Government papers have proved an unlikely publishing success for Tim Coates, former Waterstones managing director. Coates has set up his own publishing imprint to expand on the sales of 49 uncovered editions published to date in conjunction with the Stationery Office (TSO).
The material is as dramatic and salacious as any modern bestseller; Coates's personal favorite, The Letters of Henry VIII, brings the intrigue of the 16th century to life. TSO has now given Coates carte blanche to use any of its 30,000 boxes of documents under license. Ten new titles will be out in the next year using U.S. sources as well.
Books of FBI reports on Marilyn Monroe and John Lennon will be published in October and look certain to be popular. The U.S. government reports Coates has used so far are accessible on the Internet, but needed editing to reveal "the story," he says. Midpoint distributes Coates's titles in the U.S.
