After a bidding war that included increased offers from both Chatham Asset Management and an unidentified “strategic party,” on Thursday RR Donnelly said it has accepted a revised bid by Atlas Holdings at $10.35 a share (or $856 million in cash for the equity). The proposed deal will be sent to a shareholder vote — though the market indicated it expects still more action. After the close of the market yesterday, Chatham announced another higher offer of $10.85 a share, though the bid expires on December 13. While the board has seemed inclined to pair with Atlas since accepting an […]
Archives for December 2021
The Next of the Best of the Best Books of 2021
Here is the updated look at our aggregation-in-process of the year’s very best books. With over 40 “votes” counted from a variety of highly selective lists, awards and more, the general consensus is taking shape, though both the fiction and nonfiction lists reflect a variety of books finding favor. Unlike in many recent years, there are no runaway favorites emerging — which leaves lots of worthy titles to recommend, gift and promote. (Asterisked titles were featured pre-publication in our Buzz Books collections.) The Very Best of the Best Books of 2021: Fiction 1. The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois,* […]
AAP Sues to Block Maryland’s New Law on Library eBook Licensing
With Maryland’s precedent-breaking law requiring publishers to license ebooks to public libraries “on reasonable terms” set to be implemented at the beginning of 2022, the AAP has filed in the US District Court for Maryland. The association seeks, “A declaration that the Maryland Act is preempted by federal law and unconstitutional, and an injunction preventing its enforcement.” They allege four causes of action, including express and conflict preemption under the Copyright Act and the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution, along with violations of the Commerce Clause, and the Due Process Clauses. While the AAP usually supports and organizes actions brought […]
Vivendi Moves Up Timetable and Will Launch Tender Offer to Acquire Lagardere
Though Vivendi was previously awaiting regulatory approval from the French government for their acquisition of Amber Capital’s 17.5 percent stake in Lagardere — originally expecting the deal to close by December 15 — the company has decided it does not need to wait any longer. “Recent analyses carried out by Vivendi have led the company to consider that this acquisition could take place now since, in accordance with applicable rules on the control of concentrations.” Vivendi says it will not exercise the voting rights attached to Amber shares “until the approvals required for the acquisition of the control of Lagardère […]
Goodreads Choice Winners 2021
Knopf Doubleday Move Paperback Oversight to Originating Teams
In the latest in a series of internal realignments, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group will change its paperback publication workflow beginning at the end of January. Editorial, marketing, and publicity staff of the originating imprint will continue to work on their paperback reprints, rather than turn over publication oversight to the Vintage/Anchor team. Paperbacks will still be published under the Vintage name. As a result, some Vintage Anchor staff will move over to Knopf: associate editor Michael Tizzano, reporting to Peter Gethers and Erroll McDonald; editorial assistant Zuleima Ugalde, reporting to Deb Garrison and Diana Miller; and publicity staff Sarah Nisbet […]