Dear Mr Murray

To celebrate the 250th anniversary of John Murray, a sparkling anthology of letters from John Murray authors to their publisher

Attractively arranged, given ample context, and a diverting read

An entertaining picture of the day-to-day dealings between author and publisher over 250 years

Few if any names in publishing are as revered as John Murray . . . This book, compiled to celebrate the company's 250th anniversary is just a small sampling of that treasure trove . . . Whether angry, apologetic, wheedling or rude, the fondness and regard in which the Murrays were held by their correspondents shines through

Writers writing about books has always made for compelling reading. Writers writing about their own books in private correspondence to their publisher tends to produce a particular kind of letter. There is passion, conviction, fluency, doubt, deference, sometimes frustration and anger, maybe even gratitude. The letters in Dear Mr Murray . . . show these qualities and more . . . this collection brings [Murray's] salad days inexorably to life

As well as allowing us glimpses behind the public faces of some exalted authors, McClay has paid tribute here to a remarkable line whose shared name became synonymous with a sense of responsibility to their company, their authors and literature itself

David McClay is former senior curator of the John Murray Archive at the National Library of Scotland (2006-16) and now works at the University of Edinburgh. He is a trustee of Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott, and has been involved in numerous national and international exhibitions on Byron and other Romantic-era themes, on which subjects he also speaks and lecturers. A great letter enthusiast, David himself doesn't write as many letters as he should.