The New Republic reports on last week’s town hall meeting at Simon & Schuster, at which the standoff continued between management and a good portion of the employees over the planned publication of books by former vice president Mike Pence and Kellyanne Conway. Based on a recording of the meeting, the article buries the lede: CEO Jonathan Karp reportedly told employees that Conway’s deal is “contingent on being truthful” (their line, not his). For Pence there is a softer standard: “His agent insisted there ‘would be nothing discriminatory’ in the book and that the vice president had promised to be […]
Authors
Norton Will Put Bailey’s Roth Biography and Memoir Out of Print
In a memo to staff on Tuesday afternoon, Norton announced that it is “permanently putting out of print” Blake Bailey’s Philip Roth: The Biography, as well as his memoir The Splendid Things We Planned. Norton president Julia Reidhead wrote, “Mr. Bailey will be free to seek publication elsewhere if he chooses.” By Wednesday the ebook version was withdrawn from sale. And Norton’s audiobook licensee Recorded Books tells PL, “We will follow Norton’s lead on this and remove the audio from sale as well.” Will Norton recall the existing print copies? They declined to say. For now, hardcovers remain available online. […]
People, Etc.
At Sourcebooks, Cristina Arreola has been promoted to marketing manager for Sourcebooks Landmark; Stefani Sloma to associate marketing manager for Sourcebooks Casablanca; and Tiffany Schultz has been promoted to assistant marketing manager, retail marketing & creative services. Pearson board chair Sidney Taurel intends to step down from his positions, no later than the 2022 annual meeting. Separately, former Macmillan executive and current ceo of Guardian Media Group Annette Thomas will join the board October 1. Former longtime book publishing publicity executive Susan Richman died at home in New York City on April 19. Richman worked at houses including Scribner, Warner […]
People, Etc.
At Penguin Random House, Sashia Sadikot is promoted to director, national accounts, Target adult sales, and Jessica Ko also moves up to director, national accounts, including overseeing the Walmart adult sales team. Both report to Tom Cox. As part of a realignment of PRH’s international sales team, which includes naming three new vice presidents, regional sales director for Asia Akiko Iwamoto and senior director, international marketing and imprint sales Tony Lutkus will leave the company later this month. Laurel Christensen Day will take over as president of Deseret Book Co., replacing Jeff Simpson, who leaves in June to serve a three-year […]
People, Etc.
Ann Marie Wong has joined Holt Children’s as editorial director. She was previously senior editorial director at Scholastic Book Clubs. Kendall Storey has been promoted to full-time editor at Catapult and Soft Skull Press, moving over from managing foreign rights and contracts for Catapult, Counterpoint, and Soft Skull Press. 2 Seas Agency will represent foreign rights sales for the publisher going forward. Elizabeth Worthy has been promoted to director, event management at Simon & Schuster. At Random House Children’s, Caite Arocho has joined as marketing coordinator. She was previously marketing and design lead at Outside the Lense. Natali Cavanagh has also […]
Oprah Picks Robinson’s Quartet
The latest selection for Oprah’s Book Club is Marilynne Robinson’s quartet of Gilead narratives: Gilead, Home, Lila and Jack. Winfrey said in the announcement, “As I was recently reading author Marilynne Robinson’s latest novel, Jack, I thought it would be wonderful to explore her entire Gilead universe through these four novels.” She adds, “Marilynne Robinson is one of our greatest living authors, and in the Gilead novels she’s written a quartet of masterpieces. The more closely I read them, the more I find to appreciate, and the more they show the way in seeing the beauty in the ordinary.” It’s […]