Authors Guild and the AAP, with no opposition from Google, have asked Judge Denny Chin to postpone the hearing scheduled for October 7 “so that the parties can (a) amend the Settlement Agreement and (b) seek approval of an amended settlement agreement.” They have asked the Judge for a “status conference” on November 6 instead, to “discuss the parties’ progress.” They confirm what was indicated in the Justice Department’s filing last Friday, saying “it is because the parties wish to work with the DOJ to the fullest extent possible…in negotiations in an effort to address and resolve the concerns expressed” […]
Archives for September 2009
Oddsmakers Favor Amos Oz for Nobel
The betting has begun on this year’s selection for the Literature prize (though bear in mind that bookie’s favorites rarely prevail). Ladbroke’s has Oz at 4/1; Algerian novelist Assia Djebar at 5/1; Juan Goytisolo at 6/1; Joyce Carol Oates and Philip Roth at 7/1; Syrian poet Adonis at 8/1; and Thomas PynchonItalian scholar Claudio Magris, Italian novelist Antonio Tabucchi and Haruki Murakami all at 9/1.Guardian
Briefs
* Barnes & Noble named Louise Penny‘s THE BRUTAL TELLING as their sixteenth “Recommends” program main selection. The pick also marks three in a row for publisher Voice (following August’s The Day the Falls Stood Still, by Cathy Marie Buchanan and July’s The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, by Katherine Howe), a first for any single imprint. * In the UK, The Bookseller reports that Nielsen BookScan data shows sales of almost 551,000 copies for Dan Brown’s THE LOST SYMBOL in the first five days on sale. * Writers Edwidge Danticat and Deborah Eisenberg and poet Heather McHugh are among […]
People
Niki Papadopoulos has been promoted to associate editor at Public Affairs, where she will acquire titles across the list. At HarperCollins, Tara Feehan has moved over to become business manager, technology and operations. She was in the corporate finance department for seven years. Yesterday we undercounted Stuart Applebaum‘s birthday bequests: the gift was $60,000 each to Everybody Wins! and First Book.
Justice Raises Google Settlement Questions, But Sees Path to Solutions
Last Friday night, the Department of Justice filed a brief with Judge Chin in the Google Books case that provided both critics and proponents of the settlement with reasons to be happy. Justice asked the court to “reject the proposed settlement in its current form and encourage the parties to continue negotiations to modify it so as to comply with Rule 23 and the copyright and antitrust laws.” At the same time, the department noted repeatedly its understanding, as reported recently, that the parties “are continuing to consider possible modifications to address the many concerns raised by various commenters and […]
Lunch Weekly for Monday, September 21
Deal Reports Just e-mail to deals@PublishersMarketplace if you aren’t using the online form linked below. Report a deal using the online form The Key As usual, the handy key to our Lunch deal categories. While all reports are always welcome, those that include a category will generally receive a higher listing when it comes time to put them all together. “nice deal” $1 – $49,000 “very nice deal” $50,000 – $99,000 “good deal” $100,000 – $250,000 “significant deal” $251,000 – $499,000 “major deal” $500,000 and up FICTION Debut Meg Mitchell Moore’s THE ARRIVALS, set in Vermont, about three siblings […]