The Maverick
- Author Thomas Harding
- Narrator Jeremy Clyde
- Publisher Orion
- Run Time 10 hours and 47 minutes
- Format Audio
- Genre Biography and non-fiction prose, Biography: general, Biography: writers, Publishing and book trade, Publishing industry and journalism.
Titles Purchased
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Price p/Title
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What to expect
Born into a Jewish family in Vienna in 1919, George Weidenfeld fled to England in 1938 to escape the Nazi regime. There he began a career in publishing that would make him one of the most influential figures in the industry. Over the course of his long and illustrious career he championed some of the most important voices of the twentieth century, from Vladimir Nabokov, Mary McCarthy and Saul Bellow to Harold Wilson, Isaiah Berlin and Henry Kissinger.
But what do we know about the man himself? Was he, as described by some, the 'greatest salesperson', 'the world's best networker', 'the publisher's publisher' and 'a great intellectual'? Was his lifelong effort to be the world's most famous host a cover for his desperate loneliness? Who, in fact, was the real George Weidenfeld and how did he rise so successfully within the ranks of London and New York society? Providing a full, unvarnished and at times difficult history of this complex man, this first biography of a titan of culture is also a story of resilience, determination and the power of ideas to shape history.
Critics Review
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A history of the golden age of publishing from the perspective of one man . . . fascinating
SPECTATOR -
A marvellous biography . . . Thomas Harding has brought a great publisher and the shenanigans of the book trade gloriously to life
DAILY MAIL -
An entertaining biography . . . The Maverick is packed with fascinating accounts of book deals and debacles during the ‘golden age of publishing,’ as well as plenty of high-society gossip
WASHINGTON POST -
Thomas Harding’s admirably even-handed and readable biography places Weidenfeld in both his social and cultural contexts, never excusing his more dubious actions, but also celebrating his undeniable pizzazz, application and drive
OBSERVER -
The Maverick anchors George Weidenfeld as one of the foremost influencers in modern literature and a man who rose from extraordinary circumstances to lead an even more extraordinary life and legacy. A treasure trove of insight and history
ARIANNA HUFFINGTON -
Meticulously researched, cunningly constructed and compellingly written. A vivid account of publishing’s glory years told through the action-packed life of one of its most charismatic pioneers
ANTHONY HOLDEN
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