Below is a video of Ben Twiston-Davies discussing the sculptures he made for the 20th
anniversay edtions of the Orion classics, specifically The Readerby Bernhard Schlink.
There have been many biographies of Stalin, but the court that surrounded him is untravelled ground. Simon Sebag Montefiore, acclaimed biographer of Catherine the Great's lover, prime minister and general Potemkin, has unearthed the vast underpinning that sustained Stalin. Not only ministers such as Molotov or secret service chiefs such as Beria, but men and women whose loyalty he trusted only until the next purge.
Celebrating Orion's 20th Anniversary in chronological order by original publication date are:
1992 The Copper Beech by Maeve Binchy The first novel published by Orion. A million copy seller from the world’s favourite storyteller. 1992 The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser Narrative
non-fiction from one of our leading historians. This ground-breaking
title is still the definitive book on the subject. 1993 The Black Ice by Michael Connelly The first Michael Connelly title published by Orion, showcasing our ability to build quality commercial crime brands. 1994 Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon The
original Horrid Henry book was the start of a massive multi-platform
entertainment brand demonstrating the breadth of our Children’s list. 1995 Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder A
publishing sensation which brought translated literary fiction to the
mass market and formed the kernel of the W&N literary fiction list. 1997 Black and Blue by Ian Rankin
Winner of the CWA Gold Dagger, this novel cemented Ian Rankin’s status as the gold standard of British crime. 1997 The Reader by Bernhard Schlink Translated
fiction which sold a million copies and became an award-winning film
release, bringing recent history into sharp and unforgettable focus. 2000 A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer The original Misery memoir, Dave Pelzer’s story was shocking and controversial and founded a genre. 2000 Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds Science fiction on the grandest and most commercial scale from Gollancz, redefining space opera for the new century. 2001 Tell No One by Harlan Coben
The event publication which made SUNDAY TIMES No.1 bestseller Harlan
Coben a household name and cemented Orion’s ability to create commercial
brands. 2003 Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore Winner of the Best History Book at the British Book Awards 2004, this narrative character-based history broke new ground. 2004 The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon A
massive million plus bestseller in the UK and one of the bestselling
books of all time in Spain – making translated fiction truly accessible. 2004 Himalaya by Michael Palin Selling
over half a million copies in hardback and staying at No.1 for 11
consecutive weeks, this is the book that proved Michael Palin was not
only a beloved television and film personality, he was a formidable
travel writer as well. 2004 Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver Selling
over half a million copies at the height of the Harry Potter years and
with massive rights sales internationally, this title is one of the
stars of our impressive Children’s list. 2005 Labyrinth by Kate Mosse A
huge SUNDAY TIMES No.1 bestseller, this engrossing ‘time-slip’ novel
combines brilliant storytelling and strong characters with a puzzle that
has obsessed men for centuries: the secret of the Grail. 2007 Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday Winner
of the PG Wodehouse Award, Torday is a unique and indefinable author
whose debut won him a substantial, dedicated fan base. 2008 No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay A
true must-read and a Richard and Judy favourite, this title announced
the arrival of an exciting new thriller bestseller from Orion. 2009 Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris The first True Blood TV tie-in novel showing the diversity and commercial potential of the Gollancz list. 2010 Life by Keith Richards This once-in-a-generation memoir of a true rock legend was a formidable No. 1 SUNDAY TIMES bestseller. 2011 The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht Winner
of the 2011 Orange Prize for Fiction, this debut novel has been almost
universally praised as a triumph of modern literature and introduced a
star of the future.
Simon Sebag Montefiore is a historian and writer. His books are international bestsellers, published in 27 languages. CATHERINE THE GREAT AND POTEMKIN (originally POTEMKIN: PRINCE OF PRINCES) was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson, Duff Cooper, and Marsh Biography Prizes. STALIN: THE COURT OF THE RED TSAR won the History Book of the Year Prize at the 2004 British Book Awards. YOUNG STALIN (published May 2007) is its companion and prequel. Born in 1965, Montefiore read History at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, novelist, and television presenter, he lives in London with his wife, the novelist Santa Montefiore, and their two children. He is now writing JERUSALEM: THE BIOGRAPHY, a fresh history of the Middle East.
