The Penguin Group is putting Gotham Books and Avery Books together under the direction of Bill Shinker, who will be president and publisher of both lines. Penguin Group president Susan Petersen Kennedy says that “his wise approach to nonfiction publishing will serve to further grow Avery’s widely respected list and will provide the perfect vision for the future growth of these two well-established imprints.” The two imprints will share the same marketing and publicity staff. Shinker notes in the announcement that “these two nonfiction imprints complement each other and are excellent fits.” As a result, Lisa Johnson will be vp, […]
Director's Jesus Book a Dutch Bestseller
Dutch director Paul Verhoeven co-wrote JESUS OF NAZARETH with his own biographer Rob van Scheers and publisher Meulenhoff is on their fourth printing within weeks of release after a big promotional campaign in Holland. In the book, ” Verhoeven suggests that Jesus was the son of Mary and a Roman soldier who raped her,” the Hollywood Reporter says. Pendo has bought German rights; a US deal is reportedly in negotiations.HR
Medina "Suspended" In UK
Managing director of Compass (the sales company for the UK’s Gibson Square) Alan Jessop tells the Bookseller that Martin Rynja “has put publication [of THE JEWEL OF MEDINA] in suspended animation while he reflects and takes advice on what the best foot forward is.” The book was supposed to be published in the UK on October 15. Jessop added, “Everyone is going to have to be patient. This requires some careful thinking.” That report follows author Sherry Jones’s agent Natasha Kern telling the NYT that Gibson Square “is planning to go ahead with the book, as are other publishers worldwide, […]
Why Banned Books Week Doesn't Challenge
LAT books editor David Ulin is “ambivalent” about Banned Books Week. While “we clearly still need such a public affirmation,” it “offers up the sort of toothless, feel-good spectacle that makes us less likely to consider the actual ramifications of free expression. The basic message here is one of astonishment: Why would anyone ban books when literature is such a positive and ennobling force? Yet while I agree with that, I also believe that some books truly are dangerous, and to ignore that is simply disingenuous.” And to focus on well-loved titles that have been challenged in specific libraries or […]
Ex Cody's Employees File Contract Complaint
Two longtime employees of Cody’s Books have filed a complaint with California’s Labor Commission “alleging that the bookstore violated its contract with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) by not paying its workers paid time off when the store closed down in June,” the Berkeley Daily Planet reports. Cody’s liquidated its assets in August to pay off their bank lien, though they never filed for bankruptcy. The union rep for Cody’s employees Sharon Sherburn-Zimmer says, “If they went bankrupt they would have to pay off secured creditors first. But since they didn’t go bankrupt they have a contractual obligation with […]
Pakman to Leave eMusic
CEO of eMusic.com David Pakman will leave the company at the end of 2008 to become a partner at an unnamed venture capital firm. He’ll remain on the board of the company, which says it now has about $70 million in annual sales. A search is underway to recruit a new ceo. In the UK, former Picador deputy publisher Ursula Doyle will return to a staff job, taking on the new position of editorial director at Virago in November, reporting to Lennie Goodings. Falls Media, which specializes in funny, interactive, irreverent books and entertainment properties, has hired Peter Fornatale as […]