Part of the Story

Celebrated as Britain’s youngest and first Black female publisher, Margaret Busby revolutionised literary London … Margaret’s writing, like her thinking, is incisive, unflinching, sharply funny and exact … In her prose and in person, Margaret neither shows off her expertise nor flaunts her achievements. Her lightness of presence is that of the consummate editor: fully focused and committed while working and thinking outwards. She understands the power of writing that is born out of personal imperative and framed by collective endeavour. She deflects attention and is quick to point out the activity going on around her, and the importance of sharing and passing on what you learn … Writing in 1985, she quoted her friend and fellow editor Toni Morrison, but could have been speaking for herself: “What I really want to do … is to make it possible for someone else to do the same things.” She has and she does and she will – Lavinia Greenlaw * Observer *
The record of one woman’s lifelong passion for the literature and life of Africa and its diaspora, wherever she finds it. A beautiful collection – Zadie Smith * Guardian, ‘What to read this summer’ *
Her elegantly written obituaries act as condensed histories of a wide selection of notable figures … This is a thrilling collection, amply demonstrating that Busby’s sensitivity and confidence as an editor were rooted in her own considerable literary ability * Times Literary Supplement *
Looking at the British (and indeed, international) literary world over the past half-century, it would be hard to find a more crucial or inspiring figure than publisher, critic, writer and activist Margaret Busby … Part of The Story is really a kind of extraordinary autobiography … Busby’s writing on others is personal, informed and generous. She gives us her heart within the pages, not to mention her wisdom and wit … Her own voice is glorious, allowing her erudition and strength to shine through. An important and wonderful book * Irish Times *
Credited with changing the world of publishing over the past half-century … Busby, the UK’s first Black woman publisher, did much to deliver new voices — from Africa, from the Caribbean and elsewhere — to the nation’s bookshelves and is cited as an inspiration by authors from Zadie Smith to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, as well as many small independent publishers keen to break new ground … A cultural flight recorder, illuminating a time before gender and race equality laws but also reviving some of the great voices and issues on both sides of the Atlantic, drawing in a cast ranging from Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison to Gil Scott-Heron and Paul Theroux * Financial Times, ‘Lunch with the FT’ *
This fascinating and simply fantastic book is a comprehensive record of Margaret Busby’s exceptional life story, unparalleled career and deep knowledge of black culture and literature, with many personal connections to the people who shaped it. It is an astonishing revelation to read of the myriad ways she has been at the centre of our culture through the ages - generously opening doors and changing the game through her work as a publisher and editor and providing ongoing cultural and literary context and advocacy through her writings in the media. A true trailblazer, we all walk in the deep imprints of her footsteps – Bernardine Evaristo
A very special work of non-fiction from one of publishing’s most iconic figures, Margaret Busby … From politics and publishing to her own childhood in Ghana and the circle of writers who surround her, this is an absolute 2026 highlight * Elle *
Margaret has been a cheerleader, instigator, organiser, defender and celebrator of black arts for the past 50 years, shouting about us from the rooftops, even back when few people cared to listen … We can because she did is a cliché but in Margaret’s case it is both true and no exaggeration. She helped change the landscape of both UK publishing and arts coverage and so many Black British artists owe her a debt. I know I do – Zadie Smith
In Part of The Story Margaret Busby quotes Victor Hugo on Ngugi Wa Thiong’o “There is nothing like a dream to create the future” but the quote could equally apply to Busby herself. She had the dream that created the future. She is one in a million, a pivotal figure in the literary world, a champion of the unheard, a fighter for literary excellence – Lemn Sissay OBE
Busby has shaped British cultural life for more than 50 years, from becoming the country’s first Black woman publisher to editing landmark anthologies that brought African and voices of the diaspora to the fore. Here she collects her own writings with reflections on politics, publishing and people, while recounting the experiences — childhood in Ghana, decades championing Black artists — that defined her life * Financial Times, ‘What to Read in 2026’ *

Margaret Busby (Nana Akua Ackon), CBE, Hon. FRSL, is a publisher, editor, writer, broadcaster, activist, and mentor. She has received numerous awards and honorary doctorates and has judged prestigious literary prizes, including the Booker. She has also served on the boards of organizations such as the Royal Literary Fund, Wasafiri magazine, Tomorrow’s Warriors, the Africa Centre in London, and the Caine Prize. In 2023, she was appointed President of English PEN.

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