Highlights, Christmas 2008
This Christmas has been busy with book launches, from David Hey's Derbyshire to Mark Freeman's brilliant new book on St Albans, the latest of Carnegie's city histories.
We have also just published two complementary books on northern landscape history: Ingleborough: Landscape and History is published in association with the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, and About Scout Scar, which is turning out to be Waterstone's best seller in Kendal!
Phil Smith's Real Lancashire tries to capture the essence of the old county's history, landscape and character. It's a great read at just £9.99
Book sales continue to rise
Bookshop sales of Carnegie books have continued to show an encouraging rise through 2008, up by almost 32% on 2007. In part this is because we have published more books, but sales of backlist titles are also growing.
During 2008 we also launched our new-style website, taking online payments for the first time. This has had a good start, though we need everyone to spread the word about www.carnegiepublishing.com and get our online sales up even more!
More national titles on the way
Carnegie began nearly 25 years ago as a publisher of small, local histories (click HERE for the creation myth!). We still publish local and regional histories, and we have commissioned lots of city and county histories, but we are also commissioning senior historians to write a number of important general books about the national experience, from Barrie Trinder on the industrial revolution to John K. Walton on the social and general aspects of the same period.
Alistair is always keen to hear from potential authors. Our ethos is 'well researched but accessible and beautifully produced', so if you think you have a project, do drop me a line or phone 01524 840333
Howler of the month!
I actually heard this at the Economic History Society conference in March. I think it's one of the best student howlers I've ever heard. It works on so many levels.
"Queen Elizabeth I found it difficult to concentrate on foreign policy, with Mary Queen of Scots hoovering in the background"
Just a single extra vowel, and a comic masterpiece is born!