The latest NYT bestseller lists, released last Wednesday, were dominated by anti-racism books and books by Black authors. That demand was widely celebrated, but so unprecedented that many booksellers were left without stock to sell. On June 12, roughly half of the anti-racist books on the NYT hardcover and paperback nonfiction bestseller lists were out of stock at both Amazon and Ingram, as were many other bestsellers by Black authors, in many cases with replenishments coming this week or next. Meanwhile, Black authors received another boost this weekend when a #Blackoutbestsellerlist campaign launched on social media. Publishers, authors, and readers […]
Archives for June 2020
Butcher’s Peace Talks Tops July Library Reads
Peace Talks by Jim Butcher is the top pick for July’s Library Reads. The rest of the list: Boyfriend Material, by Alexis Hall Crooked Hallelujah, by Kelli Jo Ford The Heir Affair, by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan The Lost and Found Bookshop, by Susan Wiggs Memorial Drive, by Natasha Tretheway One to Watch, by Kate Stayman-London The Only Good Indians, by Stephen Graham Jones Survivor Song, by Paul Tremblay What You Wish For, by Katherine Center
NBCC President Laurie Hertzel Resigns Over “Breach of Confidence”; Over A Third of the Board Has Stepped Down
National Book Critics Circle president Laurie Hertzel resigned on Saturday after last week’s controversy stemming from the drafting of an anti-racism statement and internal emails objecting to parts of that statement. At least eight board members have now resigned so far, including Hope Wabuke, who made the emails public. Carlo Romano, widely inferred as the author of the email posted by Wabuke, has confirmed that to the AP. Hertzel resignation letter is controversial on its own, since she stepped down over “process” and “confidence” rather than racism. She wrote to members that the board was “trying to work out the […]
Activist Investor Cevian Capital Discloses Stake in Pearson
Pearson’s stock jumped 12 percent Friday on the news that Cevian Capital, one of Europe’s largest activist investors, had built a 5.4 percent stake in the company. The news was made public via a regulatory filing from the Swedish fund late yesterday. The fund bought the stake to influence Pearson’s choice of a new chief executive, according to Bloomberg. Chief executive John Fallon announced at the end of 2019 that he would retire this year after presiding over Pearson’s long, steady decline. The FT notes, “Although Cevian usually takes a board seat at companies it invests in, the approach with […]
People, Etc.
Michael C. Wright will lead the college department at Norton, succeeding the longtime director, Roby Harrington, who will continue at Norton in his role as vice chairman. Norton president Julia Reidhead said in the release, “Few generational milestones can be more significant to Norton’s future than the hand-off of College Department leadership. Michael Wright has overseen dramatic growth and transformation during his tenure as Director of College Sales and previously enjoyed great success as an editor and marketer. His appointment assures us that College leadership will go from strength to strength.” Brad Schwartz joins Audible June 15 as chief content […]
NBCC Board Members Resign Over Internal Email
National Book Critics Circle board member Hope Wabuke resigned on Thursday, over remarks made by a longtime board member and former board president in an email thread, discussing objections to an anti-racism statement that was in draft form from an NBCC working committee. Following her resignation, that working committee posted on the NBCC’s website, “In the course of our committee’s discussion with the rest of the board, a Board Member responded to the statement with an email that many of us saw as racist. Before a planned vote on the statement today, details from the board’s internal discussion were released […]