Barnes & Noble closed a number of stores across the country at the end of the year, nearly all of them apparently due to lease expirations. The bookseller typically has a large number of leases up for renewal in any given year; they indicated in 2011 that 129 leases will expire and/or renew in 2012, and the company has shown a willingness to close locations where they believe the revised rent is unsustainable. Local news reports indicate that at least seven stores have closed in the following cities (we are awaiting confirmation from the company): Prescott, AZ Los Angeles, CA […]
Archives for January 2012
eNews: Apple Event in the Big Apple; Smashwords Updates
A small bit of information–Apple is expected to hold a press event in New York some time in January–has launched many columns of speculation. GoodeReader is confident that “sources close to the matter have told us that they intend on launching a new digital self-publishing platform to get peoples content into the iBookstore.” An unnamed TechCrunch source agrees that it “will focus on publishing and e-books.” Kara Swisher at AllThingsD simply says it will be “an important — but not large-scale — event to be held in New York at the end of this month that will focus on a […]
The Final Lists: The Best of the Best Books of 2011
The votes are all in, this year drawing on 47 sources in all, and we’re ready to declare our consensus Best of the Best Books of 2011 lists. Fiction dominates the overall top 10 this year, with novels claiming the first four spots, and Tea Obreht’s THE TIGER’S WIFE as the clear “book of the year.” As we did last year, we’ve listed the editors and agents involved in the books that made the final list. This time around, no editor was responsible for more than a single title, though two agents–Amanda Urban and Lynn Nesbit–represented two finalists each. It’s […]
People, Etc.: Walter Dean Myers Is New Ambassador for Kid’s Literature
Walter Dean Myers, 74, will be announced as the national ambassador for young people’s literature on Tuesday, succeeding Katherine Paterson in the position. The NYT says “the choice of Mr. Myers represents a departure from his predecessors and is likely to be seen as a bold statement. His books chronicle the lives of many urban teenagers, especially young, poor African-Americans. While his body of work includes poetry, nonfiction and the occasional cheerful picture book for children, its standout books offer themes aimed at young-adult readers: stories of teenagers in violent gangs, soldiers headed to Iraq and juvenile offenders imprisoned for […]
Corporate News: AllRecipes.com Bidders; Harper’s Building Sold; Qatar Boosts Lagardere Stake; and More
Random House is reportedly among the bidders for Reader’s Digest’s successful AllRecipes.com unit, as is Amazon, according to the NY Post, with the auction expected to end soon. Other bidders according to the report include Meredith, which had tried the acquire the property earlier, and Scripps Interactive, which owns the Food Network. NYP Also from Random House, the publisher notes that the week before Christmas, the Illinois Supreme Court dismissed a class action lawsuit against the publisher and former author Timothy Ferriss. The plaintiffs took issue with “bonus material” in THE 4-HOUR BODY that was originally accessible only with a […]