Two historians–Princeton’s Peter Robert Lamont Brown and Romila Thapar, emeritus professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University–will share the Library of Congress’s $1 million Kluge Prize. The award “honors lifetime achievement in studies not covered by the Nobel, including history, philosophy, politics, anthropology, sociology, religion, criticism in the arts and humanities, and linguistics.” Brown, called among “the greatest historians of the last three centuries,” is best-known for his book The World of Late Antiquity (Norton) and The Rise of Western Christendom (Wiley-Blackwell), while Thapar’s A History of India (Penguin) and Early India (U.of California Press “were breakthrough works, replacing a static view […]
Personnel
Josh Marwell, Holiday Poet Laureate
Rather than another public service campaign, HarperCollins president of sales Josh Marwell aims to inspire his troops with a holiday poem. In part: For it’s books that make the best gifts of all,For every season from summer to fall.For Christmas, Hanukah, Diwali and Eid,Books are must gifts for all that can read! Now, Edgar! Now, Lennon! Now, Marley and Wally!On, Collins! On, Wicked! On, Fancy! On, Nancy!To the top of those lists! To huge POS! Now sell away! Sell away! Sell away all!Let’s not give up hope for the season now here.Books are winners, so don’t shed a tear.Consumers are […]
Saletan Quits Harcourt Houghton Mifflin
The situation at Harcourt Houghton Mifflin continues to worsen, as the AP reports that svp and publisher of adult trade Becky Saletan has resigned her position as of December 10. There was no further comment beyond confirmation from the company. Saletan (along with others at HMH) has been required to stay silent as the company has stumbled its way through explaining their partial “freeze” on acquisitions of books for adults.AP
People: Jackson Moves Agencies; Elek to AP Watt
Eleanor Jackson has left the Queen Literary Agency, and is now working at the Elaine Markson Agency. Jon Elek is moving to AP Watt as an agent in January. For the past two and a half years Jon has been an assistant editor at Viking, working with Tony Lacey, in addition to developing his own projects.
Award for Tinti; Honors for Galassi
Hannah Tinti won the 2008 John Sargent, Sr. First Novel Prize for THE GOOD THIEF The Good Thief, presented last night at the Mercantile Library Center for Fiction’s benefit dinner. But the focus of this Bloomberg piece is on Farrar, Straus publisher Jonathan Galassi, honored with the Maxwell E. Perkins Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Field of Fiction. The Mercantile says, “Galassi was chosen in recognition of his career as both an editor and a publisher who has supported and shaped the work of a dazzling array of writers, carrying on the tradition exemplified so well by Maxwell Perkins.” […]
Buckely's Forthcoming Family Memoir
Christopher Buckley discusses his forthcoming book LOSING MOM AND POP, due for release in May. Discussing it in VF’s January issue, Buckley says: “I honestly had no intention of writing about them [his parents]. But I’m a writer, and when the universe hands you material like this, it would seem an act of conscious omission not to do something about it. It spilled out of me. I wrote it in 40 days – no biblical associations intended.” He notes, “This book is going to land hard in some quarters . . . It’s a book about two very complex people. […]