Hutchinson and Unbound scoop Usher's Speeches of Note

Unbound and Penguin Random House imprint Hutchinson have scooped the rights to publish Speeches of Note, a new book by  Shaun Usher, whose previous book Letters of Note was published by Canongate.

John Mitchinson, co-founder and publisher of Unbound, and Sarah Rigby of Hutchinson, will collaborate on the project for Hutchinson to publish a full-colour hardback and e-book for the trade in Autumn 2017 and Unbound pre-selling a special edition.

Usher's previous books Letters of Note and More Letters of Note were published by Canongate.

The deal was negotiated on behalf of Usher by Caroline Michel at Peters Fraser and Dunlop, who will be handling foreign rights on behalf of the author and Unbound.

Speeches of Note, a book celebrating "oratory old and new", comprises a selection of history’s most famous, enlightening, disturbing, brilliant, funny and poignant speeches. It will also shine a light on "overlooked but brilliant" speeches as well as those that were never actually delivered, for example, a public announcement prepared to be made by president Nixon should Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become stranded on the Moon.

Each speech will be accompanied by an introduction from Usher expanding on its creation and performance, while the book will also be fully supported by a dedicated website at www.speechesofnote.com.

Dan Kieran, c.e.o. of Unbound said: "After many successful years working with Shaun and Canongate we are excited by the opportunity to publish Shaun’s next book with Hutchinson as part of our ongoing relationship with Cornerstone."

Rigby said: "I could not be happier to be welcoming Shaun – a dream author – to Hutchinson. He has the unique ability to curate a collection that takes his readers from the tragic and deeply moving to the witty and unexpected at the turn of a page. Having heard him describe some of the incredible moments he’ll gather together in this new collection, he’s going to be producing something very special indeed."

Usher said: ‘It’s long been a dream of mine to dive into the world of oratory, and for the past few years I’ve been doing exactly that. The result is Speeches of Note, an obsessively curated, richly illustrated, and sumptuously produced collection of speeches from throughout the ages – some famous, some all but unknown, some even unspoken – that will grip all who open its pages. To have this book published by the lovely, passionate people at both Hutchinson and Unbound is the icing on the cake, and I’m supremely excited and grateful to see Speeches of Note in their capable hands."