Bookbuyer's
Bookend
A post-script on the Thomson pantomime was promised, and here it is. The recent press release put out by Thomson's head office, and then withdrawn, and then put out again with, practically no change, was meant to inform us 0. the appointment of an heir apparent to George Rainbird, head of the book publishing interests since 1970. It was not too surprising to hear that Mr Rainbird was thinking of calling it a daYWhat was surprising was Mr Rainbird's choice of a successor — Robin Denniston, once ca Hodder and, for hardly any time at all, dePutV chairman to Sir George Weidenfeld. As a commissioning editor Denniston's record iS excellent; he is perhaps the best commercial hardback editor in Britain. But his appointment to head Thomson's book empire — an adminis; trative post if ever there was — has an unusua' logic. Life must have been pretty miserable at Weidenfelds. Meanwhile what of young Edmund Fisher: managing director of Thomson's michae! Joseph subsidiary and for so long the butt 0! Fleet Street wit and sarcasm? Mr Fisher is note the world's greatest editor; his knowledge 0`, production could be improved; his mods, utterance two years ago that "all bookseller! ought to be shot" would indicate that he is nol over-equipped to be a salesman; nor, for tha, matter, a public relations man — though he nail drink with the best of them. Yet for all that, he has been a thoroughly effective managt_," director of Michael Joseph, a profitable f without benefit of educational, technical or children's book lists to help it out. If Mr Fish:S has proved anything at all, it is that he is a go publishing businessman. Why then did George Rainbird once Edmund Fisher's greatest champion — ignore bi,!, former protege for the top administrative Io?' Not only ignore him, but deliver a sharp Poke in the teeth, by also making Robin Dennistl chairman of Michael Joseph over Fisher's hea Had Edinund Fisher, not one to mince words, spoken too loudly and too often about the 'NI Thomson's book division ought to be run? Ha. he incurred Rainbird's wrath by backing tli'c's ill-fated Tony Cheetham in the Sphere Bnc, debacle? Had Fisher's bad press — superfictialv sometimes unfair, but repititious
proved too embarrassing for George Rairlt"`:" We may never know, for the almighty moves In
mysterious ways. heen At any event Fisher can hardly have overpleased with the turn taken by last mont",,, events. Indeed, if Bookend's sources are con'ec.; he was rather angry. For a week there vie,`,A threats of resignation, and Fisher finally a8re,75 to accept a seat on the Thomson Publicaths board. And that, for the time being anywaY' ' that. Well, not quite that. There was allot-hi eorf outspoken voice in the Thomson camp, Nelson's managing director, Robert Cross v'r"rs like Fisher, has four useful administrative yea behind him. In the midst of all these goings 57d he was sacked. But that, as Johnny Morris a to say, is another story,
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