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Weidenfeld & Nicolson (W&N) celebrated 75 years with a party on the roof terrace of Hachette UK’s Carmelite House, with authors, agents and industry figures.
Executive publisher Jenny Lord reflected on the literary imprint’s legacy in light of the the number of elections occurring across the globe this year at the event on Tuesday evening (19th June). "We often talk about what we want our legacy to be...and this is where we look back to the spirit of the early days of publishing. It was bold, revolutionary, decidedly outward looking with a strong international mindset," she said.
"It was deeply committed to freedom of expression and it understood the intrinsic value of exceptional works of literature, even if they were deemed too high brow.
"This is a big year for everyone, not just us. The biggest election year in history. One and a half billion people around the world are electing their leaders...I know everyone in this room will feel exactly as I do—that books now have more value than ever."
Lord also thanked W&N’s authors for "continuing to choose us as your publishing partner" and agents "who are brilliantly collaborative and supportive".
Taking inspiration from a recent meeting with James McBride, author of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, in New York, Lord concluded her speech by reflecting on the importance of publishing. "[McBride] said: ’A meaningful life is one in which you have something to do, someone to love and a sense of purpose’. I can’t stop thinking about that phrase and it’s meaningful to me this week because I really do believe that the business we are in, and the things that we do when we bring books to readers, it has meaning—and it’s such a privilege to play a tiny part in this small slice of our history."
The authors present included: Antonia Fraser, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Antony Beevor, Artemis Cooper, Anne Sebba, Alexei Sayle, Adam Rutherford, Andrew Holgate, Clare Chambers, Rev Richard Coles, Ed Caesar, Emma Forrest, Kate Williams, Luke Turner, John Higgs, Oliver Bullough and Raymond Antrobus.