Proxy advisory firm Egan-Jones has recommended general support of management in the Barnes & Noble battle. They say “we have not seen a convincing strategy put forward by Yucaipa which would…put the company on a materially different pathleading to increased shareholder value.” And they are concerned about the angle raised by BN itself–that Yucaipa and Aletheia will be able to take control jointly if the poison pill is amended. (These proxy firms don’t seem imagine enough to entertain the prospect that the best way to fetch a good buyout price for BN shares is to pique chairman Len Riggio’s competiveness […]
Archives for September 2010
Officially Official: Oprah Picks Franzen’s FREEDOM
Introducing the already-known pick on this morning’s show, Oprah Winfrey told her audience that author Jonathan Franzen had sent a galley to her with a note–and the Winfrey in turn asked Franzen’s permission to select the book for her club. “We have a little history,” she said. Perhaps most importantly, Winfrey said this is not her final book club pick. She promised to “continue to pick books all season long” and said that even after the Oprah Winfrey Show finishes its run at the end of this season, she will continue her book club on the Oprah Network.” Publisher Farrar, […]
People, Etc.
Packager Downtown Bookworks has started publishing a line of children’s books and has signed with Simon & Schuster for sales, warehousing and distribution, effective immediately. Downtown Bookworks expects to issue 24 kids books annually, with their launch titles on the way this month. Colin Shepherd has been promoted to assistant editor at Twelve, which he joined in April 2008. At Westview Press, Anthony Wahl has been promoted to associate editorial director. The PEN Pinter Prize is being given to novelist and playwright Hanif Kureishi, who “courageously and irreverently speaks the truth about life in our multicultural world, beyond any platitudes […]
A Tablet A Day (At Least)
Samsung officially introduced their forthcoming Galaxy Tablet last night, but did not announce pricing. They do, however, have agreements with all four big US cell carriers (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile). They indicated earlier that Kobo will power their reader app and ebookstore. Motorola co-chief executive Sanjay Jha confirmed speculation that the company is working on an Android tablet of their own, hoping for a release “early next year.” Meanwhile, in reporting earnings recently, Best Buy ceo Brian Dunn “said internal estimates showed that the iPad had cannibalized sales from laptop PCs by as much as 50 percent,” the WSJ […]
Two Off the Beaten Path Stories: Myhrvold Delays, Ali Experiments
Former Microsoft CTO Nathan Myhrvold’s lavish self-published six-volume cookbook MODERNIST CUISINE, listing for $625, has been eagerly anticipated by some foodies. In a blog posting earlier this week, Myhrvold explained to customers and fans that publication has been delayed and they will miss this Christmas, now looking for a publication date of March 14. It turns out book publishing is more complicated than it looks. The fundamental work of “proofreading and correction 2,400 pages…has been taking longer than we expected to complete.” They have also had to work out the kinks in shipping 40 pounds worth of book without damage: […]
People, Etc.: Rizzo, NBA Honors, FT Shortlist, Sam Herman and More
Little, Brown executive director of publicity Heather Rizzo will leave the company on December 1 to become publicity and marketing director for the house’s author Michael Connelly. The publisher is searching for a new publicity director. At Harper UK, David Roth-Ey has been promoted to group digital director and publisher, overseeing digital strategy and all digital initiatives. At the National Book Awards ceremony on November 17, the National Book Foundation will give Tom Wolfe their “lifetime achievement” award for distinguished contribution to American letters and Sesame Workshop co-founder Joan Ganz Cooney will get their award for service to the literary […]