Yesterday’s Lunch dispatch misstated the nature of The Paris Review’s excerpting of Roberto Bolano’s novel THE THIRD REICH, which FSG will publish near the end of the year. The magazine is, in fact, serializing the book over four consecutive issues, with the final installment to be released in the first week of December. This is the first time in forty years that The Paris Review has serialized a novel. Editor Lorin Stein tells us the full novel will be published by FSG in mid-December, but the publisher’s fall catalog currently lists a November publication date, and director of publicity Jeff […]
Briefs: New Eugenides Novel; Excerpts of New Bolano and Gov. Patrick Books; and More
Jeffrey Eugenides‘ first novel in nine years (and his first since the Pulitzer Prize winner MIDDLESEX) will be published by FSG in October. Catalog copy describes THE MARRIAGE PLOT as “a brilliant, funny, and heartbreaking novel about the glories and vicissitudes of young love”, with the 576-page novel priced as a $28 hardcover. FSG will also publish Roberto Bolano‘s previously undiscovered manuscript THE THIRD REICH in November, with an excerpt running in the spring issue of The Paris Review – the first time the magazine has excerpted a novel in nearly 40 years.WSJ In his forthcoming memoir, Massachusetts Governor Deval […]
Sales Grow But Indigo Profits Still Drop in Third Quarter
Third-quarter performance at Canada’s retailing giant Indigo looks reminiscent of Barnes & Noble’s trajectory, with ebooks, ereaders and online sales helping to lift sales while also weighing on expenses. Indigo’s revenues rose 14 percent to $387.6 million (CA), beating projections, but net profit of $30.2 million (or C$1.19 a share) was $4 million lower than a year ago, which was less than analysts expected. Superstore comps increased 2.6 per cent while smaller-store comps dropped 0.8 percent from last year’s levels, and the company’s online division was up 6.5 percent from a year ago. As with the previous quarter, digital investments […]
Powell’s Lays Off 31 Staffers, Citing the “Unprecedented, Rapidly Changing Nature” of the Book Industry
On Tuesday Powell’s Books laid off 31 staffers, or approximately 7 percent of its unionized work force, at its stores in Burnside and Beaverton and two industrial warehouses, a move they cite as a response to the “unprecedented, rapidly changing nature of the book industry.” In a statement Powell’s cited “changing consumer behavior” – namely, the rise in e-book sales – as causing a significant impact over the past three years, along with “an industry-wide decline in new book sales, rising healthcare costs, and the economy.” President Emily Powell stated “I feel it is critical to make some very difficult […]
People
Phil Revzin is resigning from his position as senior editor at St. Martin’s to become editor at large for Bloomberg News, covering the international financial markets.Emma Hopkin is leaving her position as managing director for Macmillan Children’s Books UK on April 21st “to pursue an exciting new challenge elsewhere in children’s publishing.” She first joined the company as a marketing director of Pan, moving to the children’s division two years later, where she was appointed m.d. in 2005. At Interweave’s book division, Elisabeth Malzahn has been promoted to marketing director, and Erica Smith joined the united as an editor. She […]
Wiley to Write off $9M in Bad Debt From Borders
Wiley won’t report its 3rd quarter earnings until March 10, but today the publisher stated they will write off a pre-tax bad debt expense of approximately $9m (or $6m after-tax) from Borders. According to the SEC filing, “This net charge represents the difference between Wiley’s outstanding receivable with Borders and our expectation of potential offsets and recoveries in the future, and existing reserves for this customer.” Wiley stopped shipping books to Borders in December, when the retailer first indicated it would delay paying vendors, and as such Wiley further states that “no additional charge or bad debt expense with respect […]