Hoping to emulate the Booker of Booker’s campaign, the National Books Foundation is initiating a program to select the best novel from the past 59 years. There have been 77 National Book Award-winning works of fiction from 68 authors during that period (the contest incorporates long-retired fiction sub-categories such as best science fiction, best western, and best paperback fiction). The books will be featured, one a day, on a dedicated NBA blog, while the organization polls former winners, finalists and judges to cull a six-book shortlist. (NBF executive director Harold Augenbraum has read all 77 books, and offers comments on […]
Bookselling News: Trover Closes; Half Price Rises; What Scribd Does Right
Washington, DC’s Trover Shop bookstore on Capitol Hill is closing after 51 years in business. At one point comprising five stores in the area, Trover Shops will be left with a single outlet that sells only cards and gifts. Co-owner Andy Shuman (and son of founder Joe Shuman) tells the Washington Post, “We don’t want to see it go, but unfortunately with the way the industry’s going and other stores closing, we’d rather be on our own terms than someone else’s terms.” They wanted to be able to “walk away with our heads held high instead of with our heads […]
Hachette Offers Free "Open Access" to Selected Books
Hachette Book Group has inaugurated a promotional program that allows visitors to their web site to read a variety of books in their entirety on the HBG web site, in partnership with LibreDigital. The first group of titles “represents a wide range of bestsellers, critically acclaimed authors, and eagerly anticipated books…to build buzz for authors and new titles, as well as help them discover popular backlist books.” The title selection will change every 30 days,a nd now they are offering 17 books from across the company’s divisions.
Lunch Weekly for Monday, July 6
Deal Reports Just e-mail to deals@PublishersMarketplace if you aren’t using the online form linked below. Report a deal using the online form The Key As usual, the handy key to our Lunch deal categories. While all reports are always welcome, those that include a category will generally receive a higher listing when it comes time to put them all together. “nice deal” $1 – $49,000 “very nice deal” $50,000 – $99,000 “good deal” $100,000 – $250,000 “significant deal” $251,000 – $499,000 “major deal” $500,000 and up FICTION Debut Dr. Steven Schlozman’s zombie novel, a compilation of rescued documents from […]
Penguin UK to Cut "About 100" People
One of the few big trade publishers to not cut jobs since the recession hit last fall, Penguin UK is now taking some of the steepest cuts of any UK publisher (both Random UK and HarperCollins UK had significant layoffs earlier this year.) The company said today it “anticipated…the loss of around 100 jobs in the UK” after the the mandated consultation period with employees. Penguin positions the realignments as “a series of changes to its UK business which are designed to strengthen the appeal and relevance of its publishing, reduce costs in all areas of the business, and prepare […]
Amazon Names Best Books for the First Half of 2009
Not waiting for the end-of-year list season, Amazon is highlight an eclectic selection of their “best books of 2009…so far.” The Top 10 overall comprise: Cheever: A Life by Blake BaileyLet the Great World Spin by Colum McCannFordlandia by Greg GrandinThe City & The City by China MievilleThe Forgotten Garden by Kate MortonBrooklyn by Colm ToibinThe Gamble by Thomas RicksSag Harbor by Colson Whiteheadand even Starbucks pick Crazy for the Storm by Norman Ollestad, and one-time Borders “make book” The Lost City of Z by David Grann Separate lists offer top tens for fiction, nonfiction, children’s and “hidden gems.” And […]