Bookbuyer's
Bookend
"A good book," remarked the late Jonathan Cape, with a twinkle in his eye perhaps, "is one which sells 100,000 copies." There are not however many general hardbacks which achieve that distinction today. Many a publisher would consider himself lucky to get rid of 10,000 copies, and if he manages to sell 1000 copies he may very likely find his book on the London or Manchester bestseller lists — if that is what those evening newspaper offerings can be called.
One of the troubles is that many of the booksellers consulted — sitting as they may be on embarrassing overstocks — have little interest in revealing what is really selling, and few newspapers show much interest in dis covering whether they are telling the truth.
The Sunday Telegraph, with its occasional countrywide round-ups, does a little bit better
than most, but the only British bestseller list
Jiookbuyer trusts (and that with several reservations) is the W. H. Smith-owned Trade News — not, as is sometimes though, compiled simply from W H S shops. All of which makes it particularly gratifying to learn that the Sunday Times, having dropped their own list some years ago, are now planning to put £5000 towards the setting up of what they hope will be the definitive British answer to the Neu, York Times. It is an excellent aspiration and one which could require all the ingenuity of their investigative Insight team. If they fail to get it right this time, then Britain can say goodbye to a proper bestseller list for several years ahead. Speaking of bestsellers, one book which wasn't is The Essential Lenny Bruce, published in 1971. It was one of a number of off-centre titles that appeared in the late-lamented "Open Gate" series launched two years ago by the unlikely firm of Macmillan but which, with the exception of Elvis, failed to get off the ground. In the case of Lenny Bruce, Macmillan had the reasonable idea of publishing the book in two parts, each in paperback and each with pros. pective price of 90p, within Well-aimed reach ot the younger end of the "Open Gate" market. Reviews for the first book were sparse and its successor was shelved.
Now Macmillan have produced a complete hardcover edition at £3.50, and cannily pushed it out as a new book. It seems to have worked. Last month the Sunday Times, who seem to have passed the original paperback over, proceeded to give the hardback edition a 16inch review by none other than Larry Adler, exhorting readers to " Read this book. ' When will these publisher fellows learn that if they are going to try and keep a price down, they must always remember to produce a few hard-back copies for literary editors.
Bookbuyer is amused to see that a recent advertisement for the ancient House of Duckworth is bordered with pictures of little ducks. It may catch on. Perhaps we shall soon see the Batsford ads adorned with little bats; Chapman with little chaps; Constable with little coppers; Noosey & Hawkes with little boozers; Blackie with little ... 000ps.
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