When Books Go Bad: Tales of Literary Feuds, Publishing Errors and Withering Reviews

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Alex Johnson

When Books Go Bad

Name: When Books Go Bad
Price: 29.99 AUD
Availability: PreOrder
ISBN: 9780712355834

Tales of Literary Feuds, Publishing Errors and Withering Reviews

Alex Johnson

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$29.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Miscellaneous
01 February 2026

Literature, Poetry & Criticism; Literature: history & criticism

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The literary world isn't all bestsellers, it is also a world of insults, physical blows, snide acknowledgements and publishing errors. Books are messy, personal things and writers have been grappling with them in the metaphorical mud for centuries.

Some writers have gone at each other in ink, while other bookish brawls are more literal. It usually ends in regret

or death. But books don't need authors to go bad. They get stolen, misprinted, censored, some are even cursed or bound in questionable materials.

When Books Go Bad is a rousing collection of publishing mishaps, its narrative twists and turns taking a light-hearted look at poor editing, poor judgement, and a whole range of bad behaviour.

By: Alex Johnson
Imprint: Miscellaneous
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 200mm, Width: 130mm,
ISBN: 9780712355834
ISBN 10: 0712355839
Pages: 176
Publication Date: 01 February 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Alex Johnson is the author of titles about art, music, shed, and books on books including for the British Library, A Book of Book Lists (2017), Edward Lear and the Pussycat: Famous Writers and Their Pets (2019), How to Give Your Child a Lifelong Love of Reading (2020), and The Book Lover's Almanac (2023).