It's off Press!

New book number 9 for 2008, Telford Georges: A Legal Odyssey is off press and on its way to the warehouse. The latest in our Biography & Memoir collection, this book chronicles the life and career of an outstanding Commonwealth jurist.

Other new books published and available:

Aluminium Smelting
Kelsen in the Grenada Court
Atlantic Interactions
*Trinidad and Tobago Civil Proceedings Rules
The Political History of CARICOM
The Manley Memoirs
Practical Spanish Pronunciation
Business in BIM

* Published for and on behalf of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago - No stock on hand.

A cool launch

On Saturday May 10, the Blue Mountains provided the perfect backdrop to the official launch of the Natural History Society of Jamaica's Guide to the Blue and John Crow Mountains. The air was crisp and cool, the remarks and addresses were informative and enlightening, and the camaraderie evident as guests and IRP staff mingled and delighted in Strawberry Hill's wonderful views of the Mountains and sumptuous fare. Hopefully the Guide will bring more people, Jamaicans and visitors laike, to see another side of Jamaica.

What a Buzz!

The publication date for The Manley Memoirs is set for Monday May 26, 2008 and the pre-orders are coming in fast and furious following Beverley's appearance on TVJ's Profile with Ian Boyne and the serialization of the book in the Gleaner newspaper.

The book will be officially launched in Kingston on June 1, 2008, but Beverley will make her first public appearance at the Calabash Literary Festival in Treasure Beach, May 23-25. Signing events are also planned for Montego Bay, USA and the UK. Watch this space for further details.

Back from Bologna

We don't publish children's books but Ian Randle was invited to the Bologna Children's Bookfair at the beginning of April. The fair is host to over 1,300 exhibitors from 66 countries, all industry professionals - publishers, agents, TV & film producers, distributors, printers and illustrators.

Birthday visit

Longtime IRP author, colleague and friend, Professor Verene Shepherd, came to the office to talk business last week, but it was also her birthday so we treated her to lunch on the patio and dessert. She is pictured here being presented wiht her birthday cake by Elaine (sales).

Professor Shepherd is the author and/or collaborator of several now well established books on Caribbean history. These include:

• Caribbean Slavery in the Atlantic World
• Caribbean Freedom
• Questioning Creole
• Busha's Mistress Or Catherine the Fugitive: A Stirring Romance from the days of Slavery
• Working Slavery Pricing Freedom
• I Want to Disturb my Neighbour
• Trading Souls
• Saving Souls

She is presently working on Livestock, Sugar and Slavery which is due for publication in September 2008 and Engendering Caribbean History: Cross-Cultural Perspectives which is scheduled for publication in Spring 2009.

Why can't every day be Friday?

Elaine (sales), Shelly-Gail (production), Kaci (editorial) and Nils (warehouse)

Publishing, though enjoyable, is stressful business so last Friday some of the IRP gang celebrated the end of the work week with drinks - alcoholic of course!

Lisa (marketing), Latoya (sales) and Toni-Ann (production)

We were recognised

The Jamaica National Bicentenary Committee presented Ian Randle Publishers with a Gold Award for supporting the work of the committee during the bicentennial of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Trade in Africans. The award was presented by former Prime Minister of Jamaica PJ Patterson and accepted by Latoya West on behalf of IRP, at a ceremony on Sunday March 31, 2008.