At the LAT Festival of Books, the paper awarded its annual book prizes: BiographyLinda Gordon, Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits (Norton) Current InterestDave Eggers, Zeitoun (McSweeney’s Books) FictionRafael Yglesias, A Happy Marriage (Scribner) Art Seidenbaum Award for First FictionPhilipp Meyer, American Rust (Spiegel & Grau) Graphic NovelDavid Mazzucchelli, Asterios Polyp (Pantheon) HistoryKevin Starr, Golden Dreams: California in an Age of Abundance 1950 – 1963 (Oxford University Press) Mystery / ThrillerStuart Neville, The Ghosts of Belfast (Soho Press) PoetryBrenda Hillman, Practical Water (Wesleyan University Press) Science & TechnologyGraham Farmelo, The Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Mystic of […]
More People News and Announcements
Brad Parsons will join the Hachette Book Group on May 24 as associate director of their online marketing team, focusing on fiction. He will report to executive director of online marketing Kelly Leonard. Currently senior editor for books at Amazon, Parsons has been with the etailer since 1999. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt announced two electronic agreements today. They have partnered with NetGalley to deliver galleys, promotional materials, and other digital content, and they have also joined Edelweiss’s interactive digital catalog system.
Crown Announces George Bush's DECISION POINTS for November 9
Crown has announced the release this fall of former president George W. Bush’s book, written with the help of former speechwriter Chris Michel, listing for $35. In a statement, Crown promises that Bush “writes honestly and directly about his flaws and mistakes, as well as his historic achievements in reforming education, providing life-saving treatments for HIV/AIDS and malaria for millions of people in Africa, safeguarding the country from another terrorist attack, and other areas.” He also “offers intimate, unprecedented details about his decision to quit drinking, his discovery of faith, and his relationships with his family.” They say “he has […]
Hachette's Nashville Lines Will Move Some Functions to New York
Hachette Book Group announced change to their Nashville-based FaithWords and Center Street lines that will see a portion of the division, along with some its functions, relocated to New York–“where they will have more opportunity to interface directly with the literary agents and media located there.” They will create a new Center Street office in New York, comprising an editor, a publicist and an assistant. Marketing, advertising and promotion responsibilities for both lines will be taken over by New York-based personnel, where they will hire a dedicated online promotions person and marketing manager. Among existing staff, publicity director Jana Burson […]
Nook Releases Software, Feature Upgrade
As previewed earlier, Nook has updated their operating software, adding a “basic web browser,” a few games, and enhanced wi-fi connectivity. The update promises “improved page turn speed,” though we’ll have to wait for the reviews to see if they have successfully overcome the deficiencies that have made Nook slower than similar ereaders. As for their delayed/awaited iPad app, CNET reports company officials said “the answer is May, though no specific date was given.” They have also expanded the incentives to use your Nook within Barnes & Noble physical stores with their “read in store” feature. Customers can read any […]
McDonald Moves to FSG, Chin Is Confirmed, and More People News
Riverhead executive editor Sean McDonald will join Farrar, Straus as executive editor and director of paperback publishing, bolstering their team with the departure of Lorin Stein for the Paris Review. McDonald’s author at Riverhead have included Junot DÃaz, Sloane Crosley, Aleksandar Hemon, John Hodgman, Steven Johnson–and of course, James Frey. At Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Rux Martin has been promoted to senior executive editor. At Harper Business, Matt Inman has been promoted to associate editor. Yesterday the Senate unanimously confirmed Judge Denny Chin‘s appointment to the the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Ordinarily he would move into the new seat in […]