Publishing highlights
Dear Publishers and Editors, With The Complete 2008 Rights Guide now ready to be browsed, I should like to summarize the media attention and enumerate the prizes which PWN publications received during 2007 and 2008.
PWN’s major reference series, which has enjoyed tremendous popularity and now includes Religions of the World, Customs, Languages and Peoples of the World, Literature of the World, Polish Literature, Music of the World, Christianity: Saints, Monasteries, Sanctuaries was nominated for the EDUKACJA XXI Prize in the category of the best encyclopaedia, album, dictionary and lexicon.
Over 2008 and 2009, Polish Scientific Publishers PWN will also be broadening their list of thematic encyclopaedias, which shall see the publication of such works as World Geography and World History.
The Major Ideas Series in turn shall tackle World conflicts, threats and hazards, as well as contemporary thought.
2007 saw the release of The Great Biographies Series, which focused on providing the bios of World’s leading political, social and artistic figures. The series currently consists of four volumes and is about to be broadened in the near future.
PWN’s major 2008 release takes the form of ENCYCLOPAEDIA 2.0. INFORMATION OF THE NEW GENERATION. The totally new and original encyclopaedia was prepared by the PWN expert team on the basis of extensive market research which proved that PWN’s product would appeal to both grown ups and high-school students, who are used to using the internet instead of reference materials. The 2.0. encyclopaedia shall sport an attractive layout, which shall resemble an internet website. It shall also provide users with color-coded material, entries listed on the margins, full-color close-ups of the described processes. The entire publication shall go with a CD containing multimedia presentations, animations, charts, diagrams, movies and interactive material. To see a teaser of the publication, please click here: TEASER E 2.0.
To now focus on academic publications: PWN’s major bestseller in this area, The History of Physics. From Antiquity to the Present Day by professor Andrzej Kajetan Wróblewski won the EDUKACJA XXI Prize for THE BEST POPULAR SCIENCE TITLE of 2007! What is more, the publication was also named a highly readable academic title in the readers’ contest held at the National Academic Book Fair in Wroclaw. And, as we all know, no prize is more important for the author than the readers’ appreciation!
The History of Physics, which is currently being reviewed by major foreign publishing houses has also received the following media attention:
- The 1st Program of the Polish Radio shall be broadcasting an interview with Andrzej Kajetan Wroblewski, author of The History of Physics. From Antiquity to the Present Day.
- Review in Dziennik Daily Newspaper
- Review in Gazeta Wyborcza Daily Newspaper
- Review in Rzeczpospolita Daily Newspaper
- Review in Swiat Nauki Magazine
- Review in Wprost Weekly
- Review and interview with the author in the Student ABC Magazine
Should you be interested in receiving the text of the reviews, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I shall send you copies in Polish together with an accompanying English language translation.
Please also note that during the opening of the Conference of the European Society for the History of Science held in Krakow last September, Professor Wróblewski also gave a speech entitled ARE WE READY FOR COMMON HISTORY OF SCIENCE. The speech emphasizes the fact that the author is very objective in writing his History of Physics and objective in his approach to physics as a discipline.
The article offers a comparative discussion on various histories of physics published during the past century. Having analyzed four different “histories of physics” discussing about 500 to 700 physicists, the author finds that only 199 names can be found in each of those publications. This would mean that every one of those titles mentioned physicists that were the most popular in a given country and suited the authors’ concept and aim. Wroblewski’s History of Physics does not include nationality as a criterion in choosing which physicist should be mentioned and which one should be omitted. This way, the author provides us with an objective and true vision of the history of this beautiful discipline.
Should you like to receive a copy of this insightful article, please feel free to contact me.
PWN’s list of Prize winners and Prize nominees does not end here. Yet another highlight of 2007 takes the form of Games of the World. A PWN Encyclopedia. The publication won THE EDUKACJA XXI Prize for the most beautifully-crafted educational title. Describing the history, the rules, the background and the very origins of every possible game, the publication has sold numerous copies over a period of six months. With unique illustrations and division into games for the lonely, card games and group games, the publication shall be a gripping read for all recipients. Rights to the book were sold to the Czech Republic.
Vol. 1 of The History of Gardens. From Antiquity to the Baroque, published June 2007, shall on its part take you on a unique odyssey through the World’s most beautiful gardens. Never has there been a more engrossing publication on the history, the construction and transformations of the World’s best-known and the most frequently visited gardens. Vol. 2 of The History of Gardens. From the 18TH Century to Contemporary Times. tackling contemporary gardens and their inspiration shall be published in the summer of 2008.
The above titles have enjoyed tremendous interest and we heartily encourage you to take a closer look at those publications. Please also browse our Complete 2008 Rights Guide.
Should you be interested in obtaining reading copies please feel to contact our Foreign Rights Department at:
Mr. Tomasz Berezinski
Tomasz.Berezinski@pwn.com.pl
international@pwn.com.pl
ph. +48 (22) 69 54 180
fax: +48 (22) 69 54 288
best regards,
Polish Scientific Publishers PWN
Awarded with the PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR title in 2006 – the annual prize of the Literary Magazine BOOKS!
