“The book didn’t sell and yes, I was mean-spirited enough to rejoice”: An essay on the dark arts of book editing

One of New Zealand’s best and most illustrious book editors, Stephen Stratford (“I am a polite person, mostly”), vents about having to deal with writers and publishers. What I dread #1 When meeting someone new, the question I most dread is, “What do you do?” It is really hard to answer. As a freelancer, I do … Read more

Books: The Best Books of 2015 According to a Panel of 10 Experts. Our Eighth Expert – Stephen Stratford

Cambridge editor and author Stephen Stratford chooses books of verse by a couple of good old boys, and a good-looking book by an artist. Looking Out to Sea, by Kevin Ireland (Steele Roberts) It took me a long time to read this: every night I would read the first poem, for Ireland’s late brother, which … Read more