Opine Books
The book covers an immense span of history, from the emergence of Homo sapiens and their interaction with Neanderthals to the advent of Neuralink (an implant that allows users to communicate with computers by thought alone) and the possible implications of AI for the future of human civilisation.
Scott Morales, unit chair of the OUP USA Guild, who was himself made redundant last April having worked at the OUP for 15 years, said this was the second round of redundancies in the last six months, adding:"I stand in solidarity with those affected by the layoffs and will continue to lend my voice to advocating for their fair treatment."
The publisher says the imprint will "draw on the strengths of the Watkins brand to focus on creating beautiful, groundbreaking books that encourage curiosity, resilience and inclusivity, and help kids manage their own feelings and find their own special path in life".
In addition she thanked the wider team, particularly Sam Evans and Grace Pilkington, who have worked in the business for nearly 10 years and who she referred to as âexceptional publicists and wonderful and supportive people to be around.â
Also up for the prize are Ed Conway for Material World: A Substantial Story of Our Past and Future (WH Allen); The Secret Lives of Numbers: A Global History of Mathematics & Its Unsung Trailblazers by Kate Kitagawa and Timothy Revell (Viking); Language City: The Fight to Preserve Endangered Mother Tongues by Ross Perlin (Grove Press UK) and Divided: Racism, Medicine and Why We Need to Decolonise Healthcare by Annabel Sowemimo (Profile Books/Wellcome Collection).
âI wrote âThe Gangs of Zionâ not only to recount my experience of policing in a highly unusual context during a pivotal cultural moment,â Stallworth writes, âbut also to inform the Booty Rileys of the world that I am a cop who understands American history, is protective of his race and takes unwavering stands for civil and constitutional rights for all people.â
More than half of respondents to The Booksellerâs survey on advances and royalties revealed problems, with some describing decade-long delays due to "financial terrorism", and some reporting a reliance on loans, hardship grants, and foodbanks.
ALCS, a member organisation which works to ensure writers are fairly compensated and recently ran a survey on the impact AI might have on authors and copyright, welcomed the treaty but said it must be extended to cover the potential damage to livelihoods of creators.
John Wells, senior archivist, said: âTaken together, the treasures found in the A P Watt collection are an exceptional accumulation of manuscripts and proofs of commercial prose from an era widely regarded as the heyday of the popular novel in this country.
The joint statement, released yesterday, stated that to promote and protect freedom of expression, "it is vital that we foster the conditions for all schools to have diverse and inclusive library collections, and to resist all forms of censorship given its debilitating effects on childrenâs educations".
It has been wonderful to prepare such a rich, collaborative and inclusive programme of events together and weâre so excited to bring our authors and staff to Sheffield next month."
Her proven track record of working with top-tier talent and her ability to adapt to the changing ways audiences consume content will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and push the boundaries of traditional publishing."