The last couple of days have brought a number of prominent Best of 2011 lists. They include Salon’s top 10 (divided into separate nonfiction and fiction posts), Slate’s critics’ 17 favorite books, more short NPR lists, from Lynn Neary for book clubs , and “5 books that stick” from Heller McAlpin, and GQ’s best books. Here’s the full Washington Post top 10, to spare you the advertising video that will play as soon as you visit the link: Fiction 1Q84, Haruki Murakami An Atlas of Impossible Longing, Anuradha Roy State of Wonder, Ann Patchett Doc, Mary Doria Russell Once Upon a River, Bonnie Jo […]
Archives for December 2011
Earnings Suffer At Wiley, On “Slowdown In Education”
Wiley’s net income of $50.7 million was down over 5 percent in their fiscal second quarter, falling more than sales, which declined less than 1 percent, at $447 million. The company lowered their sales guidance for the year, from mid-single-digit growth to low-single-digit-growth, while keeping their earnings forecast the same. It’s “the slowdown in education [that] continued to weigh on overall results,” ceo Stephen Smith said in the release. On the reduced earnings, the company cited “technology spending to support investments in digital products and infrastructure and facility costs related to consolidation of operations.” The professional/trade division “continues to perform […]
DOJ Confirms to Congress They Are Looking at eBooks
While the Department of Justice has previously acknowledged that it’s antritust division has been looking at agency ebook pricing, yesterday a particular DOJ official went on the record for the first time. Acting antitrust chief Sharis Pozen told a Congressional committee at a hearing that “we are also investigating the electronic book industry, along with the European Commission and the states attorneys general,” quoted in the WSJ. Of course DOJ began an investigation into Apple’s practices in the market for digital music–where it actually is dominant–back in the spring of 2010. The Texas attorney general’s office has been looking at […]
BISG Issues Policy Recommendations On Digital Books and ISBNs
After almost two years of work, the Book Industry Study Group has issued a policy statement of recommended best practices in assigning ISBNs to ebooks and other digital products, “in order to reduce both confusion in the marketplace, and the possibility of errors.” In general, the focus is on three main factors in deciding how many ISBNs to use: content, format, and usage rights. Substantial content variations–like enhancements–create a work that should have its own unique ISBN. They also recommend one ISBN for each file format. So EPUB, Mobi and PDF versions should have separate ISBNs as well. Finally, they […]
Splitting Off McGraw-Hill Education Will Eliminate About 550 Jobs
McGraw-Hill issued a statement updating investors on their “growth and value plan” after the close of the market on Wednesday. As announced in September, the company is preparing to separate McGraw-Hill Education and McGraw-Hill Financial into two separate companies by the end of the 2012. At MH Education, they expect to eliminate approximately 10 percent of their workforce, or approximately 550 people (while noting that the “executive ranks” will be reduced by 20 percent). Most of the layoffs will occur this month, coming “by the end of the fourth quarter”–which is aligned with calendar year–though “some actions [are] expected to […]
Grand Central Pairs with Little Brown UK for Crime In Translation
Hachette divisions in the US and UK–Grand Central and Little Brown UK–are forming a transatlantic venture to publish crime, suspense and thrillers in translation. They will be part of the Grand Central line in the US, and in the UK will comprise a new imprint, Trapdoor. The partners intend to publish up to six books a year. Mitch Hoffman will run the effect from the US, and Sphere associate publisher Dan Mallory will oversee the UK side. The first announced title is Swedish authors Hjorth & Rosenfeldt’s DARK SECRETS, already sold in 16 territories, the first in a series featuring a psychological […]