I've just started it... wondered if anyone else here was reading it. It's a mahoosive anaylsis of publishing in the 21st century.

Sounds right up my street - hadn't heard of it. Although maybe I'll avoid while I'm trying to sell a novel...

Emma

I'd not come across it, either. Have you read Bestseller, Leila?

I found Bestseller rather disappointing, as I remember. I think I was expecting it to actually start unpicking what's going on with books that sell by the ton, and it doesn't, really.

But Penguin Special, the bio of Allen Lane, is brilliant - both thorough and racy.

Emma

I've not read Bestseller, no. I've got a good way into Merchants of Culture now and I think it's okay, but I think he could have made it an awful lot shorter. There is a lot there that many people will know already, and he spends a lot of time on saying very obvious things (e.g. 'There is no way of knowing if a book will be a bestseller or not' (duh!) and 'The independent booksellers that went bust in the face of aggression from the chains were mostly those that were badly run'.).
I'd say it's a fantastic read for anyone starting a CW or publishing degree, or starting out in bookselling, agenting or publishing. Also a good gift for someone who knows a lot about 'normal' business but nothing about publishing.

<Added>

So far there's no mention of the role of class and race in publishing, which in such an exhaustive study seems odd, and no mention of the rise of companies like Working Partners and James Patterson's co-writing group.


<Added>

I think what's bothering me is it's too descriptive. He tells you what the industry is like and backs it up with quantitative and qualitative evidence but there are no brand new ideas, no insights. Which, given the size of the book, it seems there should be.