Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
19th Edition
With a Foreword by Susie Dent, Countdown’s lexicographer (Channel 4 TV)
Published by Chambers Harrap Publishers
Edited by etymologist Susie Dent, the new 19th edition of Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable contains an intriguing supplement of Brewer’s Gems – facts, fables and curiosities from Brewer’s collections of the past. Its pages brim with esoteric and entertaining entries – everything from curious customs to intriguing expressions; bird life; popular beliefs & superstitions; the murky world of newspapers (no offence intended); and political alliances of yesteryear – all seen through the distinctive Brewer’s lens.
The challenge
The least I can say is that it wasn’t an obvious media-fit!
The solution
Think carefully about all the angles of interest to the wide public. Ask Susie Dent, well-known in her own field, to support me with the PR by writing articles and giving interviews.
The result
Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable was reviewed widely across the national media: newspapers, magazines, radio and digital. The Financial Times was among the newspapers who announced it in its news pages. Current affairs monthly Prospect run a long article by Susie Dent. Beyond the ‘usual suspects’ including the TLS and the London Review of Books with which I set up a Twitter competition; even well-known lifestyle magazines such as The Lady and Woman’s Weekly covered the Dictionary.