Thomas Harding is a bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than sixteen languages. He has written for the Sunday Times, the Washington Post and the Guardian, among other publications. His books include HANNS AND RUDOLF, which won the JQ-Wingate Prize for Non-Fiction; THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE, which was shortlisted for the Costa Biography Award; BLOOD ON THE PAGE, which won the Crime Writers' Association Golden Dagger Award for Non-Fiction; and WHITE DEBT.
A history of the golden age of publishing from the perspective of
one man . . . fascinating
*SPECTATOR*
A marvellous biography . . . Thomas Harding has brought a great
publisher and the shenanigans of the book trade gloriously to
life
*DAILY MAIL*
An entertaining biography . . . The Maverick is packed with
fascinating accounts of book deals and debacles during the 'golden
age of publishing,' as well as plenty of high-society gossip
*WASHINGTON POST*
Thomas Harding's admirably even-handed and readable biography
places Weidenfeld in both his social and cultural contexts, never
excusing his more dubious actions, but also celebrating his
undeniable pizzazz, application and drive
*OBSERVER*
The Maverick anchors George Weidenfeld as one of the foremost
influencers in modern literature and a man who rose from
extraordinary circumstances to lead an even more extraordinary life
and legacy. A treasure trove of insight and history
*ARIANNA HUFFINGTON*
Meticulously researched, cunningly constructed and compellingly
written. A vivid account of publishing's glory years told through
the action-packed life of one of its most charismatic pioneers
*ANTHONY HOLDEN*
The Maverick recalls a champion of ideas with a knack for
networking and a taste for the high life . . . an organizational
feat
*NEW YORK TIMES*
Uncovers the secrets of a chameolonic outsider who made himself a
fixture of the cultural establishment . . . [A] compact, unfussy
and well-sourced life
*Financial Times*
George Weidenfeld was a titan of a man, an irresistible character
and something of a genius. This book does him full justice
*SIMON HEFFER, author of THE AGE OF DECADENCE and HIGH MINDS*
[George Weidenfeld] modernized Britain's small but influential
publishing sector. . . The Maverick traces the parallel arcs of
Weidenfeld's career and postwar publishing through his contacts and
contracts . . . a skillful and subtle study in biography, British
attitudes and the book business
*WALL STREET JOURNAL*
Like George Weidenfeld himself, Thomas Harding's accomplishment is
substantial, lively and full of interest. The Maverick is a fine
biography
*HENRY KISSINGER*
Harding has fun detailing his subject's four marriages and
associated romantic interludes . . . We're always on the edge,
wondering if George, the cosmopolitan charmer who made it to the
House of Lords, will pull another cracker from the hat
*DAILY MAIL*
Offers a behind-the-scenes peek at an imprint that published some
of the most seminal works of the 20th century, when books, and the
ideas within them, were far more revered. A golden age indeed
*IRISH TIMES*
A fascinating biography of an unlikely cultural hero. I couldn't
put it down
*ALAN POSENER, journalist for Die Welt*
The Maverick is a vivid portrait, warts and all, of perhaps the
most successful publisher in post-war Britain. But it is much more
than this - a gripping study of the assimilation of Jewish emigres
into Britain's strangely rigid but porous class system, a guide to
the golden age of publishing, an analysis of post-war intellectual
life through a succession of landmark books
*ADRIAN WOOLDRIDGE, Bloomberg Opinion*
If a publisher can be called a genius . . . [George Weidenfeld]
undoubtedly merits a place on this list. [He made] an astounding
contribution to the world of literature and ideas. The riveting
standout among Harding's chapters is the story of Weidenfeld's
publication, in 1976, of David Pryce-Jones's biography of Unity
Mitford
*THE OLDIE*
Weidenfeld was perhaps the most well-connected man in the Western
world, whose calls to politicians, thinkers, business leaders and
philanthropists - even popes - would always be taken. The strength
of Thomas Harding's biography is the context it provides . . . by
structuring the book as a series of chapters telling the stories
behind Weidenfeld's publication of various key books, and then
diverting within those stories to other aspects of his life -
ignoring chronology to explore what made Weidenfeld tick, what he
was interested in and what he was doing - The Maverick well
reflects Weidenfeld himself, who was never at any time focused on
just one thing . . . a sensitive and worthy study of a great
man
*THE JEWISH CHRONICLE*
[An] intriguing life story
*SUNDAY INDEPENDENT*
A revealing look behind the scenes . . . Harding takes an
intriguing approach by looking at Weidenfeld's life story through
the lens of specific books he published. Along the way, readers are
treated to firsthand accounts of author versus publisher spats and
insights into the challenges of managing international rights for a
surefire bestseller . . . will leave readers with a vivid picture
of the working life of a publisher
*PUBLISHERS WEEKLY*
Thomas Harding has doggedly unearthed fascinating and surprising
tales from George Weidenfeld's life as he rose from poverty and
Nazi persecution to become one of the world's most powerful
publishers. Harding reveals a complex personality in a richly told
narrative that leaves the reader awed
*LYNN MEDFORD, former editor, Washington Post Magazine*
[George Weidenfeld] was fascinating in many ways. [He] had more
backbone than most . . . his life was courageous, too
*THE ECONOMIST*
Makes the inspired choice of leading with the books that built the
publisher's fame and fortune . . . Harding's approach works
exceptionally well and allows him to cover a huge amount of ground
. . . Will inform and entertain in equal measure
*PROSPECT*
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
