What do you think?
Rate this book
Ithaca
In the early years of the twenty-first century,sweeping changes are taking place in the publishing industry and its key players must do everything they can in order to survive. Litmus, an independent literary publishing firm in the UK, is one of the companies struggling to keep afloat. The onus of ensuring that it remains viable falls upon its publisher,Zachariah Thomas,who also edits its most successful author, Massimo Seppi, whose quartet of novels, featuring angels and archangels, has sold millions of copies worldwide.Unfortunately for Zach and for Litmus, Seppi dies unexpectedly; without its star it appears that Litmus's chances of surviving the economic downturn and the unwanted attentions of a giant corporation that is intent on taking it over are practically non-existent. Unless Zach can mine the Seppi legacy for one last gem that will give the company some breathing room to regroup and chart out a strategy for the future ... As he travels the world on his quest to stave off the disaster that threatens, the reader is given an unforgettable glimpse into the turbulent, exhilarating world of international publishing - a world that has rarely featured in fiction. In the early years of the twenty-first century,sweeping changes are taking place in the publishing industry and its key players must do everything they can in order to survive. Litmus, an independent literary publishing firm in the UK, is one of the companies struggling to keep afloat. The onus of ensuring that it remains viable falls upon its publisher,Zachariah Thomas,who also edits its most successful author, Massimo Seppi, whose quartet of novels, featuring angels and archangels, has sold millions of copies worldwide.Unfortunately for Zach and for Litmus, Seppi dies unexpectedly; without its star it appears that Litmus's chances of surviving the economic downturn and the unwanted attentions of a giant corporation that is intent on taking it over are practically non-existent. Unless Zach can mine the Seppi legacy for one last gem that will give the company some breathing room to regroup and chart out a strategy for the future ... As he travels the world on his quest to stave off the disaster that threatens, the reader is given an unforgettable glimpse into the turbulent, exhilarating world of international publishing - a world that has rarely featured in fiction.
- GenresFiction
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 11, 2011
1 person is currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
David Davidar
16 books200 followersDavid Davidar is an author and publisher. He was educated at Madras (now Chennai) and Harvard University (where he obtained a diploma in publishing). In 1985, while still in his mid-twenties, he became one of the founding members of Penguin in India, where he edited or published authors like Kiran Desai, Arundhati Roy, Vikram Seth, Vikram Chandra, Rohinton Mistry, and Salman Rushdie.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 23, 2013
One of the most fast paced books i have read recently. Probably one very well written. Especially the characterization is superb. Whats interesting is through the potrayelof a publishers life a meaning has been provided for each of our lives.
Definitely a must read for everyone.! :)
Definitely a must read for everyone.! :)
July 23, 2012
I confess to mixed motives for reading this one. My first motive was to see what Davidar, a publisher and accomplished novelist (see book: [House of Blue Mangos] would write following the debacle described here. My second motive was a simple attraction to the theme of Ithaca - an analytical but loving series of observations on the accomplishments and ultimate challenges facing the publishing and retail book industries. The main character is a publisher (check); from India (check); surrounded by beautiful women (check) and facing numerous challenges from takeover enthusiasts, drunken authors, angry editors, book agnostic financiers (check, check, check and check). Despite all these temptations Davidar refuses to place his protagonist in any situation of sexual harassment, which is all to the good. What readers (who are in the end dependent on these supply chains fed by authors and publishers) are treated to is an inside look at the insidiously complicated world of publishing, all leavened by Davidar's knowledge that all of this is in itself fed by our desire for stories.
Davidar captures the tension of an editorial meeting:
Reflects on the possible future of the bookstore:
And the joy of books:
All this is intertwined with a dramatic story of the types of people involved in this industry, the tensions and the effect on their home lives. Some might quibble that some passages are overly didactic but the reality in important for readers to understand and the few passages of opinion are lightened by the very sympathetic protagonist.
Davidar captures the tension of an editorial meeting:
He looks around the boardroom table at the chairman, at Gabrijela, at Olive, and at the two external directors present, and realizes they are not the enemy, they are as concerned about the future as he is and not just because of the looming threat of a takeover by Globish. It is because as the world of publishing spins on its axis, once, twice, three times, a hundred, they have no idea of what it will take to survive and thrive in a world that they do not recognize and do not have the skills to manage. Apple. Amazon. Google. Digital content. DRM. Ereaders. Pricing models. Royalty rates. Marketing to consumers. Readers who would like content for free. Writers who must produce a strange hybrid that is part text, part music, part moving pictures with multiple endings and enough carny tricks to satisfy the semi-literate reader … These are just some of the things they will need to take in their stride, see as opportunities rather than death blows, and given the publishing traditions that have shaped them it would be astonishing if they didn’t feel threatened. As they dance, dance on the knife-edge of survival, they know everything they do will only be pushing the day of reckoning a little further into the future. Is it any wonder that the majority want to cut and run?
Reflects on the possible future of the bookstore:
There is a view, a minority view to be sure but one that is gaining ground, which holds that even though independent bookshops may be an endangered species, they will rise again in the not too distant future, when online bookstores become omnipresent. At this time, the theory goes, the powerful book retail chains, which are already in decline, will no longer be able to compete on price, product range, and cost, and will wither and die. This will clear the way for the resurgence of independent bookstores with carefully picked stock and knowledgeable staff. They will become a haven for book lovers as they will be able to provide the only thing the online booksellers cannot – the human touch in the form of great indie booksellers whom the community of book people in every neighbourhood will support and celebrate for their taste and insight. As Apoorva and he settle down to some serious browsing at The Book Shop in Jor Bagh, Zach hopes that this prognostication is not just wishful thinking.
And the joy of books:
Ramesh’s apartment is a temple to books. Although the complex he lives in is no different from any of the other shoddy construction projects executed by a government authority in the seventies and eighties, with sloping floors, uneven walls, and leaky ceilings, he has transformed it with expensive floor-to-ceiling bookshelves made of teak and well-lit glass-fronted cabinets that hold his greatest treasures, signed first editions of practically every book of consequence published in India, and memorabilia presented to him by the numerous authors and publishers he counts among his friends. Besides those that have been shelved, books litter every surface in the apartment – piles totter on the large colourful dhurrie on the living room floor, there is a stack on the telephone table, another one on the coffee table, and Zach has no doubt there will be more in the apartment’s loos, bedrooms, kitchen, and balconies.
All this is intertwined with a dramatic story of the types of people involved in this industry, the tensions and the effect on their home lives. Some might quibble that some passages are overly didactic but the reality in important for readers to understand and the few passages of opinion are lightened by the very sympathetic protagonist.
November 17, 2024
As a reader, I'd be lying if i wasn't curious about what happens behind the scenes in the publishing industry, I'd be wrong. I'm curious about how ideas are born and become the books we sniff up in hours. Reading the dynamics from David Davidar's perspective as an insider to the industry that's full of creativity but also marked by cutthroat competition and ethical dilemmas.
Zachariah Thomas, is a middle-aged half Indian in the UK, a once-successful publisher trying to save his struggling firm while dealing with personal struggles. There's nothing fancy about the plot. It's simple like every other person's story balancing work-life dynamics and about making it bigger.
What stands out is how Davidar balances a love for books with the industry's harsh realities - the tension between art and commerce, with publishers caught between bringing quality literature to the world and staying financially afloat.
The book was written in 2011, and there's talk about books going digital and ebooks taking over physical books. And then to be living at this age when the future predictions made a decade ago is finally come to a pass.
The book is also a love letter to classic literature. The many references added depth and while adding 'hah' moments of relatibility. Davidar’s own experience in publishing brings authenticity to the whole book and allows some behind-the-scenes perspective on the business of books.
Ithaca is both a celebration of literature and a reflection on the compromises that sometimes need to be made for it to thrive. A great book for readers but falls short in comparison to The House of Blue Mangoes.
Zachariah Thomas, is a middle-aged half Indian in the UK, a once-successful publisher trying to save his struggling firm while dealing with personal struggles. There's nothing fancy about the plot. It's simple like every other person's story balancing work-life dynamics and about making it bigger.
What stands out is how Davidar balances a love for books with the industry's harsh realities - the tension between art and commerce, with publishers caught between bringing quality literature to the world and staying financially afloat.
The book was written in 2011, and there's talk about books going digital and ebooks taking over physical books. And then to be living at this age when the future predictions made a decade ago is finally come to a pass.
The book is also a love letter to classic literature. The many references added depth and while adding 'hah' moments of relatibility. Davidar’s own experience in publishing brings authenticity to the whole book and allows some behind-the-scenes perspective on the business of books.
Ithaca is both a celebration of literature and a reflection on the compromises that sometimes need to be made for it to thrive. A great book for readers but falls short in comparison to The House of Blue Mangoes.
July 21, 2012
There isn't much of a plot here, and for most parts I found the book to be descriptive rather than narrative. The story tell us about a phase in the life of a hot-shot publisher working with a niche publishing company. Due to his efforts the company is able to sign on an author who has been written off as an 'also-ran'. But then the author comes up with a gem of a fantasy series, which ensures that the company manages to sail out of its financial difficulties. however, due to some circumstances, the company is acquired by a larger Top 7 publishing company. In all this, the protagonist travels multiple countries, undergoes emotional upheavals, and finally realises the simple truth- we all just have to live out our lives, and there is precious little that a person can 'plan' for. The journey of life just needs to made.
As I mentioned, there isn't much of a story or a moral to be derived from the story. The only silver lining for this book is that it is informative about the world of publishing, and the ever-changing dynamics of the publishing business. To that extent, the book is satisfying. But, the overly simple plot (or the lack thereof) and the curious style of writing (exceedingly long sentences and frequent and recurring exchange between the past-tense and present-tense) leaves something more to be desired; especially given the fact that the author himself has been a professional publisher, as well as a previously published author of a relatively well-received book. Hence the average rating.
As I mentioned, there isn't much of a story or a moral to be derived from the story. The only silver lining for this book is that it is informative about the world of publishing, and the ever-changing dynamics of the publishing business. To that extent, the book is satisfying. But, the overly simple plot (or the lack thereof) and the curious style of writing (exceedingly long sentences and frequent and recurring exchange between the past-tense and present-tense) leaves something more to be desired; especially given the fact that the author himself has been a professional publisher, as well as a previously published author of a relatively well-received book. Hence the average rating.
February 5, 2016
Though 'Ithaca' doesn't have a strong or a gripping story line, I'm grateful for having read this for the single reason that it educated me on the workings of the publishing industry worldwide. No book will just be a book to me henceforth. Unpublished manuscripts, agents, advances, editors, CEOs, balance sheets, sales forecasts, retailer margins and shareholders will all come to my mind each time a book stares back at me from a shelf.
Davidar brings his personal experience in the publishing arena and has managed to write an engaging and breezy book with some interesting anecdotes sprinkled across. Two memorable ones relate to the contribution of Rushdie to Indian writing (his use of Indian words without bothering to put them in italics) and the efforts taken to publish Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy' - its printing on the pages akin to the ones seen in a typical Bible, the round the clock work carried out in the then crumbling office of Penguin India in Delhi's Nehru Place etc.
Davidar brings his personal experience in the publishing arena and has managed to write an engaging and breezy book with some interesting anecdotes sprinkled across. Two memorable ones relate to the contribution of Rushdie to Indian writing (his use of Indian words without bothering to put them in italics) and the efforts taken to publish Vikram Seth's 'A Suitable Boy' - its printing on the pages akin to the ones seen in a typical Bible, the round the clock work carried out in the then crumbling office of Penguin India in Delhi's Nehru Place etc.
June 27, 2022
House of Blue Mangoes set an expectation which remains sadly unsurpassed or even met in David Davidar's subsequent books .. Solitude of Emperors became tedious in its preachy obvious-ness about secularism, fundamentalism and the the like.. He continues his downward slide with this semi-autographical book based unsurprisingly in the Publishing world. But Instead of offering rare insights due to his own first-hand knowledge and experience, the book instead charts the often boring course of a aging publisher and the ups and downs in his professional and personal life. Both aspects are presented without much introspection, wit or candor... you get the impression half way through, that the author is not terribly interested in either of his two worlds ... well, neither was I after the first few pages.
May 30, 2015
Wonderful read, that too after a long long time. Basically an insider's take on the global publishing scene. Insightful for all budding writers and in fact anyone who likes to read really good stuff. Thanks, Harsh, for recommending this book to me!
February 18, 2013
Brilliant publishers don't necessarily make good writers.
July 4, 2021
#200
My 200th read and the fastest book that I read in years. Took just 3 days.
The is fluid. It takes to the backstage of the literary world. How a great is found and how it brings to the readers.
I find some of the parts are unnecessary (Thimpu) but they set the tone of the book. By the end of the book, it takes a different tone.
Another issue with the book is the cover page. It doesn't actually reflect the tone of the book. It gives a kind of thriller(which the book is for few pages at the end) but the major part of the book is about lifestyle and the struggle of people behind a good book.
My 200th read and the fastest book that I read in years. Took just 3 days.
The is fluid. It takes to the backstage of the literary world. How a great is found and how it brings to the readers.
I find some of the parts are unnecessary (Thimpu) but they set the tone of the book. By the end of the book, it takes a different tone.
Another issue with the book is the cover page. It doesn't actually reflect the tone of the book. It gives a kind of thriller(which the book is for few pages at the end) but the major part of the book is about lifestyle and the struggle of people behind a good book.
January 14, 2018
Its a really gripping novel. A journey through publishing business. A great read for those who like to know about the publishing world. the end was little sad but that's life. The book stands to prove that its journey that matters and not the destination.
April 26, 2014
I was intrigued by this novel which sheds bare the myths of the publishing industry, written by a giant from within its ranks.
The principal character, Zach, closely resembling the author in his Indo-Anglo roots, is trying to save his beleaguered publishing house from extinction when its solo best-selling author dies without another book in queue. Zach goes on a hunt around the major book buying cities of the world in search of a final manuscript of the reclusive author that is supposedly lurking somewhere. I got the sense that Davidar was using this vehicle to revisit his own travels around the world and to reminisce about past highpoints, like the Frankfurt Book Fair. The novel starts slow and is told in a traditional story-telling format, developing into an exciting finale that is believable in light of recent events that have taken place in this close-knit industry. What most interested me were the insights that Davidar tosses in liberally:
1) The best chance a writer has is with her debut novel. The work does not have a dispiriting track record to weigh it down.
2) What it takes to excite a publisher: get him reading non-stop. Take him out to a world he didn’t know existed. (I wonder whether that’s why fantasy literature has made such a strong comeback!)
3) The world changed after retailers gained access to accurate sales data.
4) No one knows what books are going to succeed in the marketplace. Business cases are doctored to acquire a desired work. Income statements are buried once the returns start to come in. (This is no different with any large corporate enterprise where the focus is on the current financial year; past performance is history as they say.)
5) No one edits manuscripts anymore; you just tidy them up for production.
6) “To sink into the voice of a great writer and come up with a faithful but new creation” – a translator’s dream.
7) “The whores go on holiday during the Frankfurt Book Fair, because the publishing folks are fucking each other.” – (talk of an incestuous industry!)
8) The Frankfurt Book Fair is a place where only the VIEW (Very Important Eminent Writers) are tolerated.
9) The “editorial meeting” shows how the writer has absolutely no control of his destiny.
10) Formats, delivery and pricing may change but the role for the curator of content will always prevail.
The last point is Davidar’s claim to the publisher’s continued existence in a changing world. Despite the internet democratizing writing and making everyone a potential writer, he holds out for the middleman who needs to provide order to the flow of literature.
The final Ithaca chapter came out of nowhere and did not seem to fit, and like the journeys of Ulysses, I wonder whether Davidar was justifying the return to his homeland, India, as the best option for him and his hero Zach; a publisher’s dream place – to establish himself in what is soon to be (if not already) the largest book reading nation in the world.
The principal character, Zach, closely resembling the author in his Indo-Anglo roots, is trying to save his beleaguered publishing house from extinction when its solo best-selling author dies without another book in queue. Zach goes on a hunt around the major book buying cities of the world in search of a final manuscript of the reclusive author that is supposedly lurking somewhere. I got the sense that Davidar was using this vehicle to revisit his own travels around the world and to reminisce about past highpoints, like the Frankfurt Book Fair. The novel starts slow and is told in a traditional story-telling format, developing into an exciting finale that is believable in light of recent events that have taken place in this close-knit industry. What most interested me were the insights that Davidar tosses in liberally:
1) The best chance a writer has is with her debut novel. The work does not have a dispiriting track record to weigh it down.
2) What it takes to excite a publisher: get him reading non-stop. Take him out to a world he didn’t know existed. (I wonder whether that’s why fantasy literature has made such a strong comeback!)
3) The world changed after retailers gained access to accurate sales data.
4) No one knows what books are going to succeed in the marketplace. Business cases are doctored to acquire a desired work. Income statements are buried once the returns start to come in. (This is no different with any large corporate enterprise where the focus is on the current financial year; past performance is history as they say.)
5) No one edits manuscripts anymore; you just tidy them up for production.
6) “To sink into the voice of a great writer and come up with a faithful but new creation” – a translator’s dream.
7) “The whores go on holiday during the Frankfurt Book Fair, because the publishing folks are fucking each other.” – (talk of an incestuous industry!)
8) The Frankfurt Book Fair is a place where only the VIEW (Very Important Eminent Writers) are tolerated.
9) The “editorial meeting” shows how the writer has absolutely no control of his destiny.
10) Formats, delivery and pricing may change but the role for the curator of content will always prevail.
The last point is Davidar’s claim to the publisher’s continued existence in a changing world. Despite the internet democratizing writing and making everyone a potential writer, he holds out for the middleman who needs to provide order to the flow of literature.
The final Ithaca chapter came out of nowhere and did not seem to fit, and like the journeys of Ulysses, I wonder whether Davidar was justifying the return to his homeland, India, as the best option for him and his hero Zach; a publisher’s dream place – to establish himself in what is soon to be (if not already) the largest book reading nation in the world.
January 23, 2012
Ithaca is an insight into the world of the publishing industry..and being authored by the chief editor of Penguin, it kinda "I assume" stays true to the stuff happening behind the scenes w.r.t the treatment of books and authors.
Overall, it kinda drags in the middle...liked the overall write-up, really kind of throws light onto one of the industries and the back-stage stuff that happens..all the deals, negotiations, the way authors are treated...and all the politics and strategies of publishing.
One interesting thing is that the book talks about a couple of real-life book/authors and a summary of their books as well within the flow of the book.:-)
It was a fast read and managed to finish it off pretty quickly. Not very detailed though as its a mix of personal-professional life, so its like David Davidar created a story to be woven around the "life of book publishing" to make it interesting.
Overall, it kinda drags in the middle...liked the overall write-up, really kind of throws light onto one of the industries and the back-stage stuff that happens..all the deals, negotiations, the way authors are treated...and all the politics and strategies of publishing.
One interesting thing is that the book talks about a couple of real-life book/authors and a summary of their books as well within the flow of the book.:-)
It was a fast read and managed to finish it off pretty quickly. Not very detailed though as its a mix of personal-professional life, so its like David Davidar created a story to be woven around the "life of book publishing" to make it interesting.
August 6, 2013
Well, this book is really quite a departure from the 'one family through generations' epic that House of Blue Mangoes was. It feels more relaxed and comfortable, like a story the author really wanted to tell, one he felt close to as opposed to the somewhat forced exoticism of his debut (I haven't read the second one so can't comment).
Ithaca is quite a fascinating look into what goes on behind the scenes in the publishing industry. It is not something that I knew too much about and I really enjoyed a look into the dynamics of it from the eyes of an industry insider.
The plot itself is quite simple- a middle aged half Indian half English publisher working in a small company trying to weather changes in his personal and professional life. Nothing too earth shattering.But it's written in this comfortable, slightly slow paced style that makes it a perfect Sunday afternoon read.
Its one of those books that give you a nice satisfied feeling when you're done.
Ithaca is quite a fascinating look into what goes on behind the scenes in the publishing industry. It is not something that I knew too much about and I really enjoyed a look into the dynamics of it from the eyes of an industry insider.
The plot itself is quite simple- a middle aged half Indian half English publisher working in a small company trying to weather changes in his personal and professional life. Nothing too earth shattering.But it's written in this comfortable, slightly slow paced style that makes it a perfect Sunday afternoon read.
Its one of those books that give you a nice satisfied feeling when you're done.
January 17, 2014
I can understand why this book doesn't seem to have worked for a lot of people, but I picked it up to read at exactly the right time for it to have made a huge impact on me.
I'm an aspiring writer, but the main thing that has held me back from my dream all these years is my odd phobia of publishers. This book is about the trials and tribulations of a publisher whose company is struggling financially as he searches for the Next Big Thing, and I found it completely captivating. Who'da thunk... publishers are human beings! They are lovers of literature who want to publish good books! Weird that I thought otherwise, I know, but there it is. This book has opened my eyes to the troubles and the joys of both sides of the author/publisher equation, and I greatly enjoyed every page of it. Now I feel as though it's time I dive on into the waters myself.
I'm an aspiring writer, but the main thing that has held me back from my dream all these years is my odd phobia of publishers. This book is about the trials and tribulations of a publisher whose company is struggling financially as he searches for the Next Big Thing, and I found it completely captivating. Who'da thunk... publishers are human beings! They are lovers of literature who want to publish good books! Weird that I thought otherwise, I know, but there it is. This book has opened my eyes to the troubles and the joys of both sides of the author/publisher equation, and I greatly enjoyed every page of it. Now I feel as though it's time I dive on into the waters myself.
May 20, 2015
I have always wanted to read Davidar and I am glad this is the first one I picked up. While this book might not be everyone's cup of tea, for an ardent lover of the craft of writing like me, it was amazing. Getting to know the world of editing and publishing through the eyes of a publisher, the excitement of finding that one special book, the thought that goes into polishing it and moulding it into a form that people will love, everything had me captivated. While Davidar's storytelling is more descriptive than narrative, it made for wonderful reading. While I wouldn't recommend this to everyone, would certainly say it's a wonderful read for anyone who's an aspiring writer or ever a pet time scribbler. Pick it up... Who knows? You just might love it...
February 4, 2016
If you are interested in the book publishing industry, then you will get more than enough behind the scenes info. A sympathetic portrait of one man's struggle to find that special book that grabs the world, ensuring he can maintain his exciting position as publisher, and find the satisfying personal life that seems to be eluding him. The language is sometimes pedantic and, as knowledgeable as the industry information is, it tends to bog down the story in spots. Good read and the Canadian content is nice to see.
May 27, 2015
Read only and only if you want a loosely wrapped story in the world of publishing the author knows well. It seems like a book written between writing two better, bigger books. I loved Davidar's House of Blue Mangoes, but this one just disappoints.
You're told about people, their motivations and their background before they do anything, so the cardinal sin of telling rather than showing is committed repeatedly. Beh.
Read only because I lend you my copy.
You're told about people, their motivations and their background before they do anything, so the cardinal sin of telling rather than showing is committed repeatedly. Beh.
Read only because I lend you my copy.
January 17, 2012
Although the first few pages were confusing, the novel itself is a fascinating peek into the publishing world. Zach, the protagonist, is well thought out with his personal problems and his all consuming search at work for that best seller of the year. Lots of book titles and authors included.
August 8, 2013
Face-paced writing which makes it easy to read but it ends with a ramble. I didn't much connect with reasoning for such a choice for a title.
It is as if David Davidar has dwelled in his own publishing life for the 'material' of this book.
It is as if David Davidar has dwelled in his own publishing life for the 'material' of this book.
January 18, 2012
I might even give it 4.5
2nd in the around the world series I am doing, I am gonna count this one for UK ;)
2nd in the around the world series I am doing, I am gonna count this one for UK ;)
March 4, 2012
Extremely riveting. A peep into the dynamic world of publishing.
My rating : 4.5/5
My rating : 4.5/5
Read
April 19, 2012good writing style, quick read, but in retrospect, not much of a script
davidar's themes tend to sagas, epics, and this one does too
davidar's themes tend to sagas, epics, and this one does too
May 25, 2012
Quite an absorbing glimpse into the frenetic, fast-changing world of publishing
December 11, 2012
Like to read again.
March 10, 2014
brilliant book, brilliant story telling..
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews