unexpectedly moving a tribute to the healing power of reading Times Literary Supplement
enormously engaging history a fascinating, gossipy and well-researched slice of publishing history. The Observer
A fascinating guide to bygone concepts of taste Recommended! is an engaging piece of publishing history. The Spectator
A deeply researched, stylishly written piece of narrative history, full of detail and telling vignettes. An enormous pleasure to read. Dennis Duncan, author of Index, A History of the
In this dynamically narrated and archivally-rich study, Nicola Wilson brings book history to life. A must-read for today's busy reader, this book is a triumph of imagination, historical research, and storytelling. Claire Battershill, author of Circus
A captivating book that garlands its incredible research with an approachable chattiness. Stuck in a Book
More meat than the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Helen Meller, Lumb Bank and Arvon at Home
A deeply researched, stylishly written piece of narrative history, full of detail and telling vignettes. The organisation - around the five characters at the heart of the Book Society - works wonderfully, giving an emotional richness to the story. An enormous pleasure to read, while also deepening immeasurably my understanding of the literary business of the interwar period out beyond the well-walked squares of Bloomsbury.
Dennis Duncan, UCL, author of Index, A History of the
In this dynamically narrated and archivally-rich study, Nicola Wilson brings book history to life as she takes us behind the scenes to show how Britain's first book club made its choices. Wilson argues for the importance of the Book Society as an under-acknowledged powerhouse in the shaping of 20th-century literary tastes. Those tastes belonged of course to specific individuals, each with their own personal story, and Wilson shows us the intimate friendships; networks and connections; and at times bitter disagreements behind the book choices. The story of the Book Society is one that also addresses some of the most pressing issues of our own literary moment - in this era of influencers and algorithmic recommendations, whose stories are told? Whose are chosen for splashy promotions and wide distributions? What does it mean to be an 'outsider' in a cliquey literary marketplace? A must-read for today's 'busy reader,' this book is a triumph of imagination, historical research, and storytelling.
Claire Battershill, University of Toronto, author of Circus
This is essential reading for all those who love books and literature. The story of the Book Society, the club that in the 1930s opened up reading and book buying to the man in the street, is of course the main focus, and how good to see Hugh Walpole's pivotal role in it fully recognised. But as Nicola Wilson takes us through the Book Society's 40 year history, setting the story against a backdrop of unfolding national and world events, she displays in the process her truly astonishing depth of knowledge of 20th century literature. This is no dry academic tome but a tremendously readable and insightful account of a fascinating story. It is filled with engaging anecdotes and numerous quotations, many of which have not been published before, all gleaned from her wide-ranging research. This book is a very impressive achievement indeed.
Nicholas Redman, Chairman, Hugh Walpole Society
'This original and revealing work describes not only how books were promoted to reach a wider public long before the computer age, but also explores the relationships of those people involved in the enterprise. A highly engaging read. '
Margi Blunden, daughter of Edmund Blunden
'It's been a huge pleasure to read this, and fascinating to learn more about the workings of the Book Society and my great-grandmother Sylvia Lynd's role in that. Nicola Wilson weaves the biographical elements in and out of the Book Society story so well'
Lydia Syson, author of Mr Peacock's Possessions
