Joel Simons
Joel Simons, Executive Publisher of Antidote, has nearly 20 years' experience publishing bestselling and conversation-shaping non-fiction, working across independent presses, start-ups, and global publishing houses. His list spans narrative non-fiction, politics and current affairs, memoir, history, popular culture, technology, and smart thinking, with a focus on books that combine commercial ambition with cultural impact. His authors include Rory Carroll, Maureen Callahan, Douglas Murray, Maggie Haberman, Owen Matthews, David Goldblatt, Bob Mortimer, Adam Buxton, Paul Whitehouse, Charlie Higson and Map Men. At Antidote Books, Joel is publishing the next generation of essential non-fiction — original thinking, distinctive voices and stories that reveal something new about the world we live in. Books that are beautifully made, widely read, and built to last.
Three books that have stuck with me:
The Adversary by Emmanuel Carrere — A devastating book about deception, identity and the stories we construct for ourselves. Brilliantly told and utterly terrifying.
Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe — The gold standard of non fiction: incredible research, first class storytelling and a book that genuinely moved the dial on its subject.
The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch — I could name five or six books by the same author, but this one has stayed with me the longest: endlessly clever, psychologically rich and, above all, hugely entertaining.
Something people are always surprised to learn about me:
I once played (and beat!) Boris Becker at table tennis.
If you could instantly become an expert in one thing, what would it be:
Playing the drums! I had a bit of a midlife crisis moment during lockdown and bought a drum kit. I’m bloody terrible and would love to be really good!