A Publisher and His Friends Memoir and Correspondence of John Murray; with an Account of the Origin and Progress of the House, 1768-1843

"A Publisher and His Friends" by Samuel Smiles is a biography that shows the life and work of John Murray, an important publisher in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The story begins with Murray starting his publishing company in 1768, after he bought William Sandby’s business. It talks about his problems early on, like not having enough money, and how he talked with other famous people like writers and publishers. The letters in the book show Murray's goals, the problems he faced, and the important relationships he built. These relationships helped him make big contributions to books, assisting writers and starting well-known magazines like the "Edinburgh Review" and the "Quarterly Review".