I sometimes have to seriously query the competence of my publisher. They had a couple of months notice of the radio play of Murder in Samarkand, but Amazon were out of stock before the broadcast even started and now are showing 5 to 9 days dispatch, while I can’t find the book at all on Waterstone’s website.
There would be a good chance that some of the 2 million people who heard the play, casually coming across the book in a bookshop, might buy a copy. But a lady just contacted me having been to five different London bookshops – before she found a copy in Foyles.
Craig
Bad marketing form indeed Craig.
There are a few copies of the book available on Ebay too, some of which are brand new.
People are still ordering from Amazon, despite the 5-9 day dispatch time. Your sales ranking has leapt from 2275 immediately before the broadcast to 367 today.
The Book Depository (www.bookdepository.com) has it listed for dispatch within 48 hrs. I’ve had good service from them with delivery to Canada; I’d imagine that UK delivery should be very good.
You know, I’ve been meaning and meaning to buy this thing, and just never seem to get around to it. Well, it’s done now. Sorry for the delay!
@martin,
Thanks for the link. Looks like a handy site.
MIS ordered. Look forward to reading it.
Looks like you are having a good week Craig. You seem to be getting quoted all over the place.
Theophrastus left this link on the thread about Sting you may not have noticed
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/lostinshowbiz/2010/feb/22/sting-uzbekistan
A really good article by Marina Hyde.
137 comments and not one of them supporting Sting
I had been meaning to buy a copy for ages, then, after reading some of your comments in advance of the broadcast I went and bought it from Amazon, er, about a week or so ago. Just before the rush, oh yes! Guess I’m partly to blame, then.
Foyles do a very good range of stethoscopes.
any media event is bound to boost demand, and this can be difficult to forecast accurately. I’d have thought your publisher might have done better, in this respect, but most people don’t mind waiting a bit for something they want. Like some others here I beat the rush. I think it was watching Craig’s testimony to the parliamentary committee on Human Rights that convinced me. I thought, what is going on with all this ‘extraordinary renditions’, complicity in torture, and why have we not had a public inquiry into all this? The book didn’t disappoint, and is well written.
To those who are going to have to wait a few days more for the book. I can assure you that it is worth it.
If you are in a hurry though, you may be able to find the American version of the book called ‘Dirty Diplomacy’. It seems to be the same book, but lacks the photos in the original.
I got my copy from the local library.
Easiest – it was in stock.
Getting it into a local library is a v good idea, especially for people who have the book already, or don’t have the dosh at the moment. In fact it is a great idea full stop. Will do.
As is ordering a copy from a bookshop anyway; if what this results in is a reprint.
I agree, libraries are a fine and splendid idea; and they still work, touch wood. And, yes – if you tell them about a book you’d like to read, they’ll get it for you. Fantastic setup.
I first read MiS from finding it in the local library. It was on a shelf labelled “History: USA”.
Great play..or documentary more like.
Very scary. But will any political party ever but any different.
My guess is that the only reason you have not been killed off in some way is that you are too high profile.
Is there any evidence of british citizens being victims of extra ordinary
rendition?
Thanks and I look forward to reading the book, Death in Samarkand.
Jane
Sorry to hear that Craig, we have stock of the hardback and paperback http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9781845962210/Murder-in-Samarkand
best
Kieron
MD The Book Depository
Chelmsford library has a copy. The computers gave a Dewey index number for it, but it wasn’t there and eventually I had to ask – it was on the Autobiography shelf.
Did you keep hassling them about it in the weeks up to broadcast ? Either you, or your agent needs to be persistent. In this chaotic economy a lot of people are overworked, they can’t keep tabs on everything.
another review:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2010/feb/22/saturday-play-murder-in-samarkand
I’ve just listened to the radio play and it is quite excellent. It faithfully brings to life the core parts of the book I read nearly a year ago.
Tony
I listened to the play. I found it able to keep my attention.
Normally I cannot stand radio four plays or stories. I prefer the documentaries, chat or panel shows.
So it was good to keep my attention.
It raised serious issues.
Great job. I hope Jack Straw enjoyed it.
The radio play for Murder in Samarkand is still available on the BBC i-Player for a few days. Even if you’ve already heard it, please play it again on the i-Player. That way it will remain one of the most popular shows and hopefully ensure that even more people will get to hear of Craig’s amazing true story. Cheers folks
Shame we can’t get this as a podcast. Back in the day, we’d have taped something like this, even if we had to set a timer for it. But with all this modern stuff, DAB and so on, we can’t do what was once simple and obviously more functional. Easily accessible technology everyone could understand.
Sometimes – as someone who makes their living from the most cutting edge IT – I do often wonder if we’ve gone backwards, yet happily paid through the nose as though we were making huge strides forward.
Craig, you have cheated your wife for a prostitute whom you call wife. You were fired for that. However, you are trying to gain cheap fame at the expense of defaming the country. I agree there human rights issues, but the fact that you don’t have credibility does more harm to country’s improvement.
Marat,
Still, better than being an Uzbek govt troll. What have you ever done to counter human rights abuses? – (serious question, expect an answer).
If adultery were a sackable offemce, I wonder how many people would be out of a job. Not even New Labour ever tried the “We sacked him for adultery” line.
Marat: you are the one lacking credibility here. If you had even a passing acquaintance with the facts of the case you would know your accusations are false. Is this really the best you can do?
Completely off topic but saw the BBC’s ‘Getting our Way’ prog about ethical foreign policy on i-player yesterday.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00r06j3/b00r063d/Getting_Our_Way_Values/
Craig was on it, briefly, with a contribution about the formation of the League of Nations.
Seemed a bit odd that the Beeb didn’t say, “Oh, while you’re here, do you mind having a quick chat about that business in Uzbekhistan?”
Arsalan, do gynaecologists need stethoscopes?