The Bodley Head wins philosopher Watson’s ‘paradigm-shifting’ book in seven-way auction

The Bodley Head has triumphed in a “heated” seven-way auction for philosopher Dr Lani Watson’s first trade book, Q: The Hidden Power of Questions In A World That Wants Answers.

Stuart Williams, publishing director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Tom Killingbeck at A M Heath. The Bookseller understands a number of six-figure pre-empts were turned down. Dutch rights have sold to Ten Have in a pre-empt, German rights to Piper at auction, with further auctions in the US, Spain and Korea under way.

The book posits: "Like breathing, questions are ubiquitous". Watson’s book will show how "the essential human skill of questioning can be harnessed, utilised and, most importantly, more evenly distributed".

University of Oxford-based Watson’s research for the last dozen years has been all about questions and questioning. She co-founded The Questioning Strengths Method (The QSM), a company that aims to help individuals and organisations harness the powerful benefits of better questioning. She has delivered training to organisations including the British Army, Scottish Opera, Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.

Watson said: “When I met Stuart and the team at Bodley Head, I had so many questions on my mind: ‘Have I managed to communicate the core message of the book, that questions are a hidden form of power?’; ‘Do they agree with its central vision of a more question-oriented future?’; ‘How many people could we reach with these ideas and how could the book make a difference in their lives?’ I can say, in every case, that these questions were answered in exciting, ambitious and illuminating ways."

Williams said: “Q will be a paradigm-shifting book that alters our understanding of the world. It will equip the reader with insights and tools to change minds and improve lives. Best of all, it delivers that elusive and lasting pleasure: the shock, delight and perennial value of the genuinely original. We will publish Lani’s optimistic and profound book with huge ambition.”

Killingbeck added: “Q is exactly the kind of book I was hoping to find when I transitioned to agenting a year ago: playful but profound, enriched with deep expertise but executed with a true storyteller’s flair for character and detail.”