GAO Study Looks At Rise In Textbook Prices The Government Accountability Office is releasing a study today that says the average college student spends about $900 annually on textbooks and supplies. The study also finds that textbook prices have risen 186 percent since 1986 — well over double the rise in general consumer prices of 72 percent, though below the 240 percent increase in college tuition and fees. The GAO also finds that “there is a growing practice by publishers of including expensive new supplements and limiting the opportunity for students to purchase used textbooks,” the SF Chronicle reports. “In […]

Please Note It’s a quieter day — and just in time, as we prepare to take a few summer days with the family. Barring any pressing need, no Lunch will be served for the rest of this week. We’ll post selected news and links to the home page, and all other PublishersMarketplace features — including daily deal posts and e-mails, job postings, review coverage and everything else will continue as usual. Personnel News Gotham Books founder Bill Shinker has been promoted from svp of the unit to president (as well as remaining publisher). Thomas Nelson has announced a promotion from […]

Judge Rules in Favor of Brown in Copyright Infringment Suit In a 26-page decision that grants summary judgment and keeps the case from moving to a jury trial, Judge George B. Daniels has ruled that Dan Brown’s THE DA VINCI CODE does not infringe Lewis Perdue’s copyrights in his novels DAUGHTER OF GOD and THE DA VINCI LEGACY, and declared the books have “no substantial similarity.” In summarizing Perdue’s specific claims of similarity, Judge Daniels says that “all of these similarities, however, are unprotectible ideas, historical facts, and general themes that do not represent any original elements of Perdue’s work.” […]

Sales Keep Rising at Audible, While Profits Are Slim Audible’s income continued its sharp rise, hitting $15.3 million in their second quarter, almost double from a year, with income of less than $500,000, or 3 percent of net revenue. The company reports, “As of the end of the second quarter, there are a total of 611,000 total customers who have come to Audible to purchase digital audio content.” Release In other earnings, media giants Time Warner and Viacom both reported quarterly results this week. At each, the book publishing division warrants a sentence or two. At Simon & Schuster, “Publishing’s […]

Notes Sorry; we had some e-mail gremlins yesterday, and then personal Internet access issues today. FYI, if you ever have problems with your mail, please note that Lunch Deluxe is posted to PublishersMarketplace.com every day. The top story is linked right from the home page, and the rest can be found through the Lunch Archive tab on the left. Quills Nominees Announced; Broadcast will Lag Presentation The nominees for the new Quills awards — 95 strong, over 19 categories — have been announced. (The AP notes ticket prices for the event as ranging from $1,000 each to $25,000 for a […]

New Publisher for AMP, and Other Personnel News Andrews McMeel has hired Kirsty Melville as publisher of the company’s book division, beginning in early September. After a long run as publisher at Ten Speed Press, Melville had been publisher at University Games since last year. Recently appointed president and COO of Andrews McMeel Hugh Andrews notes in a statement, “Kirsty brings with her a wealth of industry knowledge and experience as well as a contagiously charismatic nature. We are confident that under her leadership, AMP will continue to evolve and meet strategic planning goals in areas of acquisition, backlist support, […]