Deborah Aaronson has joined Phaidon as vp, group publisher, reporting to recently-hired ceo Keith Fox. Aaronson, most recently vp, publisher for the adult trade group at Abrams, where she spent the past 14 years, will work out of the company’s New York office. “I am thrilled that Deb has joined Phaidon,” said Fox in the announcement. “Her extensive publishing experience, intelligence and creativity will continue to drive Phaidon’s growth as the preeminent visual arts publisher in the world.” Aaronson added: “I look forward to building the company’s future publishing strategy while breaking into new categories and aggressively expanding existing ones, […]
Bookstores
Simply, Liberty Media Took the Money
Liberty Media filed their required disclosure with the SEC subsequent to their previously announced sale of 91 percent of their preferred shares in Barnes & Noble to “qualified institutional investors.” Their motives are pretty clear from the filing: Liberty received $250.7 million for the shares, after investing $204 million in the bookseller in August 2011. They also received 9 or 10 quarters of dividends while holding the preferred shares, good for 7.75% annually — giving them a return of over $80 million, or roughly 40 percent. The timing of the sale took advantage of a brief run-up in Barnes & […]
NYC Stores: Rizzoli Closes This Week, Village Shakespeare & Co. Said to Face Lease End
Rizzoli Bookstore on New York’s 57th Street will close at the end of the day on April 11. The store reports that they “have been scouting out new locations in Manhattan, and are delighted to report that we have seen several very promising spaces.” They add that they “are looking forward to remaining a vital part of the city’s cultural fabric for many years to come.” In the meantime, after their historic building’s exterior was denied landmark status, a new application has been made to landmark the building’s interior, which “is currently under review by the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s Research […]
Liberty Media Backs Away from Barnes & Noble
One-time Barnes & Noble financial savior (and potential acquirer) Liberty Media is moving on, announcing Thursday morning that it is selling the bulk of its preferred shares in the bookseller. Liberty says it “has sold the majority of its shares to qualified institutional buyers” with the sales expected to settle on April 8, while retaining “approximately 10 percent of its initial investment.” The announcement implies that Liberty’s reduced stake may allow for new strategic investors or even another run at taking the company private or splitting it into separate parts. Chairman Len Riggio is attributed in the press release with […]
People: Tamblyn Promoted, and More
Kobo chief content officer and member of the founding executive team Michael Tamblyn has been promoted to the additional title of president. In the expanded role, Tamblyn will have “responsibilities for sales, publisher and industry relations, content acquisition, and the merchandising experience across Kobo’s E Ink eReaders, Android tablets, and reading apps,” working with recently-appointed CEO Taka Aiki to “continue expanding on the company’s eReading service around the world, while driving the company’s success through sustainable and long-term profitable growth.” Penguin Random House announced a number of promotions in its newly unified Human Resources department, overseen by evp, chief human […]
Awards and Lists: PEN/Faulkner to Fowler, Amazon and Pennie’s Picks
Karen Joy Fowler won the 2014 PEN/Faulkner Award for We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, of which judge Manuel Muñoz said in the announcement, “Fowler captures an altogether new dimension of the meaning — and heartbreak — of family dynamics.” Amazon’s best books of April features Peter Matthiessen’s In Paradise as the “spotlight pick” and Ted Thompson’s The Land of Steady Habits as the month’s featured debut. Their other picks of the month are: Astonish Me, Maggie Shipstead Casebook, Mona Simpson Updike, Adam Begley Sous Chef, Michael Gibney Secrecy, Rupert Thomson Essentialism, Greg Mckeown Afterparty, Daryl Gregory Inheritance, Sharon Moalem Listen to the Squawking […]