Poet Louise Glück, 80, died of cancer on October 13. Glück won the Pulitzer Prize in 1993 for THE WILD IRIS, the National Book Award in 2014 for FAITHFUL AND VIRTUOUS NIGHT, and the Nobel Prize in 2020. She was also the US Poet Laureate from 2003-2004.
Archives for October 2023
HBG Falls 5.2 Percent in Third Quarter
Lagardere reported results for the third quarter, with publishing sales of €767 million, down 1.7 percent as reported and 1.6 percent like-for-like, “a high level of revenue despite a market that was overall less dynamic than last year,” chair and ceo Arnaud Lagardère said in a release. At Hachette Book Group, sales were down 5.2 percent due to a lighter publication schedule and “a downward trend in the overall publishing market in the third quarter.” CEO Michael Pietsch said, “HBG’s third quarter revenues included strong performance in backlist, audiobooks, science fiction and fantasy, Mini Kits, children’s books, and travel books. […]
LeVar Burton Will Host the National Book Awards
The National Book Foundation announced that LeVar Burton will host the 2023 National Book Awards ceremony in NYC on November 15. He replaces Drew Barrymore, whose invitation was rescinded when she resumed filming her show during the WGA strike. “LeVar Burton has introduced multiple generations of young people to the joys of reading, and is a fearless advocate for book access, especially amidst the alarming rise in book banning across the country,” David Steinberger, chair of the board of directors of the National Book Foundation, said in the announcement. “We are delighted to welcome LeVar back onto the National Book […]
Texas Court Hearing Delayed to Nov. 29
After plaintiffs in the Texas READER law case asked for a ontinuance due to a scheduling conflict, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit updated the schedule for the state’s appeal. Now the case will not be fully briefed until November 20, with oral arguments scheduled for November 29 (previously scheduled for November 8). In the meantime, the book banning law remains in place, even though Judge Alan D. Albright issued an injunction and ruled the law unconstitutional in September. The merits panel can rule on the stay of the injunction at any time, from when they get the […]
Bookselling: Two BN Openings
The chain will open two new replacement stores in California on October 18 — one in Marina Del Rey (in a former Amazon Books space) and one in Tustin.