Barack Obama’s electoral triumph was the best thing to happen to demand for printed newspapers in years–and now Andrews McMeel will publish the Poynter Foundation’s collection of 75 front pages from newspapers around the country.Poynter
New Releases/Forthcoming
Bloomberg's Politics Delays His Writing
With the New York City Council approving a revision to the term limits law for top officials clearing the primary obstacle to Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s hopes of running for re-election, the next phase for author Michael Bloomberg has been put on hold. Originally announced for publication this fall by Perseus’s Vanguard Press and then shifted to a February 2009 release, Bloomberg’s book DO THE HARD THINGS FIRST “is being delayed due to changed circumstances” as the publisher started informing accounts today. They said they “will announce a new publication schedule when it is determined.” Promotional copy for the book quotes […]
German Publisher Will Issue Complete Works of Pope
Germany’s Herder will publish The Complete Works of Joseph Ratzinger in a 16-book series, according to Bishop Gerhard Muller of Regensburg. The Catholic News Service says “Bishop Muller said the pope wants to make it clear that the works, almost all of which were completed before his election in 2005, reflect his personal theological thought and not the magisterial teaching of the church.” Director of the Vatican Publishing House Father Giuseppe Costa “said discussions already are under way with the U.S.-based Ignatius Press to publish English translations of the volumes.” CNS
Should Have Seen that Coming Dept.: Murdoch Unhappy with Wolff Book
It took a dizzying set of manipulations to produce today’s NYT story about Michael Wolff’s forthcoming book about Rupert Murdoch, which treats Murdoch’s path to an early look like a leak harmful to national security. The essence: Murdoch obtained an early copy of the book, and objected: “I have just read four or five chapters of your book,” he wrote to Wolff. “It contains some extremely damaging misstatements of fact which I will be happy to point out to you if we could meet. Otherwise I will have no option other than to speak to Random House.” The NYT says […]
Bolano's Other Publisher
As Andrew Wylie prepares to take over the Roberto Bolano estate and sell newly “discovered” works (per the story we cited earlier), the Observer visits with New Directions editor-in-chief Barbara Epler, who first published Bolano in the US. She originally acquired BY NIGHT IN CHILE from Christopher MacLehose at Harvill Press, along with two other books–and then went on to acquire rights to all but the “major” works, Savage Detectives and the forthcoming 2666 from agent Carmen Balcells. In all New Directions controls “seven short novels, two books of short stories, an essay collection and a volume of poetry called […]
Walesa Autobiography Rejects Agent Charge
In his just released autobiography, former Polish president Lech Walesa vigorously denies charges that he collaborated with the country’s secret policy for two years and informed on shipyard workers. “I want everything to be known, precisely,” Walesa writes. The AP says that, “In the book, he writes that, following his arrest in December 1970, authorities offered to release him from prison if he signed some documents. ‘I did not think long. I did not even read them,’ Walesa writes. ‘I signed a number of papers on leaving the arrest, which was a standard procedure. … I remember there were many […]