The “best books” lists are arriving in a wave: The New York Times their individual critics’ favorite books of the year — books editor and staff writer John Williams writes, “If we had to use a single word to describe the past year in books, it might be eclectic” — and Janet Maslin is still contributing her own ten favorites. Dwight Garner’s list includes Sheila Heti’s Motherhood and Ottessa Moshfegh’s My Year of Rest and Relaxation, both excerpted in our Buzz Books 2018 Spring/Summer sampler. Elsewhere, there are Katy Waldman’s picks at the New Yorker and Entertainment Weekly‘s top 10; best of 2018 packages from Apple […]
Awards
Picks: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and More
Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield is Amazon’s Spotlight Pick for December, and they skipped a featured debut this month. The rest of the list: How Long ‘Til Black Future Month?, by N.K. Jemisin Kingdom of the Blind, by Louise Penny Milkman, by Anna Burns This is Cuba, by David Ariosto The Dakota Winters, by Tom Barbash The Museum of Modern Love, by Heather Rose North of Dawn, by Nuruddin Farah Watching You, by Lisa Jewell The Day the Sun Died, by Yan Lianke Barnes & Noble chose only four fiction titles to highlight this month, including: Verses for the […]
Mystery Writers of America Withdraws Fairstein’s Grand Master Award
The Mystery Writers of America board “has decided to withdraw the Linda Fairstein Grand Master award” that was announced earlier this week, on Tuesday. They note in a statement, “After profound reflection, the Board has decided that MWA cannot move forward with an award that lacks the support of such a large percentage of our members…. We realize that this action will be unsatisfactory to many. We apologize for any pain and disappointment this situation has caused.” The move came after “the MWA membership began to express concern over the inclusion of Linda Fairstein as a Grand Master, citing controversy in […]
People, Etc.
James Jayo has joined Penguin as senior editor. Previously, he was at Sterling. Two longtime Penguin Random House sales executives will retire soon. VP, group sales director, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group Janet Cooke will leave at the end of the year, and Christopher Dufault is being promoted to that position. SVP, director of adult hardcover sales, Penguin Publishing Group John Lawton is retiring in the spring (having worked for Penguin since 1996), and vp, group sales director Lauren Monaco will expand her oversight to all of the division’s imprints. Additionally, Cynthia Lasky is formally named svp, group sales director for the newly-combined […]
Briefs: MWA Names Grand Masters, More Best Book Lists
Awards The Mystery Writers of America named authors Linda Fairstein and Martin Cruz Smith as the 2019 Grand Masters. Marilyn Stasio, the mystery critic for the NYTBR since 1988,will receive the Raven Award for “achievement in the mystery field outside the realm of creative writing.” The Ellery Queen Award honoring “outstanding writing teams and outstanding people in the mystery-publishing industry will go to Linda Landrigan for her work as the editor of Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. Honorees will be recognized at the Edgar Awards Banquet on April 25. Best of NPR has brought back its Book Concierge, featuring 319 titles. The Oregonian chose 19 titles as the best of […]
People, Etc.
Membership and marketing officer at the American Booksellers Association Meg Smith “has decided to stop working full time” following the 2019 Winter Institute in January, after almost 20 years with the organization. CEO Oren Teicher says, “Meg has become a friend to all of us, and her unstinting support of the independent bookstore community is legendary. It will be hard to imagine ABA without her.” Transatlantic Agency partner and senior agent Marie Campbell is retiring, but will remain on as an advisor to the agency. A former editor, in-house rights manager, and instructor at Ryerson University’s Publishing Program, she has worked […]