On Tuesday, the Penguin Press released all seven previous novels and one story collection by Thomas Pynchon in ebook editions for the first time. At least some of those titles–such as THE CRYING OF LOT 49–are still issued in print by other publishers (such as HarperCollins). The Penguin Press acquired the ebook rights in a deal with Pynchon’s agent Melanie Jackson.
Also newly available as ebooks are the early novels by the late Michael Crichton, including JURASSIC PARK and THE RISING SUN from Ballantine, and THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, CONGO, EATERS OF THE DEAD, THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY, SPHERE, THE TERMINAL MAN, and TRAVELS from Vintage. When Open Road first launched in fall 2009, Jane Friedman had said she was negotiating with the estate of Crichton (who was a close friend of hers) for rights.
And late last week Norton issued 16 books by Patricia Highsmith, including all five of her RIPLEY novels, in digital format, announcing the move with a new website and promotional video.
Following news of the State Department’s potential deal for thousands of Kindles, another government ereading request for information (not formal proposals) has come to light. The US Navy is looking for “information on how an interested contractor could provide an all-inclusive, expandable, and non-web-based ebook lending library.” While the service has provided a web-based digital lending library since 2005, they are now looking for solution for sailors at sea (both on surface ships and submarines), where a web-based system is not practical.