Founded in Edinburgh in 1979, Literary Review attracts contributors who are irreverent, accomplished and amusing. It is a trusted independent source for reviews of new books in history, biography, politics, travel and fiction, and is renowned for its annual ‘Bad Sex in Fiction Awards’. It also has a monthly poetry competition with generous cash prizes.

Martin Amis said: "In Literary Review you find something that has almost vanished from the book pages: its contributors are actually interested in Literature."

The two trial issues, from August 2007 and December 2006, include: an interview with Philip Pullman; Andrew Roberts on Chamberlain; A C Grayling on Myths; Carole Angier on Günter Grass; David Gilmour on partition; Jane Ridley on the Age of Spinsters; Raymond Seitz on Roosevelt up the Amazon; Peter Washington on Joseph Conrad; plus articles from contributors including Michael Burleigh, Richard Overy, Blair Worden, Norman Stone, Paul Johnson, Max Egremont, Jane Gardam, Sam Leith, Hugh Massingberd, Joanna Kavenna ...