That was the year that was Pt 1
To round off the year we took the liberty of asking some Penguins for their bookish highlights of the year and their publishing resolutions for 2008 - answers below and more coming tomorrow. Of course if you have any highlights from the year just gone, or predictions for the year to come, let us know in the comments below.
What was your publication of the year?
Don't really understand the question. I finally gave up the Indy for The Times if that's what you're asking! (Tony Lacey, Editorial Director Viking)
Hurricane Gold by Charlie Higson (Robert Williams, Creative Director)
Neris & India's Idiot Proof Diet -- after all, I'll never publish another book that will make me lose 3 stone, nor another book that will have such an incredible effect on so many women's lives. Come to that this is the only diet book I'll ever publish… (Juliet Annan, Publishing Director Fig Tree)
My favourite publication of 2007 was Alan Greenspan's The Age of Turbulence. While I was reading I felt as if I could certainly run a middle-sized country's economy, and with a bit of help and a second reading could probably cope with a global economy. Of course the feeling wore off after a bit - but it is a wonderfully entertaining and invigorating book. (Helen Fraser, Managing Director Penguin UK)
Roger Deakin's WILDWOOD: following his tragically early death it was wonderful to hear his voice on every page of this book. (Simon Prosser, Publishing Director Hamish Hamilton)
What was your favourite book of 2007?
From our own stable I very much enjoyed The Lodger though I skipped over the chapters on hair pieces; and I continue to browse Pardon My French - it's endlessly fascinating, just wish it was a bit longer. From outside, Sophie Hannah's terrific new book of poems; and James Lawton's ghosted "autobiography" of Bobby Charlton which makes you sigh for those pre-John Terry and Ashley Cole days. (TL)
Rupert Thomson's Death of a Murderer (RW)
Cormac Macathy's THE ROAD: an astonishing feat of stripped down prose and compressed emotion. (SP)
I can't limit it to one : EVERYMAN by Philip Roth; THE GOOD LIFE by Jay McInerney (recommended to me by one US and one UK Penguin) and Kate Atkinson's CASE HISTORIES: all books about death. Oh dear. (JA)
My favourite book of 2007 was Zoe Heller's The Believers which I read in proof and thought was an incredible portrait of a massively dysfunctional family and a completely monstrous mother. (HF)
What is your publishing resolution for 2008?
Turn Ed Smith into a bestseller! (TL)
To give audiobooks a chance! (RW)
Try and find some books for the autumn ! (JA)
Do everything we can to help the independent bookshops. (SP)
My publishing resolution for 2008 is the same as it has been for many years: 'fewer better books'. (HF)
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