Icon News & Events

Icon’s Books of the Year Part 1

Posted on 2011/12/19 in General, tagged as

This year, we’ve got some of the mysterious faces who work the magic behind the scenes at Icon to choose their Books of the Year. We’ll post a couple every day this week in the run-up to Christmas, starting with Duncan, who recommends The Etymologicon – which is currently Book of the Week on Radio 4 (listen to the first episode here for the next seven days). The Etymologicon Chosen by Duncan Heath, Editorial Director ‘This is my favourite book of… Read more »

The Etymologicon guide to Christmas (Drinking)

Posted on 2011/12/17 in General, tagged as

Mark Forsyth, author of the soon-to-be BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week, The Etymologicon, provides his essential guide to your festive libations, drinking the most etymologically significant cocktails so you don’t have to… Merry Christmas from The Etymologicon!

Will Hamleys not labelling their girl’s floor pink and their boy’s one blue help change the way kids view gender?

Posted on 2011/12/14 in General, tagged as

Cordelia Fine’s brilliant book, Delusions of Gender – the paperback publication of which was one of our highlights of the year – gets a mention in this Guardian article by Zoe Williams today. It’s an issue that few people have no opnion on – so get involved… and read more about Cordelia’s book here.

Mark Forsyth on BBC Radio 4 Today

Posted on 2011/12/09 in General, tagged as

Etymologicon author Mark Forsyth was on Radio 4’s Today programme this morning with John Humphreys, left, discussing replacements for the simile (not metaphor, of course, as discussed in the programme) of ‘it’s like painting the Forth Bridge’ for a never-ending task, as the bridge has now in fact been finished… #islikepaintingtheforthbridge was trending on Twitter for a while afterwards, such was the frisson of excitment generated by the piece.… Read more »

Win a sleighful of clever books this Christmas…

Posted on 2011/12/08 in General, tagged as

Would you like to win a copy of every Icon book published this year, the entire 30-Second series, 40 Introducing books AND a signed copy of The Etymologicon? As it’s the festive season, here at Icon we’re feeling generous. All you have to do to get your hands on all these books is share this image (yes, the turkey) of the roots of the word ‘turkey’ with all your Facebook friends: click here to get started. Because we’d like to have a chance of ge… Read more »

Landing soon: Inflight Science by Brian Clegg

Posted on 2011/12/08 in General, tagged as

Brian Clegg’s brilliant ‘guide to the world from your airplane window’, Inflight Science, has arrived at Icon Terminal 1 in paperback ready for publication in January. Icon’s bestselling title so far in 2011, the book was described as ‘straightforward and easy to grasp, even when Clegg dips into the mind-blowing world of quantum physics’ by the Sunday Times. As you can see left, the book has a fabulous new look for the paperback edition, and it’l… Read more »

Just in: Family by Michael Calvin – a despatch from the frontline of real football

Posted on 2011/12/07 in General, tagged as

Published in January by our sports imprint Corinthian, Family by Michael Calvin is a unflinching report on year in the life with a ‘real’ football club: Millwall FC, as they fight to win promotion and a taste of glory. Forget the glitz and the money of the Premier League – this is the low-down, dirty, true heart of football laid bare like rarely before. There’s more info here and you can read a sample below. It’s published on 5th January.

Win the chance to be in an Introducing book published next year!

Posted on 2011/12/06 in General, tagged as

Can you ‘Introduce’ a subject covered by a title from Icon’s cult Introducing series of graphic guides in 100 characters or less? To enter, tweet your ‘Introduction’ followed by the hashtag #beinabook and this link: http://tinyurl.com/bpal8od. (You can also submit via email to info@iconbooks.co.uk if you aren’t on Twitter). e.g. ‘Introducing Shakespeare: life’s sometimes tragic, sometimes comic, but almost always involves cross-dressing and confu… Read more »

‘A brave and altogether candid collection of verse from one of Britain’s finest news reporters’

Posted on 2011/12/05 in General, tagged as

David Marx reviews Martin Bell’s For Whom the Bell Tolls on his blog. ‘Like music, verse and poetry is one of the few mediums that can connect both immediately and succinctly – which so many of these poems clarify. From ‘Vukovar’ to ‘Holiday in Sarajevo,’ from ‘New Labour’ to ‘Absurdistan,’ For Whom The Bell Tolls is a brave and altogether candid collection of verse from one of Britain’s finest news reporters.’ Read the full review here and more… Read more »

‘The book reads with the pace of a political thriller’