Following the buyback earlier this summer of The Monacelli Press from Random House, sports-focused publisher Triumph Books is also exiting the trade conglomerate to reestablish itself as an independent publisher. President and publisher Mitch Rogatz is buying the company back with the help of an unidentified investor, effective September 1. Random House purchased the unit, which was founded in 1989, in 2006. The newly independent Triumph will be distributed by Independent Publishers Group (IPG). In acquisitions, Bloomsbury has acquired cooking publisher Absolute Press. Specialist publisher Janet Murphy will manage the unit at Bloomsbury, along with the nautical, sports and natural […]
International News
Saatchi UK Suit Aims At Non-Compete Clauses
Charles Saatchi has brought a lawsuit in London against Phaidon Press, which published his 2009 book My Name is Charles Saatchi and I Am An Artoholic and contracted that year for two additional books. He appears to aim at what many would recognize as standard non-compete language. According to the Telegraph, the suit cites “a section of the agreement [that] prevents him from preparing, editing or licensing any work which forms part of the two books, or which might compete with the titles, for the life of the agreement. A judge is due to decide whether this amounts to an […]
Google Settles with La Martiniere; Will Launch Google eBooks In France
Google has settled its differences with another French publisher, La Martiniere. Perhaps more importantly, they acknowledge that Google eBooks is coming to France. (Now we just need to know when.) The companies will work together to put the publisher’s out-of-print, in-copyright books online, which “effectively ends the legal dispute” between the two. In 2009 a French court ordered Google to pay La Martiniere a small fine for scanning their books without permission. (They sought 15 million euros in damages, and were awarded 300,000 euros.) AFP says Google has now withdrawn their legal appeal–but indicates the company has not settled yet […]
Bookselling: Nebraska Book Company Gets Bankruptcy Plan OK; Easons Plans Layoffs and Store Closings; and More
A Delaware bankruptcy court granted approval to the Nebraska Book Company to seek votes from creditors on its reorganization plan, which would give control of the company to holders of more than 95 percent of its 8.625 percent senior subordinated notes and more than 75 percent of its 11 percent discount notes, the Lincoln Journal-Star reports. Secured lenders and noteholders would be paid in full with cash, and so long as equity holders don’t object to the plan, “they would get warrants to purchase 3 percent of the reorganized company’s equity at an enterprise value of $500 million, and 5 […]
Bookselling: Half Price Hires Borders’ Staff; NAIBA Writes to Save Reps;WH Smith Investors Look for Split
A Dallas/Ft. Worth web site notes that locally-based (and expanding) Half Price Books posted on the Help Ex-Borders Employees site looking to hire–and has already filled at least a few jobs in Texas as a result. Half Price vp of training Steve Leach says, “The thing to remember about Borders is that they trained an army [of] damned good booksellers. Say what you will about their corporate decisions, but at the ground level, these are some of the best and brightest that the book industry has to offer. It would be a shame to lose so much book industry knowledge […]
International: Israeli Government Investigates Book Chain Steimatzky
Following a price battle with bookselling competitor Tzomet Sfarim, Israel’s Steimatzky Ltd. is said to be under investigation by the Antitrust Authority for possible violation of promises made when they merged with the Sifri bookstores. Israel’s Globes writes that “questioning under caution indicates that the Antitrust Authority believes that it has grounds for an indictment.” They report that “Steimatzky allegedly demanded exclusivity from publishers on books sold in sales campaigns, which would result in Steimatzky’s competitors being forced to sell the books at full price. An industry source said the case involves hundreds of titles.” Tzomet said it wouldn’t carry […]