A reprinted 1934 book going viral on BookTok sends an unequivocal message to publishers sitting on backlists and to publishers who still think the internet is the enemy of reading - The New Publishing Standard

First the history: Published originally in 1943, a puzzle book written by a crossword setter made headlines nine decades ago, but has since languished in obscurity.

Reprinted in 2019 by the crowdfund publisher Unbound, the re-released Cain's Jawbone ticked over gently until it was picked by TikTok's BookTok community.

For the many publisher who are still proudly wearing their 1990s blinkers and have convinced themselves the internet is undermining reading and the publishing industry, be aware of the following:

Unbound is a crowdfund publisher, meaning it operates on the internet encouraging booklovers to contribute cash so it can publish books mainstream publishers aren't too interested in.