Literary Life Revisited

No matter if you’re directly involved in this strange industry called publishing or delight in observing its machinations from the sidelines, the preternatural observational skills of Posy Simmonds are employed to full effect in her take down of the pretentions, skulduggery and just plain desperation behind the characters who write, produce, publicise and sell (!) those books so central to our lives. Originally finding print in 2003, this completely revised edition of Literary Life includes some forty extra pages of material, including the two numbingly spot-on series of literary derring-do Rick Raker and Dr Derek. Throughout, Simmond's unmatchable powers of social observation (from authors to booksellers) are a complete, acerbic delight. Simmonds is the mind and fine draughtsman’s eye behind those stunning tales of contemporary mores Gemma Bovery and Tamara Drew, plus a number of children’s titles including the ever-wonderful Fred, the story of the world’s most famous cat.