Books by Bob Clarke

From the broadsides of the sixteenth century to the broadsheets of the 19th century, taking in the Civil War newsbooks, the gutter press of the 18th century, the rise of the Sunday papers full of sex, sport and sensationalism, and the birth of the popular press, Bob Clarke describes the journey of the English newspaper from Grub Street to Fleet Street. It vividly portrays the way the news was reported, to provide a colourful, if often gruesome, picture of the social history of the past. Originally published in hardback at £60, the book is now revised and republished in paperback at a more accessible price. The Times Literary Supplement described it as 'A highly entertaining and informative introduction to English newspaper history.' And the Guardian said: 'This buoyant account... is larded with choice examples of 18th century journalism... there are stories of crimes and body-snatching... bilious political vituperation, macabrely precise accounts of some of the daily tragedies of life... it has a relish for its subject.'

Devizes is a typical bustling Wiltshire market town. Architecturally the town boasts a variety of buildings spanning almost a thousand years, and over 500 are currently listed. The town, located centrally in the county of Wiltshire, continues to thrive as a commercial hub despite losing the canal to industrial traffic and the railway by the mid-1960s. A range of industries have made Devizes their home, including Brown & May and Wadworth's, and there has been major development in and around town. This series of images - many not published before - has been drawn from the collection housed at the Wiltshire Museum. The museum is also the recipient of all profits made by this book.

Chapters cover canals and rivers, pubs, prominent properties, churches, the Kinver Light Railway and tourism. This attractive volume will evoke nostalgic memories for many people, and will give pleasure to residents and visitors alike.

The cheap warrens surrounding London's Grub Street were home to the newsbooks and other unlicensed publications that exploded onto the scene in the 1640s and 1650s, as fugitive printers lugged their presses from one garret to the next to stay a step ahead of the authorities.