Aaron Greenspan dispatched a letter to Ben Mezrich’s publishers asserting approximately 25 alleged similarities between Mezrich’s new book THE ACCIDENTAL BILLIONAIRES and Greenspan’s self-published AUTHORITAS: One Student’s Harvard Admissions and the Founding of the Facebook Era. Greenspan says “he may seek a court injunction,” but at the least he wants attention–“not only to what he called copyright infringement, but also to what Greenspan says is mischaracterization and embellishment of the story behind the founding of Facebook,” the Boston Globe writes. Doubleday says in a statement, “Greenspan’s chief complaint seems to be that Ben Mezrich does not endorse his view that […]
Archives for August 2009
Colleagues Say Cheney's Book Will Air His Disagreements with Bush
The Washington Post’s Barton Gellman runs a high-profile story based on friends and colleagues of former Vice President Dick Cheney who indicate his forthcoming memoir (not expected for publication until 2011) will have plenty of tales to tell. One story has Cheney upset that President Bush developed a mind of his own in his second term: “Cheney’s disappointment with the former president surfaced recently in one of the informal conversations he is holding to discuss the book with authors, diplomats, policy experts and past colleagues. “‘In the second term, he felt Bush was moving away from him,’ said a participant […]
Proposed or Forthcoming
The WSJ reports that recently-free journalist Laura Ling is teaming with her sister, Oprah Winfrey Show correspondent Lisa Ling, for a book proposal “hat will examine the meaning of sisterhood and journalistic ideals. The issue of Laura Ling’s captivity will be discussed, but in a larger context.” They are represented by Suzanne Gluck at William Morris Endeavor.WSJ blog Separately, USA Today has more details on the Michael Jackson coffee table book deal approved the judge overseeing the pop star’s estate. High-end publisher Kraken Opus says they had been negotiating a book deal with Jackson prior to his death and Jackson’s […]
People
Jesse Finkelstein has joined Douglas & McIntyre as digital assets and foreign rights director. She had been associate publisher of Raincoast Books.
Bookselling
Independent bookstore Frog Hollow Books in downtown Halifax, Canada is closing shortly after 25 years in business. CBC In Germany, leading bookselling chain Thalia reported a same-store sales increase of 0.8 percent.PublishingPerspectives
The BN Deal A Day Later
Barnes & Noble chairman Len Riggio filed follow-up documents with the SEC that provide further details about the $250 million in owner financing he is providing the bookseller as part of their purchase of privately-held BN College. The loan is broken into two classes of notes: The first, for $100 million, is payable on December 15, 2010 and earns Riggion interest of 8 percent a year; the second, for $150 million, comes due five years after the purchase closes and pays a healthy 10 percent a year in interest. Meanwhile on the stock market, after jumping almost 20 percent after […]