Delightful book, 07 Sep 2008
This more than just a description of a museum. This is also a journey into the history of the natural sciences and a part biography as well. Well illustarted, Richard Fortey describes an institution that is trying hard (and succeeding if the new Darwin Centre is any guide)to move with the times, make science accesible to the public, yet has more going on behind the scenes than we could ever give credit.

Anyone who lives in or visits London should pay more than one visit to this marvelous place, and thanks to this book they will be well briefed as to what goes and has gone on there.

Delightful book, 07 Sep 2008
This more than just a description of a museum. This is also a journey into the history of the natural sciences and a part biography as well. Well illustarted, Richard Fortey describes an institution that is trying hard (and succeeding if the new Darwin Centre is any guide)to move with the times, make science accesible to the public, yet has more going on behind the scenes than we could ever give credit.

Anyone who lives in or visits London should pay more than one visit to this marvelous place, and thanks to this book they will be well briefed as to what goes and has gone on there.

Would recommend, 05 Sep 2008
I bought the 2001 version when I was a student and purchased this one because I wanted to get back into writing again. It has definately improved with age and still contains every contact an aspiring writing could ever need. There's a very in-depth article in this addition on the UK tax implications for the writer which I found interesting (perhaps, that says more about the reviewer than the book!).

Would highly recommend and best to read with a notepad, pen and highlighter handy.

Comprehensive listings guide - but the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is better, 23 Oct 2007
There are two books on the market which are widely touted as 'must-haves' for any writer looking to get into publication. One is this book, "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan. Its rival, the "Writers' and Artists' Yearbook" (W&AY), is published by A&C Black. Both contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, TV/radio producers, festivals, writing courses etc. You only really need one of them - but which one?

In truth there's little to choose between them. Much will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the two books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better. However, to me the W&AY appears the more polished product, with a clearer table of contents and a more easily navigable structure.

What the TWH really lacks compared to the W&AY is the latter's many detailed and informative articles written by publishers, agents and successful writers (J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, Joanna Trollope, to name a few). The W&AY has about 170 pages' worth of these in total (100 on books alone), discussing different genres and aspects of the writing process, as well as covering diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing, writing for TV, radio and theatre, and e-publishing. TWH, by comparison, has only about 30 pages of such articles. This in my opinion sets the W&AY apart and makes it far more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing.

This is not to say that there is anything particularly wrong with TWH - it is perfectly adequate for what it is. To be certain, buyers interested mainly in the listings (perhaps those already looking for an agent or publisher) will not be disappointed. All in all, however, my recommendation has to go to the "Writer's & Artist's Yearbook", for the added value of the sheer wealth of information and advice it contains.

Delightful book, 07 Sep 2008
This more than just a description of a museum. This is also a journey into the history of the natural sciences and a part biography as well. Well illustarted, Richard Fortey describes an institution that is trying hard (and succeeding if the new Darwin Centre is any guide)to move with the times, make science accesible to the public, yet has more going on behind the scenes than we could ever give credit.

Anyone who lives in or visits London should pay more than one visit to this marvelous place, and thanks to this book they will be well briefed as to what goes and has gone on there.

Would recommend, 05 Sep 2008
I bought the 2001 version when I was a student and purchased this one because I wanted to get back into writing again. It has definately improved with age and still contains every contact an aspiring writing could ever need. There's a very in-depth article in this addition on the UK tax implications for the writer which I found interesting (perhaps, that says more about the reviewer than the book!).

Would highly recommend and best to read with a notepad, pen and highlighter handy.

Comprehensive listings guide - but the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is better, 23 Oct 2007
There are two books on the market which are widely touted as 'must-haves' for any writer looking to get into publication. One is this book, "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan. Its rival, the "Writers' and Artists' Yearbook" (W&AY), is published by A&C Black. Both contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, TV/radio producers, festivals, writing courses etc. You only really need one of them - but which one?

In truth there's little to choose between them. Much will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the two books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better. However, to me the W&AY appears the more polished product, with a clearer table of contents and a more easily navigable structure.

What the TWH really lacks compared to the W&AY is the latter's many detailed and informative articles written by publishers, agents and successful writers (J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, Joanna Trollope, to name a few). The W&AY has about 170 pages' worth of these in total (100 on books alone), discussing different genres and aspects of the writing process, as well as covering diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing, writing for TV, radio and theatre, and e-publishing. TWH, by comparison, has only about 30 pages of such articles. This in my opinion sets the W&AY apart and makes it far more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing.

This is not to say that there is anything particularly wrong with TWH - it is perfectly adequate for what it is. To be certain, buyers interested mainly in the listings (perhaps those already looking for an agent or publisher) will not be disappointed. All in all, however, my recommendation has to go to the "Writer's & Artist's Yearbook", for the added value of the sheer wealth of information and advice it contains.

A Handy Guide, 03 Sep 2008
This book is packed with practical advice that will help you get your book published. It is easy to read and comes from a reliable source. There is nothing startlingly new or original in here. A lot of it is common sense or stuff you have heard before. However, in total it adds up to an essential checklist on the road to publication.

Fantastic. I submitted my first book to an agent the day after reading this., 29 Apr 2008
I am so pleased I bought this book. I have become a little tired of the "this is the way you must write" and 'don't bother because you won't get it published anyway" books. I had written a children's book (the first in a series) and simply did not know how to reach the publishers or agents. I now have a copy of the Children's Writers and Artists Yearbook, a good letter, a synopsis and a properly formatted three chapter introduction and I am underway at last. Time will tell if anyone likes it, but them I would never know if it just sat on my computer would I?

Going against the grain a bit, 10 Jan 2007
This review is not going to win me any plaudits, as I am going against the grain of successive 5 star reviews. But from my point of view these are simply not deserved. Much of what is written here (albeit in an interesting and informative way) has been written before, and the only useful thing I discovered was the format for a good cover letter.
She seems to have filled it with quotes, and witty little anecdotes, which serve merely as filler, and don't add anything to the subject matter. Sure, it is readable, but what information is contained is really quite minimal considering she is an 'insider'.
Considering the information I have gleaned so far on this matter has been acquired as I have worked my way through the process, there is remarkably little that this book offers and I, a novice, don't already know.

I wish I had read this book before I tried to get a book deal, 28 Jul 2006
This truly is an insiders guide. It took me two years to get a book contract but with the information contained within this great book it would have been a much easier process. Anyone with aspirations to become a published author should start with a copy of this on their bookshelf. Buy it, read it and then get your own book published. Simple.

Martin Bamford - author of The Money Tree

This will help you build a career as an author, 27 Jan 2006
Previously I have been reading books that focus on getting your own baby (read: novel) published. They seem to, in general, have the aim of building up your resistance to rejection, which they all declare you are likely to face time and time again.

Rachael’s superb book provides a somewhat new angle for all authors to consider. She is a publisher who genuinely wants to publish great and best-selling books, and she is fantastically successful in her field. What ‘The Insiders Guide to Getting Your Book Published’ will give you is ideas on how to make you, the author, publishable as well as your book. She is open and frank about what types of authors are easy to deal with, and gives hints and tips on how you can go about becoming an expert in your field, thus greatly increasing the chances of getting your manuscript accepted, and you being re-commissioned for future books.

In addition to this ‘The Insiders Guide…’ is very thorough, and will be a great help when you plan the start of your writing career. It gives a detailed and precise overview of the trade and how it works, helping you choose what type of publisher to aim for and what type of agent (if any) you should have, depending on what type of book you are writing. It also has very clear chapters on how to write your proposal, how to follow them up, negotiate a contract and very importantly: how to work with your editor from then on. This is the first book I have read that gives you this ‘working with your publisher’ bit of guidance. It is hugely relevant of course, as it is the editor that decides in the end whether or not to ever commission you again.

This book genuinely does want you to succeed, not just clinching that first deal with the fat advance that so many writers dream of, but it wants you to succeed as an long term author. It is a very good investment for your career.

Delightful book, 07 Sep 2008
This more than just a description of a museum. This is also a journey into the history of the natural sciences and a part biography as well. Well illustarted, Richard Fortey describes an institution that is trying hard (and succeeding if the new Darwin Centre is any guide)to move with the times, make science accesible to the public, yet has more going on behind the scenes than we could ever give credit.

Anyone who lives in or visits London should pay more than one visit to this marvelous place, and thanks to this book they will be well briefed as to what goes and has gone on there.

Would recommend, 05 Sep 2008
I bought the 2001 version when I was a student and purchased this one because I wanted to get back into writing again. It has definately improved with age and still contains every contact an aspiring writing could ever need. There's a very in-depth article in this addition on the UK tax implications for the writer which I found interesting (perhaps, that says more about the reviewer than the book!).

Would highly recommend and best to read with a notepad, pen and highlighter handy.

Comprehensive listings guide - but the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is better, 23 Oct 2007
There are two books on the market which are widely touted as 'must-haves' for any writer looking to get into publication. One is this book, "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan. Its rival, the "Writers' and Artists' Yearbook" (W&AY), is published by A&C Black. Both contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, TV/radio producers, festivals, writing courses etc. You only really need one of them - but which one?

In truth there's little to choose between them. Much will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the two books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better. However, to me the W&AY appears the more polished product, with a clearer table of contents and a more easily navigable structure.

What the TWH really lacks compared to the W&AY is the latter's many detailed and informative articles written by publishers, agents and successful writers (J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, Joanna Trollope, to name a few). The W&AY has about 170 pages' worth of these in total (100 on books alone), discussing different genres and aspects of the writing process, as well as covering diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing, writing for TV, radio and theatre, and e-publishing. TWH, by comparison, has only about 30 pages of such articles. This in my opinion sets the W&AY apart and makes it far more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing.

This is not to say that there is anything particularly wrong with TWH - it is perfectly adequate for what it is. To be certain, buyers interested mainly in the listings (perhaps those already looking for an agent or publisher) will not be disappointed. All in all, however, my recommendation has to go to the "Writer's & Artist's Yearbook", for the added value of the sheer wealth of information and advice it contains.

A Handy Guide, 03 Sep 2008
This book is packed with practical advice that will help you get your book published. It is easy to read and comes from a reliable source. There is nothing startlingly new or original in here. A lot of it is common sense or stuff you have heard before. However, in total it adds up to an essential checklist on the road to publication.

Fantastic. I submitted my first book to an agent the day after reading this., 29 Apr 2008
I am so pleased I bought this book. I have become a little tired of the "this is the way you must write" and 'don't bother because you won't get it published anyway" books. I had written a children's book (the first in a series) and simply did not know how to reach the publishers or agents. I now have a copy of the Children's Writers and Artists Yearbook, a good letter, a synopsis and a properly formatted three chapter introduction and I am underway at last. Time will tell if anyone likes it, but them I would never know if it just sat on my computer would I?

Going against the grain a bit, 10 Jan 2007
This review is not going to win me any plaudits, as I am going against the grain of successive 5 star reviews. But from my point of view these are simply not deserved. Much of what is written here (albeit in an interesting and informative way) has been written before, and the only useful thing I discovered was the format for a good cover letter.
She seems to have filled it with quotes, and witty little anecdotes, which serve merely as filler, and don't add anything to the subject matter. Sure, it is readable, but what information is contained is really quite minimal considering she is an 'insider'.
Considering the information I have gleaned so far on this matter has been acquired as I have worked my way through the process, there is remarkably little that this book offers and I, a novice, don't already know.

I wish I had read this book before I tried to get a book deal, 28 Jul 2006
This truly is an insiders guide. It took me two years to get a book contract but with the information contained within this great book it would have been a much easier process. Anyone with aspirations to become a published author should start with a copy of this on their bookshelf. Buy it, read it and then get your own book published. Simple.

Martin Bamford - author of The Money Tree

This will help you build a career as an author, 27 Jan 2006
Previously I have been reading books that focus on getting your own baby (read: novel) published. They seem to, in general, have the aim of building up your resistance to rejection, which they all declare you are likely to face time and time again.

Rachael’s superb book provides a somewhat new angle for all authors to consider. She is a publisher who genuinely wants to publish great and best-selling books, and she is fantastically successful in her field. What ‘The Insiders Guide to Getting Your Book Published’ will give you is ideas on how to make you, the author, publishable as well as your book. She is open and frank about what types of authors are easy to deal with, and gives hints and tips on how you can go about becoming an expert in your field, thus greatly increasing the chances of getting your manuscript accepted, and you being re-commissioned for future books.

In addition to this ‘The Insiders Guide…’ is very thorough, and will be a great help when you plan the start of your writing career. It gives a detailed and precise overview of the trade and how it works, helping you choose what type of publisher to aim for and what type of agent (if any) you should have, depending on what type of book you are writing. It also has very clear chapters on how to write your proposal, how to follow them up, negotiate a contract and very importantly: how to work with your editor from then on. This is the first book I have read that gives you this ‘working with your publisher’ bit of guidance. It is hugely relevant of course, as it is the editor that decides in the end whether or not to ever commission you again.

This book genuinely does want you to succeed, not just clinching that first deal with the fat advance that so many writers dream of, but it wants you to succeed as an long term author. It is a very good investment for your career.

Thorough and comprehensive, 02 Oct 2008
I must declare my interest - I was part of the (UK) Society of Young Publishers committee which started this ball rolling back in 1979. We saw a need for an introduction to the industry; we planned a mere booklet summarising it as it then was, but Giles Clark - also on the committee - took up the opportunity to make it something vastly more comprehensive and therefore useful. No longer involved in subsequent editions (except as a specialist contributor for a one-page panel in in this last edition), I have watched the project develop into an amazingly comprehensive work which is now the definitive textbook for any publishing course, and an invaluable source of ideas, information and inspiration for those about to join or in the early years in the industry. Some of the third edition was rather dense reading, I would agree, but this fourth has not only brought the coverage of the industry right up to date with e-books, POD, etc., but a comprehensive rewrite and redesign has made it approachable and entertaining as well as highly informative. No one embarking on a career in publishing should fail to read it - and even those with a few years' experience will find useful things in it.

To those wondering how it relates to another book for would-be entrants to the industry, Alison Baverstock et al.'s How To Get a Job in Publishing, I would say that they are quite different things - get both (and see my review of that on its page).

Good reading, 21 Jul 2008
Very informative publication though I agree with Mr J. Ward's remark about Clark's writing style. I too found it quite difficult to read for that particular reason!

An in-depth look into the publishing industry., 15 Jan 2002
Giles Clark's book is something of a bible to those of us on the publishing course here at Brookes, exhaustive in its coverage of all aspects of contemporary publishing. Where Clark fails to impress, however, is in his very dense prose style, the book is very hard going through out.

Want to learn about the publishing industry? READ THIS BOOK!, 31 Jan 2001
This book is recognised by the UK publishing industry as an essential information source. It is a Recommended Text on most UK publishing courses, as well as used by the industry's lead training body, the Publishing Training Centre...

An Essential Reading Tool, 21 Nov 2000
Giles Clark's new edition of Inside Book Publishing has been fully updated and rewritten. It is an essential tool for anyone embarking on a career within book publishing, and a useful handbook for those who are already working in the industry but feel they may be lacking in knowledge. Well researched and well written, a pleasure to read and recommend to others.

Delightful book, 07 Sep 2008
This more than just a description of a museum. This is also a journey into the history of the natural sciences and a part biography as well. Well illustarted, Richard Fortey describes an institution that is trying hard (and succeeding if the new Darwin Centre is any guide)to move with the times, make science accesible to the public, yet has more going on behind the scenes than we could ever give credit.

Anyone who lives in or visits London should pay more than one visit to this marvelous place, and thanks to this book they will be well briefed as to what goes and has gone on there.

Would recommend, 05 Sep 2008
I bought the 2001 version when I was a student and purchased this one because I wanted to get back into writing again. It has definately improved with age and still contains every contact an aspiring writing could ever need. There's a very in-depth article in this addition on the UK tax implications for the writer which I found interesting (perhaps, that says more about the reviewer than the book!).

Would highly recommend and best to read with a notepad, pen and highlighter handy.

Comprehensive listings guide - but the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is better, 23 Oct 2007
There are two books on the market which are widely touted as 'must-haves' for any writer looking to get into publication. One is this book, "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan. Its rival, the "Writers' and Artists' Yearbook" (W&AY), is published by A&C Black. Both contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, TV/radio producers, festivals, writing courses etc. You only really need one of them - but which one?

In truth there's little to choose between them. Much will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the two books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better. However, to me the W&AY appears the more polished product, with a clearer table of contents and a more easily navigable structure.

What the TWH really lacks compared to the W&AY is the latter's many detailed and informative articles written by publishers, agents and successful writers (J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, Joanna Trollope, to name a few). The W&AY has about 170 pages' worth of these in total (100 on books alone), discussing different genres and aspects of the writing process, as well as covering diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing, writing for TV, radio and theatre, and e-publishing. TWH, by comparison, has only about 30 pages of such articles. This in my opinion sets the W&AY apart and makes it far more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing.

This is not to say that there is anything particularly wrong with TWH - it is perfectly adequate for what it is. To be certain, buyers interested mainly in the listings (perhaps those already looking for an agent or publisher) will not be disappointed. All in all, however, my recommendation has to go to the "Writer's & Artist's Yearbook", for the added value of the sheer wealth of information and advice it contains.

A Handy Guide, 03 Sep 2008
This book is packed with practical advice that will help you get your book published. It is easy to read and comes from a reliable source. There is nothing startlingly new or original in here. A lot of it is common sense or stuff you have heard before. However, in total it adds up to an essential checklist on the road to publication.

Fantastic. I submitted my first book to an agent the day after reading this., 29 Apr 2008
I am so pleased I bought this book. I have become a little tired of the "this is the way you must write" and 'don't bother because you won't get it published anyway" books. I had written a children's book (the first in a series) and simply did not know how to reach the publishers or agents. I now have a copy of the Children's Writers and Artists Yearbook, a good letter, a synopsis and a properly formatted three chapter introduction and I am underway at last. Time will tell if anyone likes it, but them I would never know if it just sat on my computer would I?

Going against the grain a bit, 10 Jan 2007
This review is not going to win me any plaudits, as I am going against the grain of successive 5 star reviews. But from my point of view these are simply not deserved. Much of what is written here (albeit in an interesting and informative way) has been written before, and the only useful thing I discovered was the format for a good cover letter.
She seems to have filled it with quotes, and witty little anecdotes, which serve merely as filler, and don't add anything to the subject matter. Sure, it is readable, but what information is contained is really quite minimal considering she is an 'insider'.
Considering the information I have gleaned so far on this matter has been acquired as I have worked my way through the process, there is remarkably little that this book offers and I, a novice, don't already know.

I wish I had read this book before I tried to get a book deal, 28 Jul 2006
This truly is an insiders guide. It took me two years to get a book contract but with the information contained within this great book it would have been a much easier process. Anyone with aspirations to become a published author should start with a copy of this on their bookshelf. Buy it, read it and then get your own book published. Simple.

Martin Bamford - author of The Money Tree

This will help you build a career as an author, 27 Jan 2006
Previously I have been reading books that focus on getting your own baby (read: novel) published. They seem to, in general, have the aim of building up your resistance to rejection, which they all declare you are likely to face time and time again.

Rachael’s superb book provides a somewhat new angle for all authors to consider. She is a publisher who genuinely wants to publish great and best-selling books, and she is fantastically successful in her field. What ‘The Insiders Guide to Getting Your Book Published’ will give you is ideas on how to make you, the author, publishable as well as your book. She is open and frank about what types of authors are easy to deal with, and gives hints and tips on how you can go about becoming an expert in your field, thus greatly increasing the chances of getting your manuscript accepted, and you being re-commissioned for future books.

In addition to this ‘The Insiders Guide…’ is very thorough, and will be a great help when you plan the start of your writing career. It gives a detailed and precise overview of the trade and how it works, helping you choose what type of publisher to aim for and what type of agent (if any) you should have, depending on what type of book you are writing. It also has very clear chapters on how to write your proposal, how to follow them up, negotiate a contract and very importantly: how to work with your editor from then on. This is the first book I have read that gives you this ‘working with your publisher’ bit of guidance. It is hugely relevant of course, as it is the editor that decides in the end whether or not to ever commission you again.

This book genuinely does want you to succeed, not just clinching that first deal with the fat advance that so many writers dream of, but it wants you to succeed as an long term author. It is a very good investment for your career.

Thorough and comprehensive, 02 Oct 2008
I must declare my interest - I was part of the (UK) Society of Young Publishers committee which started this ball rolling back in 1979. We saw a need for an introduction to the industry; we planned a mere booklet summarising it as it then was, but Giles Clark - also on the committee - took up the opportunity to make it something vastly more comprehensive and therefore useful. No longer involved in subsequent editions (except as a specialist contributor for a one-page panel in in this last edition), I have watched the project develop into an amazingly comprehensive work which is now the definitive textbook for any publishing course, and an invaluable source of ideas, information and inspiration for those about to join or in the early years in the industry. Some of the third edition was rather dense reading, I would agree, but this fourth has not only brought the coverage of the industry right up to date with e-books, POD, etc., but a comprehensive rewrite and redesign has made it approachable and entertaining as well as highly informative. No one embarking on a career in publishing should fail to read it - and even those with a few years' experience will find useful things in it.

To those wondering how it relates to another book for would-be entrants to the industry, Alison Baverstock et al.'s How To Get a Job in Publishing, I would say that they are quite different things - get both (and see my review of that on its page).

Good reading, 21 Jul 2008
Very informative publication though I agree with Mr J. Ward's remark about Clark's writing style. I too found it quite difficult to read for that particular reason!

An in-depth look into the publishing industry., 15 Jan 2002
Giles Clark's book is something of a bible to those of us on the publishing course here at Brookes, exhaustive in its coverage of all aspects of contemporary publishing. Where Clark fails to impress, however, is in his very dense prose style, the book is very hard going through out.

Want to learn about the publishing industry? READ THIS BOOK!, 31 Jan 2001
This book is recognised by the UK publishing industry as an essential information source. It is a Recommended Text on most UK publishing courses, as well as used by the industry's lead training body, the Publishing Training Centre...

An Essential Reading Tool, 21 Nov 2000
Giles Clark's new edition of Inside Book Publishing has been fully updated and rewritten. It is an essential tool for anyone embarking on a career within book publishing, and a useful handbook for those who are already working in the industry but feel they may be lacking in knowledge. Well researched and well written, a pleasure to read and recommend to others.

Mountain Goat licked by a cheetah, 29 Aug 2008
"I had no idea what my life would be like then, but as I gathered up my schoolbooks and walked out the door, I swore to myself that it would never be like Mom's, that I would not be crying my eyes out in an unheated shack in some godforsaken holler." - Jeannette Walls

"I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening (party), when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster ... She had tied rags around her shoulders to keep out the spring chill ... To the people walking by, she probably looked like any of the thousands of homeless people in New York City ... I was embarrassed by them, too, and ashamed of myself for wearing pearls and living on Park Avenue while my parents were busy keeping warm and finding something to eat." - Jeannette Walls

THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeannette Walls is the second-best book I've read this year to date, the best being Still Alice by Lisa Genova.

Rose Mary and Rex Walls were married in 1956. Over the next several years, they had four children - daughters Lori, Jeannette and Maureen and son Brian. Anti-establishment and anti-authoritarian individualists frequently on the run from something, the couple refused to enter the societal mainstream even to the extent of supplying their children with the conventionally acceptable American upbringing that stipulates freedom from hunger and the provision of adequate shelter and clothing. THE GLASS CASTLE is Jeanette's poignant and powerful memoir of growing up emotionally loved but materially deprived.

From Jeannette's narrative, it's soon apparent that her parents are gifted and intelligent human beings. Indeed, Rex, who's self-taught and knowledgeable about subjects that would challenge many university graduates, reads "Los Alamos Science" and "The Journal of Statistical Physics" and becomes interested in the Chaos Theory. Rex's mind is constantly ablaze with technically sophisticated plans and enrichment schemes, the former including designing The Glass Castle, an energy self-sufficient family home to be built of glass. However, Rex's rebellious streak against society, complicated by alcoholism, dooms him to a succession of failed blue-collar jobs and petty confrontations with the law that keep the Walls constantly on the move from California to Nevada to Arizona to West Virginia to New York City. In the Southwest, the family lives in a succession of dilapidated buildings in isolated, desert mining towns until Rose Mary inherits a home from her mother located in Phoenix, where life for Jeannette and her siblings is relatively good. Then Rex again becomes unemployed and the Walls move to the decaying coal mining town of Welch, WV, where Rex grew up. In Welch, the family's living conditions bottom out when they take up residence in a wretched, unheated, leaky, unplumbed shanty on stilts built on the side of a mountain. Here, the children don't even have enough to eat. Jeannette describes the experience of scavenging food at school:

"When other girls came in (the girls' restroom) and threw away their lunch bags in the garbage pails, I'd go retrieve them. I couldn't get over the way kids tossed out all this perfectly good food: apples, hard-boiled eggs, packages of peanut-butter crackers, sliced pickles, half-pint cartons of milk, cheese sandwiches with just one bite taken out because the kid didn't like the pimentos in the cheese. I'd return to the (toilet) stall and polish off my tasty finds."

I've had occasion to read memoirs by authors recalling happier upbringings: Knots in My Yo-Yo String: The Autobiography of a Kid by Jerry Spinelli, Blooming: A Small-Town Girlhood by Susan Allen Toth, Wait Till Next Year: Recollections of a 50's Girl to a Memoir by Doris Kearns Goodwin, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson, Sleeping Arrangements by Laura Shaine Cunningham. In the early pages of THE GLASS CASTLE, I had to ask myself, "Is this a parody?" But one couldn't make up the events that Jeannette relates.

What's remarkable about Jeannette's story is her lack of bitterness towards her parents. Only on a couple of occasions does she even hint at laying blame on them for irresponsibility and negligence. Besides, her love for them endures. To me, and perhaps other readers with more "normal" childhoods, Rex's and Rose Mary's treatment of their offspring was neglect verging on abuse.

The fact that Jeannette and her siblings apparently grew up to be well-adjusted and, in the author's case, happily married and professionally and financially successful, is evidence for the resiliency of the human spirit. But, as you read THE GLASS CASTLE, you will perhaps weep and/or rage for the Walls children.

During their Phoenix period, Rex took Jeannette, whom he'd nicknamed "Mountain Goat", to the city zoo. There, led across a low fence by her Dad to get closer to a cage, Jeannette's palm was licked by a captive cheetah.


WOW - What a crazy childhood !, 26 Aug 2008
This was a very enjoyable read. Jeanettes parents were fairly unorthodox in their approach to child upbringing ..... To say the least. This was read as part of our book group and most enjoyed it, i have read a few of these types of bad childhood books and this was well worth a read. I think her mother was slightly selfish and her father obviously adored her.

what an amazing story, 28 May 2008
Such a shocking account of how some children draw the lot of having parents who are quite unsuited to raising a family. JW writes with such accuracy and style that it disturbs at the same time as lifts your spirts. The child and youth of JW was so painful and yet her personality takes you through this journey in such a way that you feel she could live through any hardship and yet still stand back and view the situation with such objectivity and intelligence that it would carry her through to a better place. A moving and deft read, comparing this to Eat, Pray, Love, another memoir that I have recently read, is like comparing haute-cuisine to a fastfood.

Compelling reading!, 24 May 2008
This was was so compelling I hardly put it down! A great memoir of a family of four children that showed tremendous resilence considering their parents choice of lifestyle! It was a surprise that no self pity showed in the author's writing at all especially as considering the Father's intelligence and the Mother's background, life could possibly have been so different. A great read.

Compelling yet sad., 13 Apr 2008
Wow - what a childhood! One hopes no one should ever have to endure such a childhood. Parents are quirky and brilliant yet alchoholic and totally self absorbed. Parents are quite horrid is some respects - i.e. when the brother is being molested by the grandmother, the parents do not side with the children about how massively inappropriate this behavior is, they turn on the children. The parents steal from the children and don't even feed them.

Not a book to make one feel uplifted and happy - it's a massively compelling story. This book is like a car accident - you don't want to look but you HAVE to. Read it - especially from the section call Welch to the end, it's a real page turner. The single most interesting item about this book is that the author Jeanette Wells never once writes 'poor us' or says how wretchedly they were treated. She never wallows in self pity or plays the martyr.

Delightful book, 07 Sep 2008
This more than just a description of a museum. This is also a journey into the history of the natural sciences and a part biography as well. Well illustarted, Richard Fortey describes an institution that is trying hard (and succeeding if the new Darwin Centre is any guide)to move with the times, make science accesible to the public, yet has more going on behind the scenes than we could ever give credit.

Anyone who lives in or visits London should pay more than one visit to this marvelous place, and thanks to this book they will be well briefed as to what goes and has gone on there.

Would recommend, 05 Sep 2008
I bought the 2001 version when I was a student and purchased this one because I wanted to get back into writing again. It has definately improved with age and still contains every contact an aspiring writing could ever need. There's a very in-depth article in this addition on the UK tax implications for the writer which I found interesting (perhaps, that says more about the reviewer than the book!).

Would highly recommend and best to read with a notepad, pen and highlighter handy.

Comprehensive listings guide - but the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is better, 23 Oct 2007
There are two books on the market which are widely touted as 'must-haves' for any writer looking to get into publication. One is this book, "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan. Its rival, the "Writers' and Artists' Yearbook" (W&AY), is published by A&C Black. Both contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, TV/radio producers, festivals, writing courses etc. You only really need one of them - but which one?

In truth there's little to choose between them. Much will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the two books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better. However, to me the W&AY appears the more polished product, with a clearer table of contents and a more easily navigable structure.

What the TWH really lacks compared to the W&AY is the latter's many detailed and informative articles written by publishers, agents and successful writers (J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, Joanna Trollope, to name a few). The W&AY has about 170 pages' worth of these in total (100 on books alone), discussing different genres and aspects of the writing process, as well as covering diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing, writing for TV, radio and theatre, and e-publishing. TWH, by comparison, has only about 30 pages of such articles. This in my opinion sets the W&AY apart and makes it far more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing.

This is not to say that there is anything particularly wrong with TWH - it is perfectly adequate for what it is. To be certain, buyers interested mainly in the listings (perhaps those already looking for an agent or publisher) will not be disappointed. All in all, however, my recommendation has to go to the "Writer's & Artist's Yearbook", for the added value of the sheer wealth of information and advice it contains.

A Handy Guide, 03 Sep 2008
This book is packed with practical advice that will help you get your book published. It is easy to read and comes from a reliable source. There is nothing startlingly new or original in here. A lot of it is common sense or stuff you have heard before. However, in total it adds up to an essential checklist on the road to publication.

Fantastic. I submitted my first book to an agent the day after reading this., 29 Apr 2008
I am so pleased I bought this book. I have become a little tired of the "this is the way you must write" and 'don't bother because you won't get it published anyway" books. I had written a children's book (the first in a series) and simply did not know how to reach the publishers or agents. I now have a copy of the Children's Writers and Artists Yearbook, a good letter, a synopsis and a properly formatted three chapter introduction and I am underway at last. Time will tell if anyone likes it, but them I would never know if it just sat on my computer would I?

Going against the grain a bit, 10 Jan 2007
This review is not going to win me any plaudits, as I am going against the grain of successive 5 star reviews. But from my point of view these are simply not deserved. Much of what is written here (albeit in an interesting and informative way) has been written before, and the only useful thing I discovered was the format for a good cover letter.
She seems to have filled it with quotes, and witty little anecdotes, which serve merely as filler, and don't add anything to the subject matter. Sure, it is readable, but what information is contained is really quite minimal considering she is an 'insider'.
Considering the information I have gleaned so far on this matter has been acquired as I have worked my way through the process, there is remarkably little that this book offers and I, a novice, don't already know.

I wish I had read this book before I tried to get a book deal, 28 Jul 2006
This truly is an insiders guide. It took me two years to get a book contract but with the information contained within this great book it would have been a much easier process. Anyone with aspirations to become a published author should start with a copy of this on their bookshelf. Buy it, read it and then get your own book published. Simple.

Martin Bamford - author of The Money Tree

This will help you build a career as an author, 27 Jan 2006
Previously I have been reading books that focus on getting your own baby (read: novel) published. They seem to, in general, have the aim of building up your resistance to rejection, which they all declare you are likely to face time and time again.

Rachael’s superb book provides a somewhat new angle for all authors to consider. She is a publisher who genuinely wants to publish great and best-selling books, and she is fantastically successful in her field. What ‘The Insiders Guide to Getting Your Book Published’ will give you is ideas on how to make you, the author, publishable as well as your book. She is open and frank about what types of authors are easy to deal with, and gives hints and tips on how you can go about becoming an expert in your field, thus greatly increasing the chances of getting your manuscript accepted, and you being re-commissioned for future books.

In addition to this ‘The Insiders Guide…’ is very thorough, and will be a great help when you plan the start of your writing career. It gives a detailed and precise overview of the trade and how it works, helping you choose what type of publisher to aim for and what type of agent (if any) you should have, depending on what type of book you are writing. It also has very clear chapters on how to write your proposal, how to follow them up, negotiate a contract and very importantly: how to work with your editor from then on. This is the first book I have read that gives you this ‘working with your publisher’ bit of guidance. It is hugely relevant of course, as it is the editor that decides in the end whether or not to ever commission you again.

This book genuinely does want you to succeed, not just clinching that first deal with the fat advance that so many writers dream of, but it wants you to succeed as an long term author. It is a very good investment for your career.

Thorough and comprehensive, 02 Oct 2008
I must declare my interest - I was part of the (UK) Society of Young Publishers committee which started this ball rolling back in 1979. We saw a need for an introduction to the industry; we planned a mere booklet summarising it as it then was, but Giles Clark - also on the committee - took up the opportunity to make it something vastly more comprehensive and therefore useful. No longer involved in subsequent editions (except as a specialist contributor for a one-page panel in in this last edition), I have watched the project develop into an amazingly comprehensive work which is now the definitive textbook for any publishing course, and an invaluable source of ideas, information and inspiration for those about to join or in the early years in the industry. Some of the third edition was rather dense reading, I would agree, but this fourth has not only brought the coverage of the industry right up to date with e-books, POD, etc., but a comprehensive rewrite and redesign has made it approachable and entertaining as well as highly informative. No one embarking on a career in publishing should fail to read it - and even those with a few years' experience will find useful things in it.

To those wondering how it relates to another book for would-be entrants to the industry, Alison Baverstock et al.'s How To Get a Job in Publishing, I would say that they are quite different things - get both (and see my review of that on its page).

Good reading, 21 Jul 2008
Very informative publication though I agree with Mr J. Ward's remark about Clark's writing style. I too found it quite difficult to read for that particular reason!

An in-depth look into the publishing industry., 15 Jan 2002
Giles Clark's book is something of a bible to those of us on the publishing course here at Brookes, exhaustive in its coverage of all aspects of contemporary publishing. Where Clark fails to impress, however, is in his very dense prose style, the book is very hard going through out.

Want to learn about the publishing industry? READ THIS BOOK!, 31 Jan 2001
This book is recognised by the UK publishing industry as an essential information source. It is a Recommended Text on most UK publishing courses, as well as used by the industry's lead training body, the Publishing Training Centre...

An Essential Reading Tool, 21 Nov 2000
Giles Clark's new edition of Inside Book Publishing has been fully updated and rewritten. It is an essential tool for anyone embarking on a career within book publishing, and a useful handbook for those who are already working in the industry but feel they may be lacking in knowledge. Well researched and well written, a pleasure to read and recommend to others.

Mountain Goat licked by a cheetah, 29 Aug 2008
"I had no idea what my life would be like then, but as I gathered up my schoolbooks and walked out the door, I swore to myself that it would never be like Mom's, that I would not be crying my eyes out in an unheated shack in some godforsaken holler." - Jeannette Walls

"I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening (party), when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster ... She had tied rags around her shoulders to keep out the spring chill ... To the people walking by, she probably looked like any of the thousands of homeless people in New York City ... I was embarrassed by them, too, and ashamed of myself for wearing pearls and living on Park Avenue while my parents were busy keeping warm and finding something to eat." - Jeannette Walls

THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeannette Walls is the second-best book I've read this year to date, the best being Still Alice by Lisa Genova.

Rose Mary and Rex Walls were married in 1956. Over the next several years, they had four children - daughters Lori, Jeannette and Maureen and son Brian. Anti-establishment and anti-authoritarian individualists frequently on the run from something, the couple refused to enter the societal mainstream even to the extent of supplying their children with the conventionally acceptable American upbringing that stipulates freedom from hunger and the provision of adequate shelter and clothing. THE GLASS CASTLE is Jeanette's poignant and powerful memoir of growing up emotionally loved but materially deprived.

From Jeannette's narrative, it's soon apparent that her parents are gifted and intelligent human beings. Indeed, Rex, who's self-taught and knowledgeable about subjects that would challenge many university graduates, reads "Los Alamos Science" and "The Journal of Statistical Physics" and becomes interested in the Chaos Theory. Rex's mind is constantly ablaze with technically sophisticated plans and enrichment schemes, the former including designing The Glass Castle, an energy self-sufficient family home to be built of glass. However, Rex's rebellious streak against society, complicated by alcoholism, dooms him to a succession of failed blue-collar jobs and petty confrontations with the law that keep the Walls constantly on the move from California to Nevada to Arizona to West Virginia to New York City. In the Southwest, the family lives in a succession of dilapidated buildings in isolated, desert mining towns until Rose Mary inherits a home from her mother located in Phoenix, where life for Jeannette and her siblings is relatively good. Then Rex again becomes unemployed and the Walls move to the decaying coal mining town of Welch, WV, where Rex grew up. In Welch, the family's living conditions bottom out when they take up residence in a wretched, unheated, leaky, unplumbed shanty on stilts built on the side of a mountain. Here, the children don't even have enough to eat. Jeannette describes the experience of scavenging food at school:

"When other girls came in (the girls' restroom) and threw away their lunch bags in the garbage pails, I'd go retrieve them. I couldn't get over the way kids tossed out all this perfectly good food: apples, hard-boiled eggs, packages of peanut-butter crackers, sliced pickles, half-pint cartons of milk, cheese sandwiches with just one bite taken out because the kid didn't like the pimentos in the cheese. I'd return to the (toilet) stall and polish off my tasty finds."

I've had occasion to read memoirs by authors recalling happier upbringings: Knots in My Yo-Yo String: The Autobiography of a Kid by Jerry Spinelli, Blooming: A Small-Town Girlhood by Susan Allen Toth, Wait Till Next Year: Recollections of a 50's Girl to a Memoir by Doris Kearns Goodwin, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson, Sleeping Arrangements by Laura Shaine Cunningham. In the early pages of THE GLASS CASTLE, I had to ask myself, "Is this a parody?" But one couldn't make up the events that Jeannette relates.

What's remarkable about Jeannette's story is her lack of bitterness towards her parents. Only on a couple of occasions does she even hint at laying blame on them for irresponsibility and negligence. Besides, her love for them endures. To me, and perhaps other readers with more "normal" childhoods, Rex's and Rose Mary's treatment of their offspring was neglect verging on abuse.

The fact that Jeannette and her siblings apparently grew up to be well-adjusted and, in the author's case, happily married and professionally and financially successful, is evidence for the resiliency of the human spirit. But, as you read THE GLASS CASTLE, you will perhaps weep and/or rage for the Walls children.

During their Phoenix period, Rex took Jeannette, whom he'd nicknamed "Mountain Goat", to the city zoo. There, led across a low fence by her Dad to get closer to a cage, Jeannette's palm was licked by a captive cheetah.


WOW - What a crazy childhood !, 26 Aug 2008
This was a very enjoyable read. Jeanettes parents were fairly unorthodox in their approach to child upbringing ..... To say the least. This was read as part of our book group and most enjoyed it, i have read a few of these types of bad childhood books and this was well worth a read. I think her mother was slightly selfish and her father obviously adored her.

what an amazing story, 28 May 2008
Such a shocking account of how some children draw the lot of having parents who are quite unsuited to raising a family. JW writes with such accuracy and style that it disturbs at the same time as lifts your spirts. The child and youth of JW was so painful and yet her personality takes you through this journey in such a way that you feel she could live through any hardship and yet still stand back and view the situation with such objectivity and intelligence that it would carry her through to a better place. A moving and deft read, comparing this to Eat, Pray, Love, another memoir that I have recently read, is like comparing haute-cuisine to a fastfood.

Compelling reading!, 24 May 2008
This was was so compelling I hardly put it down! A great memoir of a family of four children that showed tremendous resilence considering their parents choice of lifestyle! It was a surprise that no self pity showed in the author's writing at all especially as considering the Father's intelligence and the Mother's background, life could possibly have been so different. A great read.

Compelling yet sad., 13 Apr 2008
Wow - what a childhood! One hopes no one should ever have to endure such a childhood. Parents are quirky and brilliant yet alchoholic and totally self absorbed. Parents are quite horrid is some respects - i.e. when the brother is being molested by the grandmother, the parents do not side with the children about how massively inappropriate this behavior is, they turn on the children. The parents steal from the children and don't even feed them.

Not a book to make one feel uplifted and happy - it's a massively compelling story. This book is like a car accident - you don't want to look but you HAVE to. Read it - especially from the section call Welch to the end, it's a real page turner. The single most interesting item about this book is that the author Jeanette Wells never once writes 'poor us' or says how wretchedly they were treated. She never wallows in self pity or plays the martyr.

Some good basic information but very outdated, 25 Jan 2006
The explanation of the publishing process and of proofreading/copy-editing within it is quite useful for anyone unfamilar with this area. But when you read that a computer may be 'nice to play with but not essential' (p11) you realise that this book is hopelessly out-of-date. Advice on contacting potential clients is simplistic (be polite and friendly!). The exercises are the best part - getting a good proportion of them right does encourage you to believe you can do the job. Oh, and I spotted an error (p37 halfway down: the numerous howlers... testifies). Overall, there is a need for a complete re-write - or someone else to come up with a 21st century version.

Excellent, 02 Mar 2004
What an invaluable insight! I have used this book frequently as a reference guide while I have gone through the steps of starting up my proofreading business. It is easy to understand and is very practical. A must for any beginner.

Excellent support & ref, 13 Mar 2003
I have found this book to be excellent in the support of my proofreading course as it supplies both "real world" information and referal data, a plus being it is also supported by a Web site with updated contact lists.

A good investment, 29 Jan 2002
A well written guide and a good investment for anyone who is considering a career in this field. I know it is a book that I will refer back to again and again and again.

Thinking of going freelance?, 17 Oct 2001
This book is worth every penny. It is packed full of useful information and if you are thinking of learning to become a proofreader or copyeditor you should buy this book right now.

Delightful book, 07 Sep 2008
This more than just a description of a museum. This is also a journey into the history of the natural sciences and a part biography as well. Well illustarted, Richard Fortey describes an institution that is trying hard (and succeeding if the new Darwin Centre is any guide)to move with the times, make science accesible to the public, yet has more going on behind the scenes than we could ever give credit.

Anyone who lives in or visits London should pay more than one visit to this marvelous place, and thanks to this book they will be well briefed as to what goes and has gone on there.

Would recommend, 05 Sep 2008
I bought the 2001 version when I was a student and purchased this one because I wanted to get back into writing again. It has definately improved with age and still contains every contact an aspiring writing could ever need. There's a very in-depth article in this addition on the UK tax implications for the writer which I found interesting (perhaps, that says more about the reviewer than the book!).

Would highly recommend and best to read with a notepad, pen and highlighter handy.

Comprehensive listings guide - but the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is better, 23 Oct 2007
There are two books on the market which are widely touted as 'must-haves' for any writer looking to get into publication. One is this book, "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan. Its rival, the "Writers' and Artists' Yearbook" (W&AY), is published by A&C Black. Both contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, TV/radio producers, festivals, writing courses etc. You only really need one of them - but which one?

In truth there's little to choose between them. Much will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the two books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better. However, to me the W&AY appears the more polished product, with a clearer table of contents and a more easily navigable structure.

What the TWH really lacks compared to the W&AY is the latter's many detailed and informative articles written by publishers, agents and successful writers (J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, Joanna Trollope, to name a few). The W&AY has about 170 pages' worth of these in total (100 on books alone), discussing different genres and aspects of the writing process, as well as covering diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing, writing for TV, radio and theatre, and e-publishing. TWH, by comparison, has only about 30 pages of such articles. This in my opinion sets the W&AY apart and makes it far more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing.

This is not to say that there is anything particularly wrong with TWH - it is perfectly adequate for what it is. To be certain, buyers interested mainly in the listings (perhaps those already looking for an agent or publisher) will not be disappointed. All in all, however, my recommendation has to go to the "Writer's & Artist's Yearbook", for the added value of the sheer wealth of information and advice it contains.

A Handy Guide, 03 Sep 2008
This book is packed with practical advice that will help you get your book published. It is easy to read and comes from a reliable source. There is nothing startlingly new or original in here. A lot of it is common sense or stuff you have heard before. However, in total it adds up to an essential checklist on the road to publication.

Fantastic. I submitted my first book to an agent the day after reading this., 29 Apr 2008
I am so pleased I bought this book. I have become a little tired of the "this is the way you must write" and 'don't bother because you won't get it published anyway" books. I had written a children's book (the first in a series) and simply did not know how to reach the publishers or agents. I now have a copy of the Children's Writers and Artists Yearbook, a good letter, a synopsis and a properly formatted three chapter introduction and I am underway at last. Time will tell if anyone likes it, but them I would never know if it just sat on my computer would I?

Going against the grain a bit, 10 Jan 2007
This review is not going to win me any plaudits, as I am going against the grain of successive 5 star reviews. But from my point of view these are simply not deserved. Much of what is written here (albeit in an interesting and informative way) has been written before, and the only useful thing I discovered was the format for a good cover letter.
She seems to have filled it with quotes, and witty little anecdotes, which serve merely as filler, and don't add anything to the subject matter. Sure, it is readable, but what information is contained is really quite minimal considering she is an 'insider'.
Considering the information I have gleaned so far on this matter has been acquired as I have worked my way through the process, there is remarkably little that this book offers and I, a novice, don't already know.

I wish I had read this book before I tried to get a book deal, 28 Jul 2006
This truly is an insiders guide. It took me two years to get a book contract but with the information contained within this great book it would have been a much easier process. Anyone with aspirations to become a published author should start with a copy of this on their bookshelf. Buy it, read it and then get your own book published. Simple.

Martin Bamford - author of The Money Tree

This will help you build a career as an author, 27 Jan 2006
Previously I have been reading books that focus on getting your own baby (read: novel) published. They seem to, in general, have the aim of building up your resistance to rejection, which they all declare you are likely to face time and time again.

Rachael’s superb book provides a somewhat new angle for all authors to consider. She is a publisher who genuinely wants to publish great and best-selling books, and she is fantastically successful in her field. What ‘The Insiders Guide to Getting Your Book Published’ will give you is ideas on how to make you, the author, publishable as well as your book. She is open and frank about what types of authors are easy to deal with, and gives hints and tips on how you can go about becoming an expert in your field, thus greatly increasing the chances of getting your manuscript accepted, and you being re-commissioned for future books.

In addition to this ‘The Insiders Guide…’ is very thorough, and will be a great help when you plan the start of your writing career. It gives a detailed and precise overview of the trade and how it works, helping you choose what type of publisher to aim for and what type of agent (if any) you should have, depending on what type of book you are writing. It also has very clear chapters on how to write your proposal, how to follow them up, negotiate a contract and very importantly: how to work with your editor from then on. This is the first book I have read that gives you this ‘working with your publisher’ bit of guidance. It is hugely relevant of course, as it is the editor that decides in the end whether or not to ever commission you again.

This book genuinely does want you to succeed, not just clinching that first deal with the fat advance that so many writers dream of, but it wants you to succeed as an long term author. It is a very good investment for your career.

Thorough and comprehensive, 02 Oct 2008
I must declare my interest - I was part of the (UK) Society of Young Publishers committee which started this ball rolling back in 1979. We saw a need for an introduction to the industry; we planned a mere booklet summarising it as it then was, but Giles Clark - also on the committee - took up the opportunity to make it something vastly more comprehensive and therefore useful. No longer involved in subsequent editions (except as a specialist contributor for a one-page panel in in this last edition), I have watched the project develop into an amazingly comprehensive work which is now the definitive textbook for any publishing course, and an invaluable source of ideas, information and inspiration for those about to join or in the early years in the industry. Some of the third edition was rather dense reading, I would agree, but this fourth has not only brought the coverage of the industry right up to date with e-books, POD, etc., but a comprehensive rewrite and redesign has made it approachable and entertaining as well as highly informative. No one embarking on a career in publishing should fail to read it - and even those with a few years' experience will find useful things in it.

To those wondering how it relates to another book for would-be entrants to the industry, Alison Baverstock et al.'s How To Get a Job in Publishing, I would say that they are quite different things - get both (and see my review of that on its page).

Good reading, 21 Jul 2008
Very informative publication though I agree with Mr J. Ward's remark about Clark's writing style. I too found it quite difficult to read for that particular reason!

An in-depth look into the publishing industry., 15 Jan 2002
Giles Clark's book is something of a bible to those of us on the publishing course here at Brookes, exhaustive in its coverage of all aspects of contemporary publishing. Where Clark fails to impress, however, is in his very dense prose style, the book is very hard going through out.

Want to learn about the publishing industry? READ THIS BOOK!, 31 Jan 2001
This book is recognised by the UK publishing industry as an essential information source. It is a Recommended Text on most UK publishing courses, as well as used by the industry's lead training body, the Publishing Training Centre...

An Essential Reading Tool, 21 Nov 2000
Giles Clark's new edition of Inside Book Publishing has been fully updated and rewritten. It is an essential tool for anyone embarking on a career within book publishing, and a useful handbook for those who are already working in the industry but feel they may be lacking in knowledge. Well researched and well written, a pleasure to read and recommend to others.

Mountain Goat licked by a cheetah, 29 Aug 2008
"I had no idea what my life would be like then, but as I gathered up my schoolbooks and walked out the door, I swore to myself that it would never be like Mom's, that I would not be crying my eyes out in an unheated shack in some godforsaken holler." - Jeannette Walls

"I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening (party), when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster ... She had tied rags around her shoulders to keep out the spring chill ... To the people walking by, she probably looked like any of the thousands of homeless people in New York City ... I was embarrassed by them, too, and ashamed of myself for wearing pearls and living on Park Avenue while my parents were busy keeping warm and finding something to eat." - Jeannette Walls

THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeannette Walls is the second-best book I've read this year to date, the best being Still Alice by Lisa Genova.

Rose Mary and Rex Walls were married in 1956. Over the next several years, they had four children - daughters Lori, Jeannette and Maureen and son Brian. Anti-establishment and anti-authoritarian individualists frequently on the run from something, the couple refused to enter the societal mainstream even to the extent of supplying their children with the conventionally acceptable American upbringing that stipulates freedom from hunger and the provision of adequate shelter and clothing. THE GLASS CASTLE is Jeanette's poignant and powerful memoir of growing up emotionally loved but materially deprived.

From Jeannette's narrative, it's soon apparent that her parents are gifted and intelligent human beings. Indeed, Rex, who's self-taught and knowledgeable about subjects that would challenge many university graduates, reads "Los Alamos Science" and "The Journal of Statistical Physics" and becomes interested in the Chaos Theory. Rex's mind is constantly ablaze with technically sophisticated plans and enrichment schemes, the former including designing The Glass Castle, an energy self-sufficient family home to be built of glass. However, Rex's rebellious streak against society, complicated by alcoholism, dooms him to a succession of failed blue-collar jobs and petty confrontations with the law that keep the Walls constantly on the move from California to Nevada to Arizona to West Virginia to New York City. In the Southwest, the family lives in a succession of dilapidated buildings in isolated, desert mining towns until Rose Mary inherits a home from her mother located in Phoenix, where life for Jeannette and her siblings is relatively good. Then Rex again becomes unemployed and the Walls move to the decaying coal mining town of Welch, WV, where Rex grew up. In Welch, the family's living conditions bottom out when they take up residence in a wretched, unheated, leaky, unplumbed shanty on stilts built on the side of a mountain. Here, the children don't even have enough to eat. Jeannette describes the experience of scavenging food at school:

"When other girls came in (the girls' restroom) and threw away their lunch bags in the garbage pails, I'd go retrieve them. I couldn't get over the way kids tossed out all this perfectly good food: apples, hard-boiled eggs, packages of peanut-butter crackers, sliced pickles, half-pint cartons of milk, cheese sandwiches with just one bite taken out because the kid didn't like the pimentos in the cheese. I'd return to the (toilet) stall and polish off my tasty finds."

I've had occasion to read memoirs by authors recalling happier upbringings: Knots in My Yo-Yo String: The Autobiography of a Kid by Jerry Spinelli, Blooming: A Small-Town Girlhood by Susan Allen Toth, Wait Till Next Year: Recollections of a 50's Girl to a Memoir by Doris Kearns Goodwin, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson, Sleeping Arrangements by Laura Shaine Cunningham. In the early pages of THE GLASS CASTLE, I had to ask myself, "Is this a parody?" But one couldn't make up the events that Jeannette relates.

What's remarkable about Jeannette's story is her lack of bitterness towards her parents. Only on a couple of occasions does she even hint at laying blame on them for irresponsibility and negligence. Besides, her love for them endures. To me, and perhaps other readers with more "normal" childhoods, Rex's and Rose Mary's treatment of their offspring was neglect verging on abuse.

The fact that Jeannette and her siblings apparently grew up to be well-adjusted and, in the author's case, happily married and professionally and financially successful, is evidence for the resiliency of the human spirit. But, as you read THE GLASS CASTLE, you will perhaps weep and/or rage for the Walls children.

During their Phoenix period, Rex took Jeannette, whom he'd nicknamed "Mountain Goat", to the city zoo. There, led across a low fence by her Dad to get closer to a cage, Jeannette's palm was licked by a captive cheetah.


WOW - What a crazy childhood !, 26 Aug 2008
This was a very enjoyable read. Jeanettes parents were fairly unorthodox in their approach to child upbringing ..... To say the least. This was read as part of our book group and most enjoyed it, i have read a few of these types of bad childhood books and this was well worth a read. I think her mother was slightly selfish and her father obviously adored her.

what an amazing story, 28 May 2008
Such a shocking account of how some children draw the lot of having parents who are quite unsuited to raising a family. JW writes with such accuracy and style that it disturbs at the same time as lifts your spirts. The child and youth of JW was so painful and yet her personality takes you through this journey in such a way that you feel she could live through any hardship and yet still stand back and view the situation with such objectivity and intelligence that it would carry her through to a better place. A moving and deft read, comparing this to Eat, Pray, Love, another memoir that I have recently read, is like comparing haute-cuisine to a fastfood.

Compelling reading!, 24 May 2008
This was was so compelling I hardly put it down! A great memoir of a family of four children that showed tremendous resilence considering their parents choice of lifestyle! It was a surprise that no self pity showed in the author's writing at all especially as considering the Father's intelligence and the Mother's background, life could possibly have been so different. A great read.

Compelling yet sad., 13 Apr 2008
Wow - what a childhood! One hopes no one should ever have to endure such a childhood. Parents are quirky and brilliant yet alchoholic and totally self absorbed. Parents are quite horrid is some respects - i.e. when the brother is being molested by the grandmother, the parents do not side with the children about how massively inappropriate this behavior is, they turn on the children. The parents steal from the children and don't even feed them.

Not a book to make one feel uplifted and happy - it's a massively compelling story. This book is like a car accident - you don't want to look but you HAVE to. Read it - especially from the section call Welch to the end, it's a real page turner. The single most interesting item about this book is that the author Jeanette Wells never once writes 'poor us' or says how wretchedly they were treated. She never wallows in self pity or plays the martyr.

Some good basic information but very outdated, 25 Jan 2006
The explanation of the publishing process and of proofreading/copy-editing within it is quite useful for anyone unfamilar with this area. But when you read that a computer may be 'nice to play with but not essential' (p11) you realise that this book is hopelessly out-of-date. Advice on contacting potential clients is simplistic (be polite and friendly!). The exercises are the best part - getting a good proportion of them right does encourage you to believe you can do the job. Oh, and I spotted an error (p37 halfway down: the numerous howlers... testifies). Overall, there is a need for a complete re-write - or someone else to come up with a 21st century version.

Excellent, 02 Mar 2004
What an invaluable insight! I have used this book frequently as a reference guide while I have gone through the steps of starting up my proofreading business. It is easy to understand and is very practical. A must for any beginner.

Excellent support & ref, 13 Mar 2003
I have found this book to be excellent in the support of my proofreading course as it supplies both "real world" information and referal data, a plus being it is also supported by a Web site with updated contact lists.

A good investment, 29 Jan 2002
A well written guide and a good investment for anyone who is considering a career in this field. I know it is a book that I will refer back to again and again and again.

Thinking of going freelance?, 17 Oct 2001
This book is worth every penny. It is packed full of useful information and if you are thinking of learning to become a proofreader or copyeditor you should buy this book right now.

Insightful debates into the 'construction' of the news., 19 Sep 2001
An excellent resource for media students. This book covers most aspects of the news, detailing the emergence of journalism, and constructively debates issues of 'truth' and 'objectivity' within the news medium. Also discussed are topics such as news values, news structures and frameworks, and issues of gender and race. Stuart Allan's insightful knowledge and views of 'news culture', ensures this text to be essential reading material for those studying in this field.

Delightful book, 07 Sep 2008
This more than just a description of a museum. This is also a journey into the history of the natural sciences and a part biography as well. Well illustarted, Richard Fortey describes an institution that is trying hard (and succeeding if the new Darwin Centre is any guide)to move with the times, make science accesible to the public, yet has more going on behind the scenes than we could ever give credit.

Anyone who lives in or visits London should pay more than one visit to this marvelous place, and thanks to this book they will be well briefed as to what goes and has gone on there.

Would recommend, 05 Sep 2008
I bought the 2001 version when I was a student and purchased this one because I wanted to get back into writing again. It has definately improved with age and still contains every contact an aspiring writing could ever need. There's a very in-depth article in this addition on the UK tax implications for the writer which I found interesting (perhaps, that says more about the reviewer than the book!).

Would highly recommend and best to read with a notepad, pen and highlighter handy.

Comprehensive listings guide - but the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is better, 23 Oct 2007
There are two books on the market which are widely touted as 'must-haves' for any writer looking to get into publication. One is this book, "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan. Its rival, the "Writers' and Artists' Yearbook" (W&AY), is published by A&C Black. Both contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, TV/radio producers, festivals, writing courses etc. You only really need one of them - but which one?

In truth there's little to choose between them. Much will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the two books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better. However, to me the W&AY appears the more polished product, with a clearer table of contents and a more easily navigable structure.

What the TWH really lacks compared to the W&AY is the latter's many detailed and informative articles written by publishers, agents and successful writers (J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, Joanna Trollope, to name a few). The W&AY has about 170 pages' worth of these in total (100 on books alone), discussing different genres and aspects of the writing process, as well as covering diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing, writing for TV, radio and theatre, and e-publishing. TWH, by comparison, has only about 30 pages of such articles. This in my opinion sets the W&AY apart and makes it far more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing.

This is not to say that there is anything particularly wrong with TWH - it is perfectly adequate for what it is. To be certain, buyers interested mainly in the listings (perhaps those already looking for an agent or publisher) will not be disappointed. All in all, however, my recommendation has to go to the "Writer's & Artist's Yearbook", for the added value of the sheer wealth of information and advice it contains.

A Handy Guide, 03 Sep 2008
This book is packed with practical advice that will help you get your book published. It is easy to read and comes from a reliable source. There is nothing startlingly new or original in here. A lot of it is common sense or stuff you have heard before. However, in total it adds up to an essential checklist on the road to publication.

Fantastic. I submitted my first book to an agent the day after reading this., 29 Apr 2008
I am so pleased I bought this book. I have become a little tired of the "this is the way you must write" and 'don't bother because you won't get it published anyway" books. I had written a children's book (the first in a series) and simply did not know how to reach the publishers or agents. I now have a copy of the Children's Writers and Artists Yearbook, a good letter, a synopsis and a properly formatted three chapter introduction and I am underway at last. Time will tell if anyone likes it, but them I would never know if it just sat on my computer would I?

Going against the grain a bit, 10 Jan 2007
This review is not going to win me any plaudits, as I am going against the grain of successive 5 star reviews. But from my point of view these are simply not deserved. Much of what is written here (albeit in an interesting and informative way) has been written before, and the only useful thing I discovered was the format for a good cover letter.
She seems to have filled it with quotes, and witty little anecdotes, which serve merely as filler, and don't add anything to the subject matter. Sure, it is readable, but what information is contained is really quite minimal considering she is an 'insider'.
Considering the information I have gleaned so far on this matter has been acquired as I have worked my way through the process, there is remarkably little that this book offers and I, a novice, don't already know.

I wish I had read this book before I tried to get a book deal, 28 Jul 2006
This truly is an insiders guide. It took me two years to get a book contract but with the information contained within this great book it would have been a much easier process. Anyone with aspirations to become a published author should start with a copy of this on their bookshelf. Buy it, read it and then get your own book published. Simple.

Martin Bamford - author of The Money Tree

This will help you build a career as an author, 27 Jan 2006
Previously I have been reading books that focus on getting your own baby (read: novel) published. They seem to, in general, have the aim of building up your resistance to rejection, which they all declare you are likely to face time and time again.

Rachael’s superb book provides a somewhat new angle for all authors to consider. She is a publisher who genuinely wants to publish great and best-selling books, and she is fantastically successful in her field. What ‘The Insiders Guide to Getting Your Book Published’ will give you is ideas on how to make you, the author, publishable as well as your book. She is open and frank about what types of authors are easy to deal with, and gives hints and tips on how you can go about becoming an expert in your field, thus greatly increasing the chances of getting your manuscript accepted, and you being re-commissioned for future books.

In addition to this ‘The Insiders Guide…’ is very thorough, and will be a great help when you plan the start of your writing career. It gives a detailed and precise overview of the trade and how it works, helping you choose what type of publisher to aim for and what type of agent (if any) you should have, depending on what type of book you are writing. It also has very clear chapters on how to write your proposal, how to follow them up, negotiate a contract and very importantly: how to work with your editor from then on. This is the first book I have read that gives you this ‘working with your publisher’ bit of guidance. It is hugely relevant of course, as it is the editor that decides in the end whether or not to ever commission you again.

This book genuinely does want you to succeed, not just clinching that first deal with the fat advance that so many writers dream of, but it wants you to succeed as an long term author. It is a very good investment for your career.

Thorough and comprehensive, 02 Oct 2008
I must declare my interest - I was part of the (UK) Society of Young Publishers committee which started this ball rolling back in 1979. We saw a need for an introduction to the industry; we planned a mere booklet summarising it as it then was, but Giles Clark - also on the committee - took up the opportunity to make it something vastly more comprehensive and therefore useful. No longer involved in subsequent editions (except as a specialist contributor for a one-page panel in in this last edition), I have watched the project develop into an amazingly comprehensive work which is now the definitive textbook for any publishing course, and an invaluable source of ideas, information and inspiration for those about to join or in the early years in the industry. Some of the third edition was rather dense reading, I would agree, but this fourth has not only brought the coverage of the industry right up to date with e-books, POD, etc., but a comprehensive rewrite and redesign has made it approachable and entertaining as well as highly informative. No one embarking on a career in publishing should fail to read it - and even those with a few years' experience will find useful things in it.

To those wondering how it relates to another book for would-be entrants to the industry, Alison Baverstock et al.'s How To Get a Job in Publishing, I would say that they are quite different things - get both (and see my review of that on its page).

Good reading, 21 Jul 2008
Very informative publication though I agree with Mr J. Ward's remark about Clark's writing style. I too found it quite difficult to read for that particular reason!

An in-depth look into the publishing industry., 15 Jan 2002
Giles Clark's book is something of a bible to those of us on the publishing course here at Brookes, exhaustive in its coverage of all aspects of contemporary publishing. Where Clark fails to impress, however, is in his very dense prose style, the book is very hard going through out.

Want to learn about the publishing industry? READ THIS BOOK!, 31 Jan 2001
This book is recognised by the UK publishing industry as an essential information source. It is a Recommended Text on most UK publishing courses, as well as used by the industry's lead training body, the Publishing Training Centre...

An Essential Reading Tool, 21 Nov 2000
Giles Clark's new edition of Inside Book Publishing has been fully updated and rewritten. It is an essential tool for anyone embarking on a career within book publishing, and a useful handbook for those who are already working in the industry but feel they may be lacking in knowledge. Well researched and well written, a pleasure to read and recommend to others.

Mountain Goat licked by a cheetah, 29 Aug 2008
"I had no idea what my life would be like then, but as I gathered up my schoolbooks and walked out the door, I swore to myself that it would never be like Mom's, that I would not be crying my eyes out in an unheated shack in some godforsaken holler." - Jeannette Walls

"I was sitting in a taxi, wonde