Following Wiley’s recent acquisitions of CrossKnowledge and Profiles International (for a total of approximately $250 million), the company has reorganized the expanded Professional Development division in which they reside. That division now has two major groups: Knowledge Services (comprising the publishing programs, plus the test prep and certification business) under managing director Joan O’Neil, and Talent Solutions, under managing director (and CrossKnowledge ceo) Mickael Ohana. As a result, a modest number of senior book-publishing side employees are leaving the company. “We recognize that these changes, while necessary, impact colleagues who have served the business with dedication, and we thank them […]
Personnel
People
New York’s Book Culture bookstores have reportedly fired 5 of their 30 employees following a vote to unionize earlier this week, the Gothamist reports. The story quotes emails from owner Chris Doeblin they obtained: “It was indicated to me . . . that two people in our mangament [sic] group voted in the union and effectively undermined the interests of the store. The store always being in opposition to the Union. Unfortunately there is no other recourse but to remove these people from our employ effective immediately.” The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union indicates it “has filed an Unfair Labor Practice […]
People, Etc.
At Penguin Random House in the US, Tom Cox has been promoted to vp, adult mass merchandise and distributor sales, the company’s newly formed cross-company division, reporting to Jaci Updike. In addition, Penguin vp, director of distributor sales Ken Kaye will retire at the end of 2014 after more than 45 years in the industry. International sales director Simon Littlewood is leaving Random House UK, where he has worked since 1997, by “mutual agreement.” Deputy ceo of Penguin Random House UK said Ian Hudson said, “Sadly, after much discussion we have been unable to find a mutually suitable role for Simon within Penguin […]
People, Etc.
Arabella Stein is stepping down as co-director of Abner Stein after a leave of absence to “pursue a new direction”, the Bookseller reports. Stein began at Abner Stein in 2002 and moved up to co-director in 2011 after the death of her father (and the agency’s founder & namesake). Sandy Violette and Caspian Dennis will remain as co-directors, and said in a statement: “We would also like to thank Arabella wholeheartedly for her contribution to the agency. We will of course miss Arabella but fully support her decision, and wish her every happiness and success in the next stage of […]
Awards: Amazon’s Best Books So Far; Beevor Wins Pritzker
Amazon announced its multiple Best Books of 2014 So Far lists. Their overall No. 1 pick is Adam Begley’s biography UPDIKE and the rest of the top 10 includes Lily King’s PL Spring/Summer Buzz Book: 2. The Book of Unknown Americans, Cristina Henríquez: 3. Redeployment, Phil Klay 4. Euphoria, Lily King 5. No Place to Hide, Glenn Greenwald 6. In Paradise, Peter Matthiessen 7. The Invention of Wings, Sue Monk Kidd 8. Red Rising by Pierce Brown 9. Savage Harvest, by Carl Hoffman 10. Hollow City: The Second Novel of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children, Ransom Riggs Rounding out their Top 20 is: To […]
People, Etc.
Jon Klassen‘s This is Not My Hat has won the UK’s Kate Greenaway medal, and Kevin Brooks’ The Bunker Diary was awarded the Carnegie medal. (The latter is not available in the US, which may present an opportunity — though it took a decade to publish this book about a kidnapped boy held hostage in a bunker, which the Telegraph calls an “unremittingly bleak account.”) Pat Strachan is no longer an editor at Little, Brown, where she worked since 2002, following the layoffs earlier this month. She can be reached at phstrachan@gmail.com. Kelly Rudolph has joined Harper as a publicity director, reporting to […]