Man Asian Literary Prize winner for the novel Please Look After Mom Shin Kyung-sook admitted that her short story “Legend,” published in a 1996 collection, copies from a work by the late Yukio Mishima. “As I compared the sentences I couldn’t believe it myself,” she told the Kyunghyang Shinmun newspaper. “I cannot trust my own memory” about reading Mishima, she said. “I sincerely apologize to the literary writer who raised the issue as well as all my acquaintances, and above all, many readers who read my novels…. Everything is my fault.” Changbi Publishers is removing the current edition of the story collection […]
Archives for June 2015
People, Etc.
Kim Shannon has been promoted to vp, director, retail sales at Penguin Random House. Awards The Carnegie Medal was awarded to Tanya Landman for Buffalo Soldier, while the Greenaway Medal was given to William Grill for Shackleton’s Journey, which he wrote and illustrated. Grill is the youngest prize winner (at age 25) in more than 50 years. Obituary James Salter, 90, died June 19 in Sag Harbor, NY. He was the author of novels including A Sport and a Pastime (1967) and Light Years (1975) as well as two short story collections and a memoir. The NYT reports his wife […]
Judge Denies Results of Family Christian Bankruptcy Auction
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge John Gregg voided the results of the complicated bankruptcy auction for the Family Christian Stores bookselling chain, calling the process “at times, nothing short of chaotic.” At the same time, the Judge wrote, “While the Debtors clearly made mistakes at the auction, this court concludes that the allegations of fraud and unfairness are, in large part, unfounded.” That presents FCS with two main options: Reopen the bankruptcy auction, under the expanded oversight of the United States Trustee’s office, or, “as an alternative to recommencing the auction, the Debtors may simply wish to file a plan of reorganization […]
People
Barnes & Noble has appointed two new independent directors to its board as the company prepares to spin off its College division as a separate publicly-traded entity. Joining the board are Ann-Marie Campbell, current president of Home Depot’s southern division; and Paul Guenther, former president of PaineWebber Group, Inc. The company also announced that “one or more current members of the board will resign and join the board of directors” of Barnes & Noble Education (which is expected to trade as BNED). At St. Martin’s, Jimmy Iacobelli has been promoted to art director. Safari has hired Michelle Norell as business development manager, […]
Corporate: A Penguin Random House/Amazon Deal, and A News Corp. Dividend
Amazon has confirmed (to both the Bookseller and PW) signing “new long term agreements with Penguin Random House in both the US and the UK,” ratifying that alarmist accounts of a standoff starting from a UK tech blog were, as expected, overblown. The important part is what was not disclosed: any change in fundamental ebook terms of sale now that PRH is no longer constrained by the US consent decree and the EU commitments. PRH says they “don’t discuss any aspect of our customer relationships” in public — and for now, agents we were able to contact had not heard anything […]
People, Etc.
At Hachette Livre, Pierre Danet has been promoted to group chief digital innovator, reporting to Arnaud Nourry, while continuing to supervise digital projects in France, reporting to Catherine Cussigh. In addition, Eva Dunoyer moves up to innovation project manager. At Sourcebooks, Susan Raasch is being promoted to senior accounts receivable specialist, and Sara Bonnar is being promoted to accounting manager. Due to a US sales restructuring at DK, svp, sales Therese Burke and director of special sales Vicki Korlishin have had their positions eliminated. Burke may be contacted at trez914@gmail.com and Korlishin may be reached at vkorlishin@gmail.com. Head of Bilheimer & Associates (and head of PR for […]