A Bite of the Apple: A Life with Books, Writers and Virago
by Lennie Goodings
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Description
A Bite of the Apple' is part-memoir, part history of Virago, and part thoughts on over forty years of feminist publishing. This is the story of how the authors and staff who, driven by passion, conviction and excitement, have made Virago Press one of the most important and influential English-language publishers in the world. Lennie Goodings has been with the iconic press founded by Carmen Callil almost since the start. First a publicist and then for over twenty years, publisher and editor, show more she has worked with extraordinary authors: Margaret Atwood, Marilynne Robinson, Sarah Waters, Linda Grant, Natasha Walter, Naomi Wolf and Maya Angelou among many others. Virago has been a life-changer for Lennie Goodings - but certainly not only for her. Following the chronology of the press and the enormous breadth of the Virago titles published over these years, she sets her story in the context of feminism, and segues into thoughts on editing, post-feminism, reading, breaking boundaries, and the Virago Modern Classics. Virago lives within the tension between idealism and pragmatism; between sisterhood and celebrity; between watching feminism wax and wane at the same time as knowing so many of the battles are still to be won. This book is about how it felt to be there. A Bite of the Apple is a celebration of writing, of publishing, and of reading. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
Not quite what I expected. I listened and found the narration not up to audibles high standards, a little bit mumbly. Some of the content is interesting but also contains a lot of office and industry politics. I recommend it to those who know or are working in publishing.
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Bibliomemoirs
46 works; 8 members
Books Read in 2022
5,226 works; 115 members
Author Information
4+ Works 282 Members
Awards and Honors
Distinctions
Common Knowledge
- First words
- Soho, London, early evening, late 1970s, and the sounds of Friday night revelries rise up to our window on the fourth floor in Wardour Street where I'm still working my way through piles of paperwork in the Virago office.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The excitement of bringing into the world something unique, a book that began as a glimmer of an idea, or writing that mightgive tremendous joy or even create change - that, to me, is a power of the deepest pleasure.
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, Literature Studies and Criticism, Biography & Memoir, General Nonfiction, History
- DDC/MDS
- 070.5092 — Computer science, information & general works News media, journalism & publishing Documentary media, educational media, news media; journalism; publishing Publishing Biography; History By Place Biography
- LCC
- Z286 .F45 .G66 — Bibliography, Library Science and Information Resources Book industries and trade Bookselling and publishing
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 65
- Popularity
- 480,625
- Reviews
- 1
- Rating
- (3.33)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 1
