The Booker Prizes announced their longlist. The shortlist will be announced on September 16 and the winner will be announced on November 12.
Bookselling: New Owners for Diesel In Brentwood
Alison Reid and John Evans announced on the Diesel bookstore website that they have sold their store in Brentwood after a lengthy search. Richard and Heather Turner take over ownership on August 1. Reid and Evans “will be on hand for a few more months to smooth the transition.” They add: “We are so excited to work to help them keep the store as good as you’ve come to expect and to take it forward into the future. All of your favorite booksellers will be continuing to work in the store.”
Obituary: Francine Pascal
Sweet Valley High creator Francine Pascal, 92, died on July 28 of lymphoma. In 1983, Pascal created the Sweet Valley High series of young adult novels, which went on to launch many companion books, a TV show, and two grown-up sequels, Sweet Valley Confidential (2011) and The Sweet Life (2012). According to the New York Times, Sweet Valley titles have sold more than 200 million copies. Pascal also wrote several other books, including the YA series Fearless and adult novels Save Johanna! and If Wishes Were Horses.
New Books Publishing July 30
This week’s fiction releases include new novels by Dinaw Mengestu and Rainbow Rowell, while Jay Ellis and Drew Afualo publish new nonfiction works. Also out this week is Alison Espach’s THE WEDDING PEOPLE, excerpted in our Buzz Books 2024: Spring/Summer sampler. 21 works of fiction https://bookshop.org/lists/new-fiction-publishing-july-30 5 works of nonfiction https://bookshop.org/lists/new-nonfiction-publishing-july-30 From Buzz Books https://buzz.publishersmarketplace.com/ We consult a number of sources in compiling our weekly lists and PM members can see our lists for the coming months on Bookshop. Check out July‘s 142 fiction releases, 39 works of nonfiction, and 20 children’s […]
Pearson Expects Higher Ed Growth in the Second Half of the Year
Pearson released their interim financial report for the first half of the year, reporting sales of £1.75 billion ($2.21 billion), down 7 percent from £1.88 billion in the same period last year. Operating profit was flat at £219 million. In Higher Education, sales were £358 million, down 6 percent, with an operating loss of £(1) million. The company said these results are “in line with our phasing guidance,” and due to “currency movements and portfolio changes.” They expect to return to growth in the segment in the second half of the year. Assessments and Qualifications sales were up 2 percent […]
Obituary: Edna O’Brien
Irish author Edna O’Brien, 93, died on July 27 “after a long illness,” according to her publisher. Her work, which was often autobiographical, contained honest depictions of women and lost love. She published her first novel, The Country Girls, in 1960, and it was banned in Ireland. She won the Irish PEN lifetime achievement award in 2001 and the PEN/Nabokov award for achievement in international literature in 2018.