Skyhorse Publishing asserts that the use of clips from the audiobook version of Woody Allen’s 2020 memoir Apropos of Nothing in HBO’s new Woody Allen docuseries, Allen v. Farrow infringes the copyrights in the work. The company told Deadline, “We believe that its unauthorized use of the audiobook is clear, willful infringement under existing legal precedent, and that the other episodes will infringe, too, if they appropriate the audiobook in a similar manner.” They add, “We will take the legal action we deem necessary to redress our and Woody Allen’s rights in his intellectual property.” A representative for directors Amy […]
Winter Institute Day 1: Futurist Brian David Johnson’s Keynote; More Equitable Work Environments
In a Winter Institute keynote, futurist author Brian David Johnson walked booksellers through the process detailed in his book, The Future You: Break Through the Fear and Build the Life You Want, while also fielding specific questions from ABA president Allison Hill. Johnson urged booksellers to start by giving themselves permission to create what he called their “future story,” by getting really specific about what they want for their businesses as the world seeks to normalize after the pandemic. Then, he said, write it down. The remaining steps: Find your people: Who are your partners in creating this future? Share […]
Barack Obama Kicks Off Winter Institute; Brene Brown Moved to Saturday Due to Weather
Barack Obama kicked off the opening of the Winter Institute at 10:40 this morning, after a montage reviewing the “extraordinary journey” of the past year, as ABA president Alison Hill put it in her later remarks. Obama’s short recorded message thanked booksellers for “expanding my mind, filling my spirit, and broadening my sense of possibility,” saying that, “what happened to me, you’re providing for so many other kids and teenager and adults around the world.” Booksellers, he said, aren’t selling only books but “knowledge, discovery, wisdom, empathy, access to thoughts and worlds that readers have never experienced before. And by […]
New Books Publishing February 16
In fiction, a new Sarah J. Maas title drops today. Nonfiction highlights include Bill Gates’s How to Avoid a Climate Disaster and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.’s The Black Church, the companion book to an upcoming PBS series. 13 new works of fiction https://bookshop.org/lists/new-fiction-publishing-february-16 https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Fiction_Publishing_February_/218835 11 new nonfiction titles https://bookshop.org/lists/new-nonfiction-publishing-february-16 https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Nonfiction_Publishing_February_/218836 We consult a number of sources in compiling our weekly lists and PM members can see our lists for the coming three months through this reference page. But if you want to make sure your key titles are on our radar, now you can use this form to submit brief details as […]
Reese’s Book Club Announces “Eat the Book” Cooking Series
On February 18, Reese’s Book Club will air the first of four episodes in a new digital series Eat the Book, in which authors of the club’s picks join female chefs to bring a moment in their book to life through cooking a dish. Host Christina Milian will join authors Tembi Locke (From Scratch), Jasmine Guillory (The Proposal), Delia Owens (Where the Crawdads Sing) and Amanda Eyre Ward (The Jetsetters). The featured chefs are Genevieve Gergis, Karyn Tomlinson, Kim Prince, and Sara Kramer. The episodes will stream on @ReesesBookClub and @HelloSunshine channels every Thursday at 10 a.m PT.
Bonnier Books Sales Strong, and Profit Stronger, in 2020
The Bonnier Group released full year 2020 earnings last week, with Bonnier Books reporting sales of SEK6.11 billion ($664 million), up from SEK5.77 billion ($611 million) in 2019, driven mainly by the publishing business and the audio and e-book service BookBeat. As we’ve seen in the US, increased ebook sales combined with cost-cutting improved profitability. Operating profit (EBITA) was SEK392 million, up from SEK250 million — or 12 percent, which the company said was due to increased market shares, accelerated sales of digital formats, and consistent cost reductions. Bonnier Books in Germany had their best sales and earnings yet. In […]