Description

‘Word nerds, assemble! This is the book for us’ LUCY MANGAN

‘Devilishly funny and clever, this divine comedy of literary errors will remind you why words are such glorious, untameable things’ LOUISE WILLDER

It’s a long journey from a writer’s mind to a finished book – and a lot needs to go right along the way. But isn’t it more interesting when things go wrong? With an expert Penguin editor as your guide, dive into the dark-side of the book world: a secret history fizzing with scandals, rivalries, cock-ups and con jobs.

We’ll discover how the tiniest of typos can have oversized consequences, unearth horrifying examples of bad taste and worse style, and peek into tales of forgeries and feuds as dramatic as any thriller. We’ll unredact the most egregious cases of censorship, expose hoarders and thieves, and ask: after centuries of man-made mischief, can the humble book survive the new machine age?

Publisher Review

This divine comedy of literary errors – not to mention scandals, hoaxes, howlers and other bookish misadventures – will make you laugh, make you wiser, and remind you why words are such glorious, untameable things. It is devilishly funny and extremely clever. Every page is packed with wit and warmth and delicious stories. Did I mention it’s funny? — Louise Willder, author of BLURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM A wonderfully mischievous tour of what words get up to behind our backs. Hell is empty and all the printers’ devils are here! — Henry Eliot, author of THE PENGUIN CLASSICS BOOK A glorious, madcap tour of all the beautiful chaos that is the world of books. From library bandits to literary feuds, Lee celebrates the mischief and mayhem that words bring to the lives of those who love them. In doing so, she beautifully captures why words are worth fighting for. Bursting with wit and whimsy, Rogues, Widows, and Orphans is the insider’s guide that every book lover needs. — Olivia Swarthout, author and creator of WEIRD MEDIEVAL GUYS A celebration of the book that takes you through a fascinating wilderness of mistakes and misunderstandings. Moving beyond the realm of mere misprints, Lee shows us myriad ways in which books (and the people who read, write and rate them) cause trouble. From Titivillus’s pranks to Bowdler’s bowdlerising, Lee’s stories of storytelling are full of surprises — Hana Videen, author of THE WORDHORD A delightfully wayward tour of good words gone bad. Fun, funny, and full of danger — Eli Burnstein, author of DICTIONARY OF FINE DISTINCTIONS Word nerds, assemble! THIS IS THE BOOK FOR US — Lucy Mangan, author of BOOKISH A guilty rummage through the dirty laundry basket of the book industry. From writers to publishers and booksellers, the smelly socks, soiled pants and sweaty undergarments are here for your prurient delight. Rogues, Widows and Orphans is a joyous rampage through the petty squabbles, plagiarism, misadventures and plain bad writing behind nearly six centuries of publishing — Shaun Bythell, author of THE DIARY OF A BOOKSELLER Praise for How Words Get Good:
‘Fascinating and funny * Sunday Times * Inject this straight into my veins! — Lucy Mangan Chock-full of the kind of anecdotes that are catnip for booklovers * Financial Times * Any bibliophile will find many enjoyable nuggets in this compendium of book chat — Stephen Poole * Guardian * A funny and illuminating peek into publishing below stairs * Mail on Sunday * Utterly fascinating – I adored it — Shaun Bythell, author * Diary of a Bookseller *