About Us

Discript has been working with household-name authors since 1989. We have been closely involved with other literary publishers, writers, translators and illustrators to produce books that are widely distributed and win prizes. It has been our pleasure to work with authors who have won the Nobel Prize for Literature and the Booker Prize.

Now as a small independent publisher we have our own imprint with five titles in 2021 with more in the pipeline. We commission titles and originate our own material for publication. Printed books are our products, with high production values, engaging designs and digital typography.

As independent publishers we look for books that corporate conglomerates will turn down: books by unknown authors or controversial subjects. We publish authors we believe in to create books that otherwise might never be seen. We hope this will be more engaging for our readers.

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Word Up!

anhedonia

Definition: a psychiatric term defined as 'inability to feel pleasure'.

Etymology: late 19th century: from French anhédonie.

Usage example: Without an interesting book to read, anhedonia set in.

Fishbourne Literary Festival

Discript are proud to have been involved in the Fishbourne Literary Festival in March 2018 and again in 2019. For our first year as participants we were delighted to invite novelists Margaret Drabble, Isabel Ashdown, Béatrice Crawford, and Adam Mars-Jones to speak at the event.

Recent titles

Contributors: Michael Carroll, Susan Hampshire, Astrid Hilne, Georgina Hunter-Jones, Kate Levey, Diana Melly, Katharine Schopflin, Edward Thorpe, Julia Williams, Jo Wreford, Richard Bates (ed.),Who Cares

photo of book Who Cares by Richard Bates.

What does it really mean to be a carer? When your spouse, parent, sibling or friend is ill, disabled or vulnerable, they may need help all day, every day. Will you give part of your time to be with them? How much will you sacrifice? Your home, family, friends? Your job, income, career? Is your commitment open-ended? Where do you draw the line? How much can you do for those you love?

In the UK an estimated 6.5 million adults are carers — 1 in 8 of the population. An estimated 13.6 million people are caring through the Covid-19 pandemic. Are carers 'volunteers', or do we rely on them? Without 'informal' carers would social care and the NHS cope or collapse?

A paperback book by carers illustrated with their photos.
Social issues and processes / Ageing / Society and culture / Social inclusion / Health care / Dementia care / Social care

ISBN 978‑1‑9163613‑4‑8 £9.95

Jane Manley, Mrs Trewhella's War

photo of book Mrs Trewhella's War by Jane Manley

Gertrude and Percy Trewhella, members of an English family long resident in Sicily, left their house in Taormina shortly before Italy entered the Second World War in 1940, hoping to join their daughters in England. Unfortunately they left their journey a little too late and only managed to reach Paris – just as the Germans were arriving. They spent most of the rest of the war as internees. Amazingly, Mrs Trewhella succeeded in keeping a diary throughout the difficulties and indignities to which she and her husband were subjected.

The courage and staunchness of the couple, who were by no means young, shine through her words and give a vivid picture of those years under the Occupation in France.

Social history

ISBN 978‑1‑9163613‑3‑1 £13.99

Laurence Haugh, A Thousand Best Tunes

photo of book A Thousand Best Tunes by Laurance Haugh

Many years of listening to Radio 2, in particular, helped Laurence Haugh to select the tunes for this book. He has selected for your listening pleasure the most memorable songs and tunes ever made, starting with 'Greensleeves' written by Henry VIII and ending with 'Nocturne' by Secret Garden. Lavishly illustrated with 52 original colour illustrations by Christopher Straker to match the tunes, this book, including as it does all styles of music, is the only one of its kind ever published.

Popular music

ISBN 978‑1‑9163613‑2‑4 £8.99

Shaggy Johnson Lane, Sticks & Stones & Gravy Bones

photo of book Sticks & Stones & Gravy Bones

"Life is great! I've come a long way since joining Greybeard and the Woman's household. Join me in meeting all the different types of dogs, some of whom have become my best mates — where I pee, they pee over it. You can't get a better endorsement of friendship than that."

Join Shaggy, his sister Chiquita and all his park mates, for their daily adventures. Enjoy their uncensored thoughts, shenanigans and tales of getting up to no good. With more than 30 images to illustrate how we manage our household and keep the staff happy.

Dog Humour

ISBN 978‑1‑9163613‑1‑7 £8.99

James London, One-Way Ticket to Ryde

photo of book One Way Ticket To Ryde by James London

Following the success of The Island Murders which topped the Waterstones best‑seller list for five weeks in 2018, One-Way Ticket to Ryde is another roller-coaster crime investigation by Detective Inspector Bruno Peach.

When Detective Inspector Bruno Peach's phone rings his calm weekend turns into a hunt for the identity of a dangerously elusive killer. Bruno's quest for the perpetrator of one gruesome murder at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway takes him all over the Island as well as to Oxford, London and Paris.

The story will appeal to fans of quality crime fiction, especially those who know the beautiful Isle of Wight. Buy this book at Waterstones.

ISBN 978‑1‑9163613‑0‑0 £8.99 paperback

Robert Sénécal, They Came They Saw They Were Conquered

photo of book They Came, They Saw, They Conquered by Robert Sénécal

A unique book about 'Rome as seen by British artists, writers and travellers over five centuries' consisting of 220,000 words and 112 images of vintage postcards and etchings, this book was edited and designed by Discript working closely with the author over a ten-year period.

Producing this quarter casebound edition of 352 colour pages, we realised the lifetime achievement of the author and publisher to create a handsome coffee-table book for art historians and Italophiles. Published in 2017 by Gatehouse Editions.

ISBN 978‑0‑9927342‑4‑4 £50.00 casebound

Alan Clark, Rory's Boys

The author sent us his manuscript as a Word file. We copy-edited it then recommended it to a publisher, Arcadia Books Ltd., who read the edited Word file and decided to publish it. Discript designed the book cover and found an economical lithographic printer. The book has received favourable reviews and sold well.

ISBN 978‑1‑906413‑88‑0 £7.99 paperback

Robert Sénécal (ed.), Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore - Visitors' book from 13 October 1870 to 12 May 1890

photo of book Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore - Visitor's Book

The editor asked Discript to reproduce photographic images of pages of a visitors' book in an Italian monastery, and design a four-colour cover. This is a book mainly of interest to historians, art historians and academics, so we produced a relatively small print run. Published in 2017 by Gatehouse Editions.

Discript Publishing