Cover Stories: Jewish Book Week; Waterstone's and Curtis Brown departures
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Jewish Book Week, held at Bloomsbury's Royal National Hotel, has made its mark as a bold and broad feast of literary treats. This year's events, from 25 February to 5 March, will include major interviews with David Grossman (below) and the Nobel Prize-winning Imre Kertész, and discussions featuring Mike Leigh, Sara Paretsky, Linda Grant, Ziauddin Sardar and Eric Hobsbawm. On Sunday 5 March, at an event in association with The Independent, Helena Kennedy, Michael Bywater, Piers Paul Read, Giles Coren, Anne Karpf and Simon Baron-Cohen will chew over the Ten Commandments - and maybe propose new ones. Our suggestion? Thou shalt snap up tickets now: www.jewishbookweek.com, or 0870 060 1798.
* Scott Pack, abrasive buying manager at Waterstone's, is to leave the chain. The company's MD, Gerry Johnson, says the decision was Pack's own. It is said that, when HMV head honchos summoned publishers to discuss the merger with Ottakar's, they were told that Waterstone's front-line head-office staff were an impediment to business. A few publishers defend Pack, praising his ability to get behind favoured books. Most feel he just had too much power. The latest exit leaves Waterstone's light on management, with all the top jobs unfilled.
* Elsewhere, Ali Gunn, always an agent to shoot from the hip, has quit Curtis Brown, the third departure in six months. She has set up as Gunn Media Enterprises, while the much-respected Elizabeth Sheinkman is to join Curtis Brown as a director. She will focus on literary fiction and non-fiction, rather neglected at the agency since the death of Giles Gordon.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments