The AUSA Book Program went international last week with a visit to the London Book Fair. More than 25,000 publishing professionals gathered at the Olympia London on April 18-20 to learn, network, and make deals.

Hundreds of publishers, representing all sectors of the industry, exhibited at the fair. They came from across the globe, with many hailing from the United Kingdom. The UK has a strong tradition of military history publishing, and several of AUSA’s official partners are based there.

The Book Program met with established partners like Casemate Publishers, Osprey Publishing, and Amber Books to discuss current and future projects. The great collection of military publishers also provided the opportunity to explore new prospects for collaboration. Watch for future columns to see how these opportunities bear fruit.

The fair featured over 100 seminars across the three days, with sessions devoted to publishing trends, author information, and technology. Several sessions at the Literary Translation Centre were particularly informative given the Book Program’s work on the Foreign Military Studies series with the University Press of Kentucky.

The overseas visit also provided an opportunity to connect with other military organizations.

The National Army Museum is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of London. Their collections demonstrate the history of the British Army and show its connection to society from the British Civil Wars through the present day.

The Book Program traveled to Chelsea to meet with Dr. Matilda Greig, a historian and researcher at the museum. Greig is also one of the new managing editors at the British Journal for Military History, the scholarly journal of the British Commission for Military History. We discussed how the book program can be a resource for colleagues looking to publish new work.

The Defence Academy of the UK is a beautiful ride west of London in the town of Shrivenham. They provide higher education to all three branches of the British Armed Forces, as well as members of the government and international students.

Professor Niall Barr, the Head of the Defence Studies Department, provided a guided overview of the Joint Services Command and Staff College and other programs at the academy. We also discussed ways that AUSA and the Defence Academy can collaborate on publishing and programs.

To see the latest on those publications and programs, please visit https://www.ausa.org/books