The Independent says that Bain Capital is the only remaining bidder for Reed Elsevier’s magazine unit, as TPG has dropped out. Facing a bid of about $1 billion–half of what they were hoping for, “Reed Elsevier is understood to be unhappy with some of the conditions of Bain’s bid, which includes a complicated earn-out structure – a move that would effectively tie key executives to RBI for a number of years.” They also report that ceo Crispin Davis has “invited” Apollo Group–which dropped out of the bidding earlier in the year (featured in the Sunday’s NYT business section for their […]
Washington Post's Ten Best, and More Picks
FictionCost, by Roxana RobinsonThe Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel BarberyA Mercy, Toni MorrisonThe Outlander, Gil Adamson2666 Robert Bolano NonfictionThe Eaves of Heaven: A Life in Three Wars, by Andrew PhamThe Hemingses of Monticello, by Annette Gordon-ReedLincoln: The Biography of a Writer, by Fred KaplanOne Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Krushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War, by Michael DobbsWords in the Air: The Complete Correspondence Between Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell, ed. by Thomas Travisano Full list As usual, New York Magazine puts a quirky gloss on loving the same books this year as all the other critics: […]
Revised HP Lexicon Comes to Market
When Judge Robert Patterson barred publication of RDR Books’ THE HARRY POTTER LEXICON, his ruling made it clear that the biggest problem was the lifting of JK Rowling’s words and the “almost wholesale” incorporation of information in the two minor charity companion books, Fantastic Beasts and Quidditch Through the Ages. The publisher and author have done the sensible thing–rewrite the book, using Judge Patterson’s decision as “rule book.” They will issue the revised Lexicon in January, with the new subtitle, An Unauthorized Guide to Harry Potter Fiction and Related Materials. RDR has withdrawn its appeal of the court’s ruling, a […]
HMH Speaks: "Streamlining" Underway, with "Reduction of Some [Hundreds of?] Positions"
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt confirmed today “it is moving forward with the planned combination of various of its businesses into a new K-12 organization comprised of School Publishers, Holt McDougal, Supplemental Publishers, Heinemann, HMH Learning Technology and International Publishers. These businesses were brought together with the acquisition of Harcourt by Houghton Mifflin in December 2007, and the integration process has been underway since that time.” They note that “the streamlining of the business will result in the elimination of some positions, even as new roles are created that will let the company serve educators and students in new and unique ways.” […]
Favorite Books: LAT; Sunday Times; Stephen King
“The Times’ book staff offers 50 picks in fiction and nonfiction, as well as asking its online columnists to weigh in with their choices in mysteries, science fiction, children’s and more.”LAT In London, the Sunday Times has also posted their books of the year package. They name Toni Morrison’s A MERCY as novel of the year.Times And in Entertainment Weekly, Stephen King lists his ten (or so) favorite reads and emphasizes the value that books deliver: “Books are still the best bang for your entertainment buck, and 2008 was a great year for reading. Below are my personal best for […]
January 2009 Indie Next List
Beat the Reaper: A Novel by Josh BazellSing Them Home by Stephanie KallosThe Little Giant of Aberdeen County: A Novel by Tiffany BakerTwo Rivers: A Novel by T. GreenwoodStill Alice: A Novel by Lisa GenovaThe Book of Unholy Mischief: A Novel by Elle NewmarkA Day and a Night and a Day: A Novel by Glen DuncanBone by Bone by Carol O’ConnellShelter Me by Juliette FayTinkers by Paul HardingCouch by Benjamin ParzybokNever Tell a Lie: A Novel of Suspense by Hallie EphronThe Piano Teacher: A Novel by Janice Y.K. LeeDaemon by Daniel SuarezMiles From Nowhere by Nami MunGoing to See the […]