Here’s one theme we haven’t seen yet in any of the “year in books” pieces. Though short-story collections rarely sell in big quantities, in 2009 a variety of collections enjoyed wide critical acclaim. For starters, this week’s Entertainment Weekly picks Daniyal Mueenuddin’s In Other Rooms, Other Wonders as their top work of fiction for the year. (Their No. 1 nonfiction pick is Dave Eggers’ Zeitoun; the rest of the list is in print only.) And New York Magazine’s just-published top 10 list (see below) puts Lydia Davis’s collection on top. On our own compilation list, pulling together over of 20 […]
Archives for December 2009
Bookselling: Up Close at Square Books; It's Over at Borders UK
Poets & Writers starts the new year with a new series of interviews with bookselling entrepreneurs, Inside Indie Bookstores. The first installment visits with Richard Howorth of Square Books: “It’s a very difficult business. But in many ways, I like the fact that it’s a difficult business. Otherwise, people who want to make money–by selling crap–would be trying to get into the book business. [Laughter.]” Looking to the digital reckoning, he says: “I think bookstores offer an experience to book consumers that is unique. To be able to go into a place physically, to experience a sensation that is the […]
eBookselling: Nook Certificate; Nook Upgrade?; Cool-er Adds OverDrive Titles
Consumerist reported on an e-mail sent to customers who ordered Barnes & Noble’s Nook in which the retailer reassures that they “are aiming for your order to leave the warehouse” in time to arrive December 24–and promising that if it doesn’t, a $100 BN.com gift certificate will be sent in its place. Spokesperson Mary Ellen Keating told the WSJ “there may be a very small percentage of customers who may not receive” their units in time for the holiday.Consumerist Also Engadget cites a reliable tipster who tells them that Nook will get its promised software update later this week. “The […]
People
Brant Janeway is leaving the ad sales team at The Daily Beast and returning to publishing, joining Macmillan Audio as marketing director. Among his publishing positions, he was director of advertising at Bantam Dell, where he also managed their podcast program. At Orbit Books, DongWon Song has been promoted to Editor, as Jennifer Flax moves up to assistant editor. At Scholastic Press, Jody Corbett has been promoted to associate editor and Erin Black has been promoted to assistant editor. Next March, Poets & Writers will present their annual Writers for Writers Awards to Junot Diaz, Maxine Hong Kingston and M.L. […]
More Lists
The Wall Street Journal reviewers’ nonfiction-focused top 10 “standout selections”: Baader-Meinhof, by Stefan Aust Cheever: A Life, by Blake BaileyThe Age of Reagan: The Conservative Counterrevolution, by Steven F. HaywardGallipoli, by Robin PriorThe Education of an American Dreamer, by Pete PetersonOpen: An Autobiography, by Andre AgassiThe Sellout, by Charles GasparinoLouisa May Alcott, by Harriet Reisen In fiction, they mention our consensus Best of the Best of novel, Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel, along with That Old Cape Magic, by Richard Russo Stephen King‘s top 10, for EW:1. THE LITTLE STRANGER, by Sarah Waters2. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, by Richard Yates3. HOLLYWOOD MOON, […]
It's Google's Turn Again: French Court Finds Infringement in Google Books; Preparing for Google Editions
French publisher La Martiniere’s Editions du Seuil unit, joined by the French Pulishers Association and authors groups, has prevailed in their copyright infringement suit against Google Books in France, where today a court found the search company “violated author copyright laws by fully reproducing and making [books] accessible on the site.” Google owes La Martiniere a 300,000 euro-fine (far less than the 15 million euro damages sought in the suit) and will pay a token one euro fine to the two associations, and was ordered to stop displaying copyrighted material by French publishers. Google attorney Benjamin du Chauffaut said they […]