In their final longlist, the National Book Awards puts in contention for their fiction award three debuts and only one author — Lydia Millet — ever recognized in the past by the organization. (She was longlisted in 2016 for Sweet Lamb of Heaven.) Following a strong presence on the nonfiction list, Norton has two novels in contention, with other titles from Tin House Books, West Virginia University Press and Grove/Atlantic. Douglas Stuart is the one author in the running for the NBA award as well as the Booker Prize, for Shuggie Bain. One title — from Rumaan Alam — does […]
People: Halpern Becomes Editor-at-Large at Ecco
HarperCollins has unceremoniously realigned Ecco and its leadership. Founder of Ecco in 1971 and president and publisher since it joined HarperCollins in 1999 Daniel Halpern “will be transitioning” to editor-at-large “immediately.” Ecco will “be more closely integrated into the Harper Group” with vp and editorial director Helen Atsma overseeing the imprint and reporting to svp and publisher Jonathan Burnham. Halpern will “continue to edit a number of his longstanding authors.” Burnham writes, “Under Dan’s direction, Ecco has grown into one of the most respected imprints in the industry: a byword for literary distinction and editorial integrity.” At Quarto, Polly Powell […]
As Cohen Tops Bestseller List, Vanity Fair Chronicles Skyhorse’s “House of Horrors”
In a day already full of publishing news, on Thursday Vanity Fair posted a lengthy and provocative article about Skyhorse, publisher of “political unsavories” (Michael Cohen, Roger Stone, Woody Allen, Garrison Keillor’s next, quack scientists, etc.) and described as a company with “a history of workplace toxicity and inappropriate behavior.” President and publisher Tony Lyons says, “We believe in free speech, take a strong stance against cancel culture, and live by the rule that it’s important to err on the side of letting even unpopular voices be heard.” This spring he told VF in an interview, “I was thinking about […]
Gendell and Three Others Leave Foundry to Start New Agency, YRG Partners
Yfat Reiss Gendell has left Foundry Literary + Media, which she co-founded, to start a new agency, YRG Partners. Joining her from Foundry are Tanusri Prasanna, Peter Steinberg and Adriann Ranta Zurhellen. Gendell indicates to Deadline “the agency will partner with a series of existing and new private equity firm relationships, each active in intellectual property and consumer brand development, to match-make between clients and the investment community, and to create unconventional opportunities that work alongside or independent of existing publishing models.” YRG will have offices in New York and Los Angeles. Reportedly, Foundry partner Peter McGuigan is also setting up […]
National Book Awards Longlist: Nonfiction
Though presidential politics has dominated commercial frontlist publishing, the just-announced longlist for the National Book Award for Nonfiction follows a different course, though many of the books still deal with the political and social issues of the day. Norton has four titles in contention: Michelle Bowdler, Is Rape a Crime?: A Memoir, an Investigation, and a Manifesto (Flatiron) Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, The Undocumented Americans (One World) Jill Lepore, If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future (Liveright) Les Payne and Tamara Payne, The Dead Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X (Liveright) Claudio Saunt, Unworthy Republic: The Dispossession of […]
Sargent to Leave Macmillan Over “Disagreements Regarding the Direction,” Weisberg to Take Over
Holtzbrinck announced Thursday morning that longtime ceo of Macmillan John Sargent will leave the company on January 1 “as a result of disagreements regarding the direction of Macmillan.” President of Macmillan US Trade Don Weisberg will take over in 2021 as ceo of Macmillan’s English-language trade publishers, and general manager of Macmillan Learning Susan Winslow will become president of that division. Winslow will report to Macmillan global coo Andrew Weber, who will report to parent company chief executive Stefan von Holtzbrinck on higher education issues, and to Weisberg on trade matters. Holtzbrinck’s German division has reported to Sargent as well. […]