Penguin please bring back your 'popular classics' series. I dunno why but even though your new black spine classics are great I would love you to bring your popular classics back please.
I would love to work with all these books! Currently trying to work out what I want to do with my life and am just drawn to this because of all the beautiful editions. Thank you for sharing this!
Originally, an archive was set up and maintained by Reed Books, who owned many of, what are now, Cornerstone imprints, such as William Heinemann, Mandarin, Minerva etc.. When Random House bought these imprints from Reed Books in 1998, this acquisition also included their physical book archive. For all of the other imprints and divisions, their archives were set up and maintained by themselves individually from when they started publishing, e.g. Chatto & Windus kept their own archive, Cape kept their own archive, Transworld kept theirs etc etc. These were all kept in different locations, mostly within the headquarters or offices of the imprints themselves. I think that the books were probably kept as working file copies rather than with the intention of creating an historic archive. After the acquisition of Reed, Random House decided that they would bring all of their physical book archives together and they acquired the building that we are in now for that purpose. Since then, Random House has deliberately maintained the archive for historic purposes, sending copies of every book published to Rushden to preserve for posterity. Penguin Books took a slightly different route. They did collect copies of everything that they published, however Allen Lane bequeathed his personal collection to the University of Bristol after his death in 1970. At some point, in the 80s or 90s, Penguin recognised that their remaining collection was missing a substantial number of books and they appointed an archivist to fill those gaps - this was pre-internet days, so it involved lots of scouring second-hand bookshops to find copies! Since that time, Penguin has continued to deliberately maintain an historic archive and, after the PRH merger, that archive was relocated to join the existing Random House archive in Rushden.
I have written ten sci fi fictions. How can I get a platform to publish these manuscripts through Penguin Random House? In 2014, Penguin published an anthology of true life stories titled 'Something Happened On The Way To Heaven 'edited by Sudha Murty. The 11th no story is written by me.
a couple of snotty-sounding questions (sorry): Why isn't anyone wearing gloves when they are handling these materials? Also, why are some of the books in "well loved" condition?
Hi Allan! Good questions! Firstly, it's actually advised NOT to wear white gloves when handling old texts. This article details a few of the reasons quite nicely : www.forbes.com/sites/booked/2012/03/21/the-white-glove-myth/#4a3c80dd1ed9 . In answer to the condition of the books- many of the older books recorded here joined the archive after having a life of their own and, sadly, haven't been as well looked after by their previous owners. Thanks for watching!
thank you for your kind reply. The article was very interesting and i stand corrected re: gloves. Is the archive well funded? These books --all of them = are national treasures :)
Dear Penguin. I would like to thank you for stopping printing ITA English books. I was taught ITA English Twaddle in school. Later on I had to relearn how to read, write and spell because of my bad Education. Not only that, but I am a very proud Dyslexic. And I was off school all the time with terrible ASTHMA. (Good news, I have cured my Asthma naturally with organic fruit/veg and wild herbs). Dyslexia helps you think outside the box. When I witnessed my daughter being bullied by some teachers and children, it broke my heart. She too is a gifted Dyslexic. Something our British academic system does not understand. I would like support to change our Education system, to make it Dyslexic friendly. I hate the though of children suffering in school. I hope to get a Government apology for my bad education. And for how badly some Dyslexics are treated, including my daughter and other children/adults. Dyslexics are warriors. So one day I will get Government funding for my daughter to publish a book which children will love reading. Perhaps you could give a quote for printing costs? I have the support from our local Council. One Councillor printed off out daughters art. And said, "If he was Mayor, he would give her an award for all her achievements." I would like to see all Dyslexic children and adults receive a Certificate of achievement. And for the UK and the world to see Dyslexia as the gift it is.
This place should be secret... from everyone.. And not in a low cost, thin metal warehouse on an industrial estate... what are you thinking.... please please another location, nuclear proof!!!!
