Bloomberg Businessweek reporter Brad Stone‘s THE EVERYTHING STORE is excerpted on the cover of his employer’s upcoming issue. While the abridgment does not deal directly with Amazon and ceo Jeff Bezos’ relationship with the book trade — presumably such details are best left for the book itself, which will be released on October 15 — it offers a sense of the company’s “notoriously confrontational” corporate culture (which “begins with Bezos, who believes that truth shakes out when ideas and perspectives are banged against each other”), some insight into Bezos’ early childhood (Stone tracked down his biological father, Ted Jorgensen, who […]
New Releases/Forthcoming
Forthcoming: Nobel Literature Prize Announced Thursday; Morning Joe Hosts For National Book Awards; Russell Novella Leads Atavist Books List; and More
Just in time for Frankfurt, the Nobel Prize for Literature will announce its winner on Thursday, October 10, at 7 AM EDT. The National Book Awards will be hosted by “Morning Joe” co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, Crain’s reported in advance of this morning’s official announcement. The show will also announce the award shortlists on October 16, repeating the same gambit as last year. Perseus ceo and National Book Foundation chairman David Steinberger said of Morning Joe duo, “If you want to reach the broader culture, they are the perfect vehicle”, but he is also their publisher (via Perseus […]
People, Etc.
Another set of Douglas & McIntrye alums — former publisher Trena White and former coo Jesse Finkelstein — have started a new company. Their Page Two Strategies is “a full-service publishing agency” that “will help non-fiction authors navigate their full range of publishing options, including self-publishing, and also provide consulting services to companies looking to develop or expand their own publishing strategies.” Page Two also has an alliance with the Translatlantic Agency, in which White and Finkelstein will represent some nonfiction in a traditional fashion, as associate agents. At Scribner, Kate Lloyd has been promoted to associate director of publicity. […]
October Bookseller Picks
Amazon named their best books of October, with Donna Tartt’s novel as their “spotlight” pick and Graeme Simsion’s novel (excerpted in our free Publishers Lunch Fall/Winter Buzz Books ebook sampler) as the “featured debut.” Two more Buzz Books from Elizabeth Gilbert and Luke Barr also make the list: The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt The Rosie Project, Graeme Simsion The Signature of All Things, Elizabeth Gilbert Provence, 1970, Luke Barr Thank You for Your Service, David Finkel One Summer: America, 1927, Bill Bryson Allegiant (Divergent Trilogy), Veronica Roth Humans of New York, Brandon Stanton The Night Guest, Fiona McFarlane The Circle, Dave […]
People, Etc.
Penguin Random House has formed a cross-company audio group in the US. Amanda D’Acierno will run the group as svp, publisher, Penguin Random House Audio, Fodor’s, and Living Language. Patti Pirooz is senior executive producer and Dan Zitt is vp, content production. Madeline McIntosh indicated in a memo: “Our frontlist and backlist audio titles will continue to be sold by the respective Penguin and Random House retail sales reps who currently sell them. The dedicated audio marketing, library sales, and publicity teams of the former Random House Audio Group will extend their activities to support Penguin’s audio list.” Cookbook author […]
Indies Pick Spring Debuts
The ABA has announced the 20 titles for their Spring 2014 Indies Introduce New Voices program. The list includes new NBF 5-Under-35 honoree Molly Antopol. Adult Fiction The Un-Americans, by Molly Antopol (Norton) The Kept, by James Scott (Harper) The Wives of Los Alamos, by Tarashea Nesbit (Bloomsbury) Shotgun Lovesongs, by Nickolas Butler (Thomas Dunne Books) Point of Direction, by Rachel Weaver (IG Publishing) Faces in the Crowd, by Valeria Luiselli (Coffee House Press) Adult Nonfiction If Only You People Could Follow Directions, by Jessica Hendry Nelson (Counterpoint) Badluck Way: A Year on the Ragged Edge of the West, by […]