will have their own—and probably better—ideas, here’s my list of irreversible changes in our industry. In Publishing’s Post-Pandemic Future Charkin, R. (2022, January 28). Richard Charkin: A 2022 Publishing Resolution. Publishing Perspectives. Retrieved January 29, 2023, from https://publishingperspectives.com/2022/01/richard-charkin-a-2022-publishing-resolution-covid19/

Meet the menschiest man in publishing - The Jewish Chronicle

Who might publish it? It might seem strange that a publisher would embark on such a project without a contract or at least an idea of who might publish it. I was relieved of any decision-making by one of my “referees,” Francis Bennett of Marble Hill Publishers, who—rather than critiquing the book—offered to publish it.Absolutely,” he says emphatically. “I think it is really dangerous.” There could have been “a little bit of that” in the Smith book saga, he says.

MY BACK PAGES : An undeniably personal history of publishing

I read this last week and couldn’t put it down! It so mirrors what was happening in libraries and publishing in the 70s, 80s. 90s, my lifetime, etc! In fact I am going to read it again! A wonderfully personal history! Katina Strauch I am an author, and I agree that writing a book is not easy and requires a great deal of effort and skill to effectively complete. However, when done well, it can attract people to buy and read the book. I recently read the memoir; it is wonderful. By Richard Charkin | @RCharkin ‘The Importance of Collecting and Analyzing Data’ I‘m writing this on January 1. It’s exactly 50 years since I turned up at the side entrance of George G.Harrap & Co., at 182-184 High Holborn, London, WC2, on January 1, 1972, having been interviewed and accepted for the job of a “Young Scientific Assistant Editor.” January 1 wouldn’t become a bank holiday in England until 1974.Of course there are stories about well-known personalities he has encountered in his career - Madonna, Jeffrey Archer, Robert Maxwell, Paul Hamlyn, Mohammed Al-Fayed and many more. But his primary purpose is to provide an insider's account of the social, technological, commercial and geographical developments as seen through the eyes of a gifted all-round publisher who has made a very significant contribution to the profession. My challenge began some years ago when a handful of people asked me if I was ever going to write my memoirs. I said no for many reasons. I think the single biggest change is more women in the industry, which has worked terrifically well.”