Our season overview from Buzz Books 2020 Spring/Summer continues with nonfiction, part two. Here is our preview of history and crime; essays, criticism, and more; and biography and memoir. The coming season includes autobiographies from the late Elijah Cummings, Ilhan Omar, and Linda Sarsour; and biographies of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nancy Pelosi, and Mitch McConnell. Notable memoirs dropping this season include those of Chelsea Manning, Glennon Doyle, Oliver Stone, and Sandra Tsing-Loh. History buffs will enjoy new offerings from Erik Larson, Mike Davis, and Robert Zoellick. For the trade editions — with publicity and marketing info, and click-throughs for full galleys, […]
Archives for January 2020
Winter Institute: What Booksellers Need the Most
The ABA convened yet another vibrant and successful Winter Institute, which featured ever-expanded programming and attendance, all substantially underwritten by supporting publishers, as was acknowledged at Thursday afternoon’s Town Hall meeting. If you were listening carefully, however, there is really one issue that matters the most to independent booksellers: Turning this “higher calling” into a truly viable, profitable profession. You heard it in incoming ABA ceo Allison Hill’s brief remarks at the beginning of WI: “Running our businesses is increasingly a challenge, and I believe this moment in time is a critical one for our industry…. The measure of our […]
College Bookstores File Class Action Lawsuit Against McGraw-Hill, Cengage, and Pearson
A group of independent college bookstores have filed a class-action antitrust lawsuit against McGraw-Hill, Cengage, and Pearson, who together control 80 percent of the higher education textbook market, and against college bookselling chains Barnes & Noble Education and Follett, who are dubbed their “co-conspirators.” At issue are the publishers’ “inclusive access” programs, digital-only course materials that the plaintiffs say publishers sell exclusively to Barnes & Noble and Follett, cutting independent retailers out. According to the suit, the list of institutions where indies were blocked from buying and selling inclusive access in 2019 included the University of New Mexico, Eastern Kentucky […]
2019’s Book Club Picks, Part Two: How Did the Booksellers Pick?
As promised, this is the second part of the in-depth look we started yesterday, tracking the performance of well-known monthly book club and spotlight picks. This installment focuses on selections from booksellers and librarians, who generally highlight new release titles, as they should. In some cases that helps their sales track record, since they often pick anticipated and pre-ordered books from commercial authors or titles that come with a big publisher promotional push. On the other hand, sometimes those titles publish late in the month, so our window on sales does not always include four weeks worth of data. (In […]
People, Etc.
Geoff Shandler is stepping down from his role as editorial director of Custom House to pursue other opportunities. He joined William Morrow five years ago and led the imprint from inception. Morrow executive editor Peter Hubbard takes over Custom House as vp, editorial director, reporting to Liate Stehlik. Executive editor Katherine Nintzel moves over from William Morrow as well, now reporting to Hubbard. Stehlik says the two will “develop and expand the Custom House line,” which “will re-launch with new works” in 2021. Sydney Rogers has been promoted to editor for Harper One. Former Vintage and Anchor director of publicity […]
Mavjee to Lead Knopf Doubleday Group As Arthur Named Knopf Publisher and Mehta Successor
Penguin Random House has made their much anticipated announcement about new leadership for Knopf, following the death of Sonny Mehta and the departure late last year of other longtime Knopf executives. Former Crown Publishing Group president and publisher Maya Mavjee will return to PRH on March 2 as president & publisher of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. And it is Reagan Arthur who has been named Mehta’s selected successor, becoming evp, publisher, Knopf, Pantheon and Schocken on February 11. Mavjee will report to PRH USA ceo Madeline McIntosh and joins the PRH US board. She has been president, publishing strategy […]