Size matters

06.12.11 | John Blake

I have just found myself sandwiched between the great John le Carré and the revered historian Anthony Beevor . . . and I really don't know who was more surprised.

To my huge astonishment, cringing embarrassment and secret delight, I found myself in this extraordinary situation in the Evening Standard's annual list of the thousand­ most influential Londoners.

Nearly 50 publishing people made it into a section cutely labelled “Literati”. It is claimed that names were placed in no particular order, though the delightful Dame Gail Rebuck—described as “formidable but charming”—was named first . . .  and who could argue with that?

The giveaway, though, was the use of photographs, and their relative size. By far the biggest picture—spread over nearly two pages—was that of James Daunt, Waterstone's dashing new managing director. Certainly the attention is well deserved, for a huge part of every publisher's and author's well-being in 2012 will depend on whether or not he can transfer the magic of his six delightful Daunt's shops to the Waterstone's behemoth.
His shops have been an improbable success story, says the Standard, asking: “Can he compete with Amazon? Insisting price is not the only issue, he has ended ‘three for two', and is focusing on a more bespoke, local approach.”

Second in the huge picture stakes came our wonderful poet l­aureate Carol Ann Duffy. “The first female, self-proclaimed bisexual, Scottish poet laureate—and by far the most popular contemporary poet,” coos the Standard. “She has published poems about climate change, w.m.d.s and David Beckham (and says she is still waiting for him to send her a pair of boots he promised). Her new collection, The Bees, is perfectly diplomatic.”

Galloping in to a well-deserved third place—with a big picture of him sitting on a natty deckchair—is David Nicholls, whose glorious One Day has sold more than a million copies. It is a long time since I can recall a novel so polarising opinion. Me? I absolutely love it.

Thereafter the front runners were offered only postage-stamp sized photographs.
Marathon man Jamie Byng is described as “a smart operator”, though the Standard could not resist a nudge at the Julian Assange debacle. Hay Festival Director Peter Florence is reminded of the legend that he funded the first event using the winnings from a poker game. Carol Gascoigne, from Cornerstone, is pictured for her work with Sebastian Faulks, Robert Harris and Tony Blair. P D James is “still going strong”, which is a bit of a back-handed compliment, if you ask me, while Kate Mosse is honoured for championing women's writing with the wonderful Orange Prize.

I'm not sure how thrilled Sir Salman Rushdie will be to be reminded that he is “much-married and much-divorced” nor Tim Hely Hutchison for being “famous for championing trashy literature”.

But nobody—least of all me—can criticise the Standard for not being adventurous in its choices.

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