Books Ireland closes

Qualitymark

Terrible news - Books Ireland, which has reviewed and showcased Irish-published books for the last 38 years, has closed after the Arts Council withdrew its funding.
This means most Irish publishers now have no source of reviews, as the newspapers have virtually all dropped their review sections.

MagicMarker

Never heard of it tbh.

Qualitymark

That's because you're not a writer or publisher tbh.

MagicMarker

Qualitymark wrote: »

That's because you're not a writer or publisher tbh.

Says a lot really.

Qualitymark

MagicMarker wrote: »

Says a lot really.

It does! It says that this is a specialist magazine read by its interest group. Its purpose is to review Irish-published books. As such, it's the only forum for most Irish writers and publishers, and gives news of their publications to bookshops, as well as being available internationally to its subscriber base in the book industry.

Toby Take a Bow

It does seem strange that what was essentially a trade magazine was getting so much in 'arts' funding. Even when I was working in the book trade it was rarely looked at, and that's including the 'boom' time. Regardless, it's no surprise that something like that, which couldn't have been particularly well-read years ago, is going belly-up now, especially as there doesn't seem to have been any attempt to change itself for a changing market.

Qualitymark wrote: »

This means most Irish publishers now have no source of reviews, as the newspapers have virtually all dropped their review sections.

As in reviews to quote on their books?

Wordwell

Interesting to read all the comments about Books Ireland. Wordwell Ltd (publishers of History Ireland and Archaeology Ireland) are pleased to say that we are taking over publication and that the magazine will be out again in the early Spring. We plan to build on what was done well in the past and add some new thinking of our own.

Qualitymark

Oh, that's great news!

HenryCrun

Wonderful news, indeed. I've been a subscriber for many years as Books Ireland provided a good overview of Irish book production with helpful reviews, not always easy to come by in the Netherlands.

Wordwell

Glad you like it Henry, we will do our best to continue on to a high standard.

Banneret

That's pretty bad that it closed, but to be honest I never heard of them.

Qualitymark

I never heard of you either, Banneret, but I'd be sad if you closed, to be honest.

Banneret

Qualitymark wrote: »

I never heard of you either, Banneret, but I'd be sad if you closed, to be honest.

Nay

Donne

If they're gone for good, and I hope not!, it's a bloody pity!

On an other account could anyone tell me whether the "London Review of Books" is better or worse than 'The New York Review of Books' ?

And if so how?

Qualitymark

Donne wrote: »

If they're gone for good, and I hope not!, it's a bloody pity!

On an other account could anyone tell me whether the "London Review of Books" is better or worse than 'The New York Review of Books' ?

And if so how?

See above. The History Ireland crowd are taking over Books Ireland, so it'll continue to be published.

LRB and NYRB are both available online, and you can take a look and see which you'd rather subscribe to. As far as I remember, they share a good few articles. I find NYRB too long-winded for me; Americans can't write a feature without writing a novel.

http://www.lrb.co.uk
http://www.nybooks.com

You might also like the Paris Review

http://www.theparisreview.org

Wordwell

Hi

LRB and the Literary Review both excellent but the second not available on line as far as I know