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News 10 December 2004
Mainstream
is delighted to be publishing RING OF HATE, The
Brown Bomber and Hitler's Hero - Joe Louis v Max Schmeling and
the Bitter Propaganda War by Patrick Myler. We announced the acquisition
at Frankfurt and have had so much interest we have brought publication
forward to March 2005.
On 22 June 1938, in a world on the brink of war, the world heavyweight boxing championship between Joe Louis and Max Schmeling took on a deep nationalistic, racial and political significance. It was projected as America vs. Germany, black man against white, a showdown between the flag bearers of democracy and totalitarianism. It was over in three minutes. German radio pulled the broadcast from the air as its outclassed hero screamed out in agony from a body punch. When war broke out the following year, both men donned the uniforms of their countries' armed services. But while Sergeant Louis was primarily used to bolster troops' morale by making personal appearances, Schmeling, disowned by the Nazis after his defeat, was inducted as a private in a parachute regiment and largely forgotten about. Post war, the rivals paths took distinctly different, and unexpected turns. While Louis, financially crippled by reckless spending gradually slipped into a world of drugs, paranoia and physical disability, Schmeling, despite losing everything in the war, showed keen business acumen to become a rich man. When in 1954 Schmeling visited the US, he called on his old rival. They embraced warmly and became life long friends.
- This is a story of two of boxing's great champions and of how common respect between two remarkable sportsmen ultimately prevailed over the legacy of hate
- If he survives Max Schmeling will be 100 years old on 28 September 2005. Even now he is the longest living former world champion in history. He lives near Hamburg.
- Patrick Myler is a writer and boxing historian. He has written four books on the sport, including the Sunday Times listed bestseller GENTLEMAN JIM CORBETT which was included in top American writer Thomas Hauser's list of 'best boxing books'.
Mainstream is delighted to have acquired world rights. An edited manuscript is now available. If you would like to be posted or e-mailed a copy please contact Fiona.brownlee@mainstreampublishing.com specifying how you would prefer to receive it.
Other
rights news includes the sale of MR NASTY to Media
Lazar Kornelia Lazar in Poland and 
RONALDO to
Ulisseia in Portugal. MR NASTY has now been sold to four countries.
Previous sales include Random House in Australia; Greystone Books
in Canada and Tirion in Holland. RONALDO by James Mosley will be
published in the UK in Autumn 2005. If you are interested in seeing the manuscript please contact Fiona.brownlee@mainstreampublishing.com.
TERROR
TRACKER by Neil Doyle continues to generate newspaper
headlines; this time he's bagged page four of the Sun, Britain's
best-selling daily newspaper.
The paper focussed on a section in the book that tells how Prince Charles was once targeted by a female suicide bomber on an overseas tour. It reveals how a British spy had infiltrated the terrorist group and saved the Prince's life by feeding the attackers with false information about his movements. World rights, excluding Australia and India, are still available.
Time
for a tenuous film link, which takes FIGHTING IRISH out
of the boxing sections and into the glitz of Hollywood.
Russell Crowe will play the fighter known as Cinderella who merits a chapter in the book in the forthcoming movie 'Cinderella Man'. In addition to Russell Crowe the cast includes Renée Zellweger, Craig Bierko, Paul Giamatti and Paddy Consadine. The film will be released by Universal Pictures in Spring 2005.
The Mainstream Sales Conference will take place at The Cumberland in Edinburgh on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd December culminating in the staff Christmas lunch / night of debauchery.
If any Spring 2005 authors have any interesting anecdotes, confirmed
press coverage or anniversary tie ins relating to their book which
might help to grab a bookseller's attention could they please notify graeme.blaikie@mainstreampublishing.com so
that it can be mentioned at the Sales Conference.
And Finally...
Brian Mears was due to do a signing of CHELSEA: THE 100 YEAR HISTORY at his local bookshop in Fulham but has just received a call cancelling it because all their copies have been stolen!