Editor and innovator Jason Epstein, 93, died on Friday at home on Sag Harbor, his daughter Helen Epstein confirmed to the NYT. Creator of Anchor Books when he was 25, longtime editorial director at Random House, and co-creator of The New York Review of Books and the Library of America, the NYT calls him “the editor, author and publishing visionary who introduced the quality paperback to American readers.” As the paper notes, “He officially retired in 1999 but continued to edit books into his 80s.” Penguin Random House said in a statement: “We mourn the passing of our extraordinary, pathfinding […]
Maryland Concedes They Are Regulating Where Congress Would Not Go
In a bizarre reply to the AAP’s request for a preliminary injunction, the state of Maryland both concedes and underscores that Congress specifically declined to create a first sale doctrine for digital goods, leaving it to the marketplace to adapt. Unhappy with that decision and its effect, Maryland has elected to regulate the marketplace for copyrighted goods, in conflict with Congress and the law. They justify that with the novel suggestion that once copyrighted goods are offered to the marketplace, they have magically “left the world of copyright” — except they haven’t — and “entered the marketplace for such transactions,” […]
Harper Shows Modest Growth In Holiday Quarter
News Corp. reported fiscal second quarter sales through December 31, 2021 after the close of the market on Thursday, with HarperCollins recorded sales of $617 million. Sales were up $73 million compared to a year ago, but $50 million of that came from the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt trade acquisition. The $23 million organic growth at Harper comprised a 4.2 percent gain, their softest increase over the six straight quarters of gains. HMH on its own declined compared to a year ago. At HMH Books & Media, for which the company has been exploring a sale since November, sales for the […]
Donnelly Says Mystery Bidder Withdrew Bid; Admits Ransomware Attack
The drawn out battle to buy RR Donnelly appears to be over, as the company announced that the unidentified “strategic party” has withdrawn its higher bid of $11.50 a share. That leaves the company headed for shareholder approval of the $10.85 a share deal from Chatham Asset Management. The strategic party “did not provide specific reasons for its withdrawal.” Separately, the company noted in two recent SEC filings that its computer systems had been attacked. The first “intrusion” was disclosed December 27, when they shut down their servers and systems and began a forensic investigation. The update on January 18 […]
PRH Realigns and Expands Sales Teams, Consolidating Children’s While Adding Dedicated Client Reps
Penguin Random House announced a “realignment and expansion” of portions of its sales force, focused on bolstering their independent bookstore selling teams in particular, bringing together sales across all their children’s lines into unified teams, and creating new rep groups dedicated to selling PRH Publisher Services client publishers to indie stores. The initiatives include “adding new field-rep positions, realigning publisher responsibilities, and building new programs to further deepen its partnership with bookstores, and strengthen their education and community outreach.” President, US Sales Jaci Updike says in the announcement, “The account sales call has changed dramatically in the last couple of […]
February Book Club Picks
Jenna Bush Hager chose Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson as the Today Show Read With Jenna February pick.