Studio Notes

From a speakeasy basement in 1920s New York to a marble-and-brass editorial fortress in Berkeley Square, Reader’s Digest defined 20th-century publishing. I began my career at their London offices in 1979, and watched as the world’s most widely read magazine rose, thrived, and slowly faded. This is a story about illustrated books, prize draws, fine art, forgotten founders, and a publishing ethos that might just deserve a second look in today’s AI era.

What happens when a publisher decides the creator of a book no longer matters? When authorship becomes an inconvenience and branding takes centre stage? This article explores why the corporate strategy of erasing origin stories is not just ethically questionable—it’s commercially short-sighted. Books aren't toothpaste. And readers, as it turns out, have very long memories.

The business of books in Britain has transformed dramatically from the 1970s to today. The UK publishing industry of the 1970s would hardly recognise itself in 2025. Back then, cigarette smoke filled offices in London’s West End handled typewritten manuscripts delivered by post to a business dominated by gentlemanly agreements and a fixed book price system.

The Beano and Why Comics Matter Comics have long been the secret weapon of children’s literacy - visual storytelling that hooks reluctant readers, fuels imagination, and delivers complex ideas with clarity and humour. For me, The Beano was not just a comic; it was a portal to mayhem!

Why are publishers rewriting Roald Dahl instead of commissioning new authors? In a world where even the Roman army wasn’t just white and italian, isn’t it time to stop recycling the past and start publishing the future?

"Make America Great Again."Simple. Punchy. Repetitive, like a nursery rhyme or a drumbeat. But pause for a moment - just a moment - and ask:When exactly was America great?And, more importantly:

Donald Trump is at it again. Again.This time, he’s furious that Amazon might (note: might) have dared to show American shoppers how much his tariffs are adding to their bills.How very dare they!

Today, The Great Gatsby is enshrined as the Great American Novel. It's not just literature - it’s a cultural metronome, ticking through the decades with unnerving relevance. Every generation rediscovers Gatsby, and in doing so, sees itself reflected in the mirrored surface of Jay Gatsby’s champagne-soaked lifestyle.

In 1919, as tensions exploded in Amritsar, a young Sikh barrister rode into a furious crowd on horseback to stop the violence. Educated in Dublin during Ireland’s rebellion, Gurdial Singh Salariya risked everything to prevent bloodshed—then was erased from history. This is the forgotten story of a man who stood between empires.

The 1993 Commercial Agents (Council Problems withDirective) Regulations (CARs) were introduced to bring UK law into compliance with the EEC.

Specialised jargon and acronyms have become deeply embedded in business communication, evolving as industries and technologies advance.

People who work with children aren't usually considered to be less skilful than those who do the same work with adults, so why is it the...

D'ARCY SARDONE 24 Jan 2024 The Hitchcockian Twist in David Salariya's Darkly Humorous World ir The Hitchcockian Twist in David Salariya's...