Bloomsbury readies under wraps MI6 title

20.09.10 - Benedicte Page - The Bookseller



Bloomsbury is launching its history of the secret intelligence service, Keith Jeffery's M16, tomorrow (21st), as the book trade's high-profile start to the autumn looks set to continue.

A three-part serialisation of the heavily embargoed title commenced in the Times this weekend (Saturday 18th). Jeffery will be interviewed on BBC Radio 4's "Today" programme on Tuesday, before a full press conference to be attended by over 100 journalists and camera crews from 15 countries. Pre-recorded TV packages on the book will go out on breakfast, lunchtime and evening TV news programmes and Jeffery will write op-ed articles and give interviews.

Jeffery will be speaking at the Cabinet War Rooms on publication day and at events at Bletchley Park (21st November), The National Archives at Kew, Queen's University Belfast (23rd September), at Ely and Bath for Topping & Co, and at the Henley, Ilkley and Cheltenham Literary Festivals. Bloomsbury said the title would have in-store promotion in Waterstone's on publication and be in all the Christmas catalogues.

M16: The History of the Secret Intelligence Service 1909-1949 is described as an "unprecedented" study of the best-known intelligence organisation in the world. Jeffery, professor of British History at Queen's University, Belfast, had "full and unrestricted" access to MI6's closed archives. The campaign closely resembles that for Christopher Andrew's successful history of M15, published by Penguin last year.