Recently we reported strong third-quarter dealmaking trends in the US, with near-record overall deal volumes, driven by continued strength in adult fiction, and balanced by some weakness in children’s book sales. Now it’s time for our usual look at the “pre-Frankfurt” dealmaking window in particular. Like last year, the Frankfurt Book Fair falls a week later than usual, so for the second year in a row the counts include one extra day of deal reports. (Often, FBF comes five weeks after Labor Day, so the count usually covers five weeks plus one day. When FBF falls late, starting from the […]
Easier Listening
Building on the recent launch of our daily audio version of the day’s publishing news, our Publishers Lunchcast is now available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, where you can listen or subscribe.
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka, Forthcoming from Norton, Wins Booker Prize
Sri Lankan author Shehan Karunatilaka won the Booker Prize for his second novel, The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. A creator of rock songs, screenplays and travel stories as well, Karunatilaka’s debut novel, Chinaman (published in the US by Graywolf as The Legend of Pradeep Mathew), won the Commonwealth Prize in 2011. Norton bought North American rights to Seven Moons at auction shortly before the shortlist was announced, and currently has trade paperback publication scheduled for November 1. Independent press Sort of Books published in the UK, and Karunatilaka is represented by David Godwin Agency. In the spring, Little Brown UK […]
Forthcoming: Book of Zelensky’s Speeches
Penguin Random House will publish in multiple territories A MESSAGE FROM UKRAINE, a 144-page hardcover collecting speeches by Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky, who wrote an introduction to the book as well. Crown publishes on December 6, and Hutchinson Heinemann releases November 24. PRH will also publish through Siedler (Germany), Debate (Spain), and Vogais (Portugal).
Print Sales Improved in the Third Quarter
Through the first three quarters of 2022, NPD Bookscan reports that measured print book sales reached 543 million units, still the second-best result in years. That total is 27 million below the same point in 2021, but well above 2020 and earlier. The sales comp actually improved during the third quarter, when sales were just 1.9 percent or 3.4 million units below the same period in 2021. Adult fiction (AKA Colleen Hoover fiction) remained very strong, up 9 percent in the quarter, adding 11.3 million units compared to 2021. In addition to romance, graphic novels and fantasy also performed well. […]
Bookselling: PRH’s Two-Day Holiday Shipping Returns
For the eleventh year, Penguin Random House resumes their 2-Day holiday transit program on October 15, running through January 31, 2023. As introduced last year, the program includes a “no minimums” requirement for independent bookstores. President, US Sales Jaci Updike says in the announcement, “In this time of ever-rising freight costs and ongoing shipping-company challenges, we remain steadfastly committed to independent booksellers in the all-important final months of the year.”