Book trails

The direction of travel is sometimes important.   Where was the lorry carrying 15 tonnes of Andrew Marr's book "The Making Of Modern Britain" actually heading when it overturned close to midnight last night ?   At best, we can gather that it was on the west-bound carriageway of the A4 in Theale.   Was it heading, perhaps, from printers Cox and Wyman in Reading, to the Amazon distribution centre in Swansea - or perhaps to one of the warehouses for remaindered works near Bristol ? Was the 15 tonnes made up of hardbacks or paperbacks - or both ?

The book, first published in October last year, is currently ranked 5,029 on Amazon, and is selling in hardback for £14.75, against a cover price of £25 (roughly 41% off).  The paperback is selling at £5.58, down 38% on a cover price of £8.99.

It's not the first time copies of Andrew Marr's works have been damaged. In March last year, all unsold copies of the preceding book, "A History of Modern Britain", were recalled to be pulped, after court action from Erin Pizzey.