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THE INDEPENDENTS NEWS & VIEWS
04.11.16
www.thebookseller.com
Oneworld looking at global picture
after Beatty-brokered Booker brace Co-founder Juliet Mabey on the lessons the indie list has learned in its 30 years, and its commitment to diversity. Natasha Onwuemezi reports
Taking home the UK’s biggest literary prize for the second year in a row—the first time an independent publisher has managed the feat since Faber & Faber did so in 1988 and 1989—was a pretty good way for Oneworld to mark its 30th anniversary; that both of its Man Booker Prize winners are black men may also be a signal of the industry’s growing willingness to interrogate issues of race and diversity. According to Oneworld publisher Juliet
Mabey pictured, this year’s winning book The Sellout, Paul Beatty’s satire which tackles the “entrenched” issue of racism in modern society, is “especially timely in post-Brexit Britain [and with] the upcoming American presidential election, as racism has raised its head in ways we haven’t seen for decades”. Mabey, who founded Oneworld in 1986 alongside husband Novin Doostdar, told The Bookseller that the prize win would help propel the book’s “strong message” to a wider readership. She added: “[Also,] satires—just like comic films—are not often picked up for prizes, but they can bring important issues, like racism in this case, to a broader audience through humour and an intelligent but light touch.” Oneworld’s fiction list launched in its 23rd
year (2009) with The Book of Night Women, the first book by 2015 Booker Prize- winner Marlon James. Since its first foray into fiction, it has had three titles nominated for the Booker, two of which have claimed the award. Beatty triumphed last month; James’ A Brief History of Seven Killings won the prize last year; and Oneworld was longlisted
in 2011 with A Cupboard Full of Coats by British BAME author Yvvette Edwards. Mabey said the
achievement was “fantastic” for the publisher, adding: “[Winning the prize] not only helps build our profile in what is a very competitive industry, but its positive effect touches all our authors and titles, which is especially gratifying.” Winning the Booker is an accomplishment for
any publisher, but Oneworld’s double, coupled with the fact that members of the Independent Publishers Guild have published more than half (19) of the 36 titles shortlisted for the prize in the past six years, highlights the increasing strength of the indie sector. “[This year’s] longlist [which featured five titles from indie publishers] has highlighted just how many exciting novels are coming from independent publishers, and we’re really proud to be one of them”, Mabey said. She added: “I think the independent
publishing sector is very vibrant. New publishers seem to be sprouting up all the time, many of which are publishing some fantastic books, both here and around the world. I think there is definitely room for nimble, ambitious independents in a world where the bigger publishers have increasingly high overheads, which to some extent dictate what they can and can’t publish. Smaller publishers are obviously in danger of having the début authors they discover poached, but one has to be realistic and focus on doing your job well, offer brilliant author care, of course, and hope that agents and authors recognise that size isn’t everything!” Winning the Booker last year and a host of
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