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Hamish Hamilton signs Busby's first book as author
Hamish Hamilton has secured a book from the UK’s first Black woman publisher, industry pioneer Margaret Busby.
It will be her first book as author rather than editor, selecting from and collecting her writing from the past half-century. It currently has the working title Among Others.
Simon Prosser, publishing director, acquired world English Language rights from Candida Lacey, who worked with Busby for many years as her editor and publisher before becoming her agent. Hamish Hamilton will publish in hardback in October 2024 to coincide with Busby’s birthday.
The publisher said of Among Others: “Simon is working with Margaret to select and shape the book, with sections devoted to Place, People, Politics and Publishing – the four poles of Margaret’s extraordinarily active and richly peopled life.
“Almost all the writing in the book was written on commission, beginning with her 1966 essay ’Skin Deep’ for the New Statesman (’Let’s talk about being Black from the inside…’) and continuing through her extraordinary run of appreciations of writers, activists and artists from Black Britain and the African Diaspora, many of whom would have been otherwise unrecorded in the mainstream.”
Prosser said: “Margaret Busby has been a hero of mine for the 35 years since I first met her, while working on a CLR James Reader, and spending time with her has always been a pleasure.
“It is hard for me to think of anyone else who has had such a galvanising and positive impact on British book culture over so many years as Margaret.
“A pioneering publisher, writer, cultural activist and connector of people, Margaret founded publishing house Allison & Busby while still in her early 20s, then went on to edit the ground-breaking and essential anthologies Daughters of Africa (1992) and New Daughters of Africa (2019), among many other achievements
“But what I hadn’t realised until I sat down and read through her large archive of writing at a stretch was how consistently terrific a writer she is. It is an honour and a joy to be able to work with her on this.”
Busby said: “What a challenge to have the tables turned and be discussing with an editor my own writing instead of focusing on that of others.
“As well as sharing mutual connections with Simon over the years, I have admired the way he helps steer so many authors to success, and I much look forward to working with him and his enthusiastic team.”
She added: “This exciting project has come about thanks to Candida Lacey, a stalwart supporter and believer in me ever since we first met decades ago, and who commissioned both of the anthologies I compiled — in addition to now being director of the ongoing Margaret Busby New Daughters of Africa Award that enables a woman student from Africa to take up a free course of study at SOAS, University of London.”
Lacey said: “Working with Margaret Busby has been an absolute joy and a great privilege. She has tirelessly championed the work of others, opened our eyes to new talent and transformed the literary landscape.
“This collection demonstrates her virtuosity across cultural criticism, political commentary and personal memoir, and tracks the course of literary debate and diversity.”
Lacey added: “I was thrilled when Simon Prosser shared my excitement about her work – with the paperback edition of New Daughters of Africa already in his care, he is the perfect publisher to celebrate Margaret as one of the most notable literary pioneers of our time.”
In May, Busby told The Bookseller how the industry had changed since she first started in the 1960s but that she still felt "not part of the system".
