Google Goes for Millions of Books About five years after wads of ill-invested venture capital set off to digitize mini-libraries of tens of thousands of books, Google has announced a major expansion of their Google Print project that points the company squarely towards bringing as many as tens of millions of books into their online index in a multi-year endeavor. In this phase, the company has announced partnerships to digitize and present search capability for the University of Michigan’s seven million volumes and nearly all of Stanford University’s eight million volumes. A pilot program with Harvard University will start with […]

Martha’s Non-Deal Martha Stewart’s recently-announced TV deal was brokered before she went to prison (where she’s not allowed to conduct business) but as far as anyone can tell, a memoir deal — if there is to be a deal at all — will wait until after her release. At least two publishing people tell NY Magazine that a $10 million asking price is a mighty large obstacle. NY Mag More Best Lists We’ve always liked the Seattle Times book pages; this weekend, they offered a main list of top 25 books, plus, “because book critic Michael Upchurch and crime fiction […]

Richard and Judy Spark UK Hopes Britain’s version of the Oprah effect will kick into gear for the 10 lucky novelists named to the Richard and Judy shortlist for 2005. Each of the books named will be featured in a televised episode starting in January; viewers will vote for their favorites and the winner will be named at the April British Book Awards. The list runs the gamut, from David Mitchell’s CLOUD ATLAS to pop star Robbie Williams’ life story FEEL. Jodi Picoult — published for the first time in the UK this year — makes the list with MY […]

Crossed PENs An acrimonious year at the UK branch of PEN may come to head at an organizational meeting today. Or they may finally find a way to move on. The Independent notes: “The feud may well descend to new levels of bitterness at today’s AGM but others hope it will provide a cue to move on from this year’s troubles. New committee members will be voted in, and an optimistic financial report will be presented. The remainder of the archive has been sold; this and staff cutbacks have reduced the organization’s annual deficit to £16,000, and new fundraising initiatives […]

Book from Peterson’s Ex-Girlfriend Could Disrupt Verdict A local TV station has “learned” that Amber Frey, the ex-girlfriend of recently convicted Scott Peterson, is working on a book with ReganBooks that might be published as early as February 2005. The station notes, “She secretly recorded a number of phone conversations with Peterson for police investigators, and those tapes were widely seen as very damaging to the defense.” But legal analyst Dean Johnson says the deal could jeopardize the verdict. “I think it would probably behoove the defense to make a motion for a mistrial and put that on the record, […]

Times Tops Gawker has posted the TBR’s forthcoming list of the top 10 books of 2004 in advance, calling it, “A year-end finale so surprising it makes last season’s O.C. cliffhanger look like Blue’s Clues.” The list: GILEAD, by Marilynne Robinson THE MASTER , by Colm Toibin THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA, by Philip Roth RUNAWAY, by Alice Munro SNOW, by Orhan Pamuk WAR TRASH, by Ha Jin ALEXANDER HAMILTON, by Ron Chernow CHRONICLES, VOL. 1, by Bob Dylan WASHINGTON’S CROSSING, by David Hackett Fischer WILL IN THE WORLD, by Stephen Greenblatt Gawker It Wouldn’t be the Christmas Season If… : […]