Desiree Sanders, 41, founder and president of Chicago’s Afrocentric Bookstore, says: “The last year has not been good for us as far as customers. It is with much regret that I complete the process of closing our doors after 18 years of service to the Black community. I know by closing I am leaving a void in the Black community but the economics to stay open just aren’t there anymore.”Chicago Reader In Philadelphia, Molly’s Bookstore is selling off inventory and will close. Owner Molly Russakoff says: “The whole nature of the business changed from a laid-back, sociable job to a […]
Australian Import/Copyright Fight: Sounds Like a Losing Battle
In Australia, booksellers and a government commission are seeking to remove the country’s restrictions that give Australian publishers 30 days after the release of book elsewhere in the world to issue an Australian edition (which protects territorial rights and blocks the importing of editions from other countries). The industry response, as the Australian puts it: “The Australian Publishers Association and the Australian Society of Authors are organising a grassroots campaign to educate the public that cheap books will come at a cost to the local industry.”Australian
Latest Textbook Trick: Slightly Customized Books Defy Used Sales
No wonder students rebel against textbook publishers. The latest twist, described in today’s WSJ, is for publishing companies to produce slightly customized books–like a special edition of “A Writer’s Reference” that puts the University of Alabama’s name on the cover and includes a 32-page section describing the school’s writing program (taken right from the school’s web site.) There’s no value added for the student, but the university gets a $3 a book royalty (from over 4,000 copies) from publisher Bedford/St. Martin’s, and the publisher inhibits resale into the open used book market. (If it makes you feel any better, Professor […]
USA Today's Q2 Bestsellers
Randy Pausch’s LAST LECTURE was No. 1 and Eckhart Tolle stayed at No. 2–but Stephenie Meyer took four of the next five slots, and BREAKING DAWN, the fourth in the Twilight series, doesn’t land until August 2. (A Twilight film is set for December.)USAT
Awards for Rushdie and Rose-Innes
Salman Rushie’s MIDNIGHT’S CHILDREN won the Best of the Booker designation–for the second time–as part of the prize’s 40th anniversary celebration. (He won a similar designation, the Booker of Bookers, after the 25 years of the prize.) South African writer Henrietta Rose-Innes won the Caine Prize for African writing for her story, POISON is a piece about environmental disaster in Cape Town.Booker/GuardianBBC/Caine
Madonna's Brother's Memoir Lands
Christopher Ciccone’s big revelation in Life With My Sister Madonna? “The singer really does love her husband, director Guy Ritchie, but, apparently, not as much as she loves her career and herself,” the AP says. To further summarize: “Ciccone’s memoir includes everything from gossip about Madonna’s sex life (she lost her virginity to a ‘guy named Russell’) to anecdotes about such ex-lovers as Sean Penn (Madonna called him a ‘paranoid control freak’) and Warren Beatty, who allegedly cornered Ciccone at a party and quizzed him intensely on what it was like to be gay…. “The book offers snapshots of Bruce […]