US District Court Judge Richard Sullivan in New York’s Southern District handed down a serious unequivocable judgment last Friday that came to light on April Fool’s Day: ReDigi’s resale of “used” iTunes music files was copyright infringement pure and simple, and plaintiff Capitol Records was granted summary judgment. While the case was brought over music files, the opinion would seem to clearly apply to all other similar digital goods (including ebooks, as well as video, games and software). Judge Sullivan’s opinion is rendered is clear, generally non-technical language: “Courts have not previously addressed whether the unauthorized transfer of a digital […]
Archives for April 2013
People, Etc.
The new controlling owners of the Agatha Christie estate have signed with William Morris Endeavor for exclusive representation of all facets of the estate, “expanding its reach across television, film and digital media.” Acorn Productions acquired the 64 percent stake in Agatha Christie Ltd that had been owned by Chorion in February 2012, calling it “the most important deal in the company’s history.” The Agatha Christie family owns the remaining 36 percent. Christie’s literary works include over 80 novels and short story collections and 19 plays, which they say continue to sell at a rate of over three million books per year […]
The Price of Goodreads
The details of Amazon’s planned purchase of Goodreads were not revealed officially (though they are likely to be disclosed in a quarterly SEC filing after the deal closes). For now the most credible information comes from multiple WSJ reporters. First Kara Swisher reported on Friday that “Amazon paid about $150 million…but that number could close in on $200 million, if certain performance metrics are met…. I am still trying to determine how much of the deal was cash — most of it, said sources — and how much was stock.” Then two more WSJ reporters posted that “Amazon will pay […]
April Bookseller Picks
Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life* is Amazon’s April spotlight pick, also featured on B&N’s books of the month and sharing April Indie Next No. 1 honors. As with Amazon’s “featured debut,” Helene Wecker’s The Golem and the Jinni, you can start reading excerpts of both right now in the current spring/summer edition of our ebook sampler BUZZ BOOKS 2013–where you will find two more Amazon April recommendations, The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer and a long preview of Michael Pollan’s Cooked. (View the full list of “buzz books” here to catch previews of more books-of-the-month to be, such as Anthony Marra’s May […]
People, Awards, Etc.
Judges have been announced for this year’s National Book Awards, the first time that the prizes expand their judging ranks beyond exclusively writers to include other literary tastemakers. The fiction judges include Elliott Bay Book Company buyer Rick Simonson and former NYTBR editor Chip McGrath (who chairs the panel), along with Charles Baxter, Gish Jen and Rene Steinke. The nonfiction panel features former Harcourt publisher and current vp of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Andre Bernard, alongside Jabari Asim; M.G. Lord; Lauren Redniss; and Eric Sundquist. The young people’s literature panel includes Books of Wonder owner Peter Glassman and curator […]