Ravi Singh will join David Davidar’s start-up Aleph Books on September 1 as publishing director. His most recent position was as publisher and editor-in-chief of Penguin India. Singh “will develop his own list” at Aleph, reporting to Davidar.
Michelle Bonanno has been promoted to senior publicist at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Robert Podrasky has joined AudioGo as senior acquisitions editor. He was previously senior manager of domestic rights at St. Martin’s.
Managing director of WH Smith Travel Retail Simon Marinker will retire at the end of the year after 34 years with the company. He will continue to remain involved with the business as a consultant, and current division coo Simon Smith will take over as m.d., reporting to WHSmith ceo Kate Swann.
Samuel Menashe, who received acclaim for his many works of poetry when the Poetry Foundation awarded him its Neglected Masters Award in 2004, died Monday in Manhattan from complications of heart disease at the age of 85.
NYT Obit
Awards
The Center for Fiction announced seven debut novels shortlisted for its Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize:
Daughters of the Revolution, by Carolyn Cooke
The Free World, by David Bezmozgis
The History of History, by Ida Hattemer-Higgins
Lamb, by Bonnie Nadzam
Shards, by Ismet Prcic
The Sweet Relief of Missing Children, by Sarah Braunstein
Touch, by Alexi Zentner
Finalists were also announced for the 2011 Dayton Literary Peace Prizes:
Fiction
How to Read the Air by Dinaw Mengestu
Beneath the Lion’s Gaze, by Maaza Mengiste
The Gendarme, by Mark Mustian
Kapitoil, by Teddy Wayne
Non-fiction
Crossing Mandelbaum Gate, by Kai Bird
Little Princes, by Conor Grennan
Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand
For Us Surrender is Out of the Question, by Mac McClelland
In the Place of Justice, by Wilbert Rideau
The Warmth of Other Suns, by Isabel Wilkerson