Letter: A novel riposte

CONTRARY TO your report ("London Book Fair takes on Frankfurt", 4 April), Irish publishers have attended the London Fair since the early days. However, they certainly do get a more interested reception nowadays than before. I remember watching one of our number in the early 1980s trying to sell rights to a British publisher. After a polite but cool reception the Irishman returned his manuscript (an early Maeve Binchy, perhaps, or Roddy Doyle) to his briefcase and walked away. "Who was that?" I heard the British publisher being asked. "I don't know," she replied. "Some Irish nut."

TONY FARMAR

Dublin, Ireland