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$1 million price tag for 'Freakonomics of sport'

15.04.08 Joel Rickett

HarperCollins US has paid nearly $1m for world rights in a "Freakonomics of sport" by British journalist Matthew Syed.

Over lunch on Friday agent Jonny Geller, m.d. of Curtis Brown's books division, sold the book idea to Claire Wachtel of HC US, who was publisher of the global bestseller Freakonomics. The deal was sealed by Sunday, with Syed appearing at the HarperCollins fair opening party at Home House.

Syed, a former table tennis champion, writes a Times column and was recently named as British sports feature writer of the year. His book will cover how gender, race, politics and genetics impact on sporting performance, drawing on scientific research but written with a quirky, humorous edge.

Geller said that it would dispel myths about sport, and look at the underlying causes of performance, both team and individual. "It’s very rare that a UK journalist goes for this much money – these deals are usually reserved for big name New York Times writers," he said.

Victoria Barnsley, c.e.o. of HC UK, said that HC would also publish the book in the UK. "It’s such a brilliant idea," she added. The book is pencilled in for 2010.

London Book Fair - Day Two

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