Revolutions from Grub Street
A History of Magazine Publishing in Britain
Howard Cox and Simon Mowatt
Reviews and Awards
"Media histories often barely acknowledge magazines...Cox and Mowatt's book fills the aching gap." -- Tony Quinn, Financial Times
"A fine book. Broad in its coverage and rich in detail. This impressive mapping of the complicated dynamics of a plurality of titles across the industry complements previous studies of magazines themselves." -- Times Literary Supplement
"The authors combine their extensive research into business archives with an impressive knowledge of company reports, trade journals, and the fragmented academic literature to produce a history full of facts, figures, and rich detail. This volume will surely be a much-consulted reference work for scholars in the area for years to come the first proper history of the UKs magazine sector. Anyone interested in the history of publishing, print culture, or the media will find much of value here." -- Adrian Bingham, Economic History Review
"Cox and Mowatt present an excellent history of the business of magazine publishing in this monograph, which fills a significant gap in the existing literature on publishing in Britain...The history of magazine publishing in Britain is a fascinating tale that is captured very well in this text: not only is this an interesting history in itself but this is crucial reading for any historian who might turn to contemporary magazines as a source." -- David Camplin, History
"This compelling study of the evolution of consumer magazine publishing is a milestone in business and economic history. Charting the evolution of the industry in Britain from its 17th century origins through to the digital age, this well-researched book provides new perspectives on the links between the strategies of leading publishing firms and the imperatives of technological progress and social change. By focusing on the business dynamics and structures, the authors should be congratulated on providing a refreshingly new perspective on an industry which has shaped markets and cultural attitudes." --Geoffrey Jones, Isidor Straus Professor of Business History, Harvard Business School
"From tidbits in the 19th century to OK! in the 21st, mass-circulation consumer magazines have been a remarkably durable feature of the publishing scene, surviving far better than newspapers the periodic upheavals in technology and in distribution methods. Yet as new entry has become easier the structure of the industry, and the identity of the leading players, has been anything but stable. By describing in interesting detail how competitive forces have played out in this market, and providing a lively account of the role played by individual entrepreneurs, Cox and Mowatt have made a notable contribution to an under-researched aspect of British publishing history." --Geoffrey Owen, former editor of the Financial Times
"A fascinating and long overdue account of the behind-the-scenes dynamics and changing business models of the UK magazine industry over the last 300 years. Any serious student of this key sector in the UK creative economy should read this book." --Barry McIlheney, CEO, Professional Publishers Association (PPA)
"A magisterial account of the industry. Well-researched and packed with insight, the book casts new light on the magazine... [An] important-perhaps even paradigm-shifting-contribution to the field" --James Mussell, University of Leeds, Sharpnews
"Even those who rarely pick up a magazine will find this new work a fascinating read. It has clearly been painstakingly researched, yet avoids the trap of providing so much detail that the narrative gets bogged down or becomes dull. Revolutions from Grub Street adds to the body of knowledge on business history... and makes an important contribution to our understanding of economic and social history" --Australian Economic History Review
"An especially interesting part of the book deals with a major innovation in the use of advertising as a source of revenue. The authors show how Conde Nast, the famous publisher of Vogue, succeeded in making target advertising the main source of revenue for his magazines. Two important arguments of the book, the drive for profit and the importance of female readers, eloquently blend together here." -- Thomas Smits, Tijdschrift voor tijdschriftsudies
"This monograph is the first comprehensive corporate and economic history of British magazine publishers with an emphasis on those publishers for consumer magazines. The concisely and articulately written survey spans the period from the local origins of British magazine publishing in London's Grub Street of the 17th century right into the globalised and digitised 21st century." -- Gerulf Hirt, H-NET
"Revolutions from Grub Street is a thoroughly researched history of the British consumer magazine industry that is also highly readable...a useful resource for undergraduate or graduate classes in magazine journalism, media management, and media history. But it is also a worthwhile read for anyone interested in business history in general, or in an entertaining overview of a fascinating industry." -- Fiona McQuarrie, University of the Fraser Valley, Canada, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly