- 2013 May 21
Beware of Book Blurbs
'The Washington Post' did not review Martin Amis's latest novel favorably, but the book blurb suggests otherwise.
- 2013 May 20
11 Buzzy Books for Hollywood
These are the summer books on Hollywood's radar.
- 2013 May 17
Amazon Called Before Parliament
Internet retailer Amazon.com Inc. will be called back to the British parliament to clarify how its activities in the UK justify its low corporate income tax bill.
How Do You Write About Life...
When it's lived on computers?
Publisher Threatens to Sue Blogger
For $1 billion.
- 2013 May 16
Amazon's Tax Questions
Guardian investigation shows key role of British-based staff in pushing tax rulebook to its limits.
- 2013 May 14
Did Luhrmann Get It Right?
A high school English teacher analyzes Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of The Great Gatsby.
A Super Sweet Musical
A behind-the-scenes look at the London stage production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
German Amazon Workers Set to Strike?
German labour union Verdi called on workers at Amazon.com to stage a strike in the country on Tuesday to put pressure on the global internet retailer to improve pay and benefits.
- 2013 May 13
Cengage CEO Seeks Restructuring
Cengage Learning said it’s seeking to negotiate with creditors on a restructuring plan and may need to file bankruptcy as part of its turnaround efforts.
- 2013 May 10
Apple Wins iBooks Trademark
A U.S. district court judge on Wednesday handed down a summary pro-Apple judgement in a case involving the "iBooks" trademark, denying plaintiff Black Tower Press its request for injunctive relief and corresponding damages.
- 2013 May 09
Amazon Workers Sue Over Checkpoints
"Whenever he clocked out after his 12-hour shift at an Amazon warehouse, Jesse Busk had one more critical task to perform before he could hop into his car and head home to sleep: Pass through the sprawling warehouse security checkpoint."
Grammar Rules
Everyone should follow.
- 2013 May 07
Cake Wrecks for Teachers
A round-up of funny cakes for Teacher Appreciation Week.
- 2013 May 03
ABA 2013 Election Results
Steve Bercu of BookPeople in Austin, Texas, has been elected to a two-year term as ABA president, and Betsy Burton of The King’s English Bookshop in Salt Lake City, Utah, will serve a two-year term as vice president/secretary.
- 2013 May 02
What It's Like To Interview at Amazon
The company hires "hundreds" of M.B.A.s each year, she says, as well as hundreds of recent college graduates and others with technical backgrounds.
- 2013 Apr 30
'Graceling' Trilogy Heads to Film
Reliance Entertainment is developing Kristin Cashore's 'Graceling' trilogy.
Matilda Nabs Tony Nominations
Matilda the musical is nominated for a dozen Tony awards.
- 2013 Apr 29
Amazon Faces Strike Threat in Germany
Over pay, conditions.
- 2013 Apr 26
Advice for Aspiring Children's Authors
At the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books last weekend, three writers shared advice for aspiring children’s book authors.
Alexandria is Most Well-Read City
According to Amazon.
Fight Over Use of Term 'Superhero'
Ray Felix created the series 'A World Without Superheroes' and was opposed by DC and Marvel Comics, who share a trademark on the word 'superhero.'
- 2013 Apr 25
Indie Booksellers Petition Amazon
The petition, asking Amazon to pay corporation tax in the U.K., had over 150,000 signatures.
Wikipedia Bumps Women
From "American novelists" category.
Men Read Books by Women
And books about women, says Slate.
Loss of Printed Books
Means reading won't be the same, says Guillermo Martinez.
- 2013 Apr 24
Harry Potter Theme Park
Coming to Universal Studios Hollywood.
OED's Simpson to Retire
John Simpson, chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary will retire in October after 37 years at the publication.
- 2013 Apr 23
Divergent Photo Leak
Photos of the Divergent movie set in Chicago are leaked.
- 2013 Apr 22
Amanda Knox's Memoir
“She’s a complete blank,” the playwright John Guare once said, trying to explain the public fascination with Amanda Knox.
- 2013 Apr 19
Amazon in Russia?
Amazon looks like it is gearing up for the latest chapter in its international expansion: an operation in Russia.
- 2013 Apr 17
How to Get Your 2nd Publishing Job
Though there have been many articles and stories about how to navigate a first job, very few delve into what happens next.
- 2013 Apr 16
'Matilda the Musical'
The musical based on Roald Dahl's Matilda earns a rave review.
- 2013 Apr 12
Matilda: The Musical
NY Times: “Matilda the Musical,” the London import that opened on Thursday night, is the most satisfying and subversive musical ever to come out of Britain.
- 2013 Apr 09
Divergent Begins
Filming of Divergent movie began on April 8.
Hey, Remember Witches?
Fox 2000 purchases film rights to a Sally Green trilogy about witches, suggesting that they may be making a YA comeback.
- 2013 Apr 05
Bertelsmann to Float Part of RTL Stake
Bertelsmann has confirmed its intention to float part of a controlling stake in Europe’s leading television broadcaster RTL, in a deal that could raise as much as €1.5bn.
Peculiar Meetings Between Famous People
Including Samuel Beckett driving young Andre the Giant to school.
- 2013 Apr 04
Arthur Frommer Reacquires Frommers
Will publish books again.
Mackenzie Bezos Defends Amazon
“I think about how great [Amazon] is for me as a reader,” Bezos said. “And that seems great for authors and books, too, to me.”
Does Spelling Matter?
Tony Blair and Dan Quayle have both made famous gaffes. Henry Hitchings on the importance of spelling.
- 2013 Apr 03
Why Amazon Bought Goodreads
"The business model is moving further towards word of mouth."
Bar Guest Book Sells for $11,900
Signed by Auden, Garbo, and many more.
- 2013 Apr 02
A Picture Book Wedding
A Chicago man proposes to his girlfriend by writing a picture book.
Where In the World?
The travel site Cheap Flights creates an infographic about the real-life settings of classic children's books.
Mining Books To Map Emotions
Were people happier in the 1950s than they are today? The answer may be in books.
- 2013 Apr 01
Turow on Amazon/Goodreads
"This is how modern monopolies can be built."
Walmart Wishes It Were a Startup?
Over the past year and a half or so, Walmart has gone on a tech hiring frenzy. Its e-commerce operation now employs about 1,500 people, and the company expects to hire hundreds more in the near future, most of them in Northern California.
- 2013 Mar 29
'The Host' Reviews
Not great.
Five Girl-Power Books
Just like "Lean In."
What is the Business of Literature?
Richard Nash weighs in.
- 2013 Mar 27
EU Nearing RH-Penguin Approval
Bertelsmann and Pearson are set to win unconditional EU regulatory approval for a plan to merge their publishers Random House and Penguin.
- 2013 Mar 25
Lit Agents Talk Publishing
“Things are actually very healthy in terms of readers and in terms of authors. What’s sick is the business model of publishing and that’s what I’m finding is so depressing.”
- 2013 Mar 22
Google Pulls Plug on Frommer's Print
Google has ceased production and publication of printed guidebooks bearing the Frommer’s brand name.
Publishing Salaries Poll
"It’s tough out here, as these numbers prove. But hey—at least there’s books."
- 2013 Mar 21
Bezos Recovers Apollo Engines from Ocean
Rusted pieces of two Apollo-era rocket engines that helped boost astronauts to the moon have been fished out of the murky depths of the Atlantic by a privately funded expedition led by Bezos.
- 2013 Mar 19
Publishers Scramble to Rewrite Future
"Of all the worries in the publishing world these days, the king of them is cultural irrelevance."
- 2013 Mar 18
Hey Amazon, Where's My Money?
"My novel shot to the top of the site's bestseller list last summer. You won't believe how little I got paid "
- 2013 Mar 15
50 Shades of Kate
Kate Moss reads from the book.
A Book Is a Start-Up
The part of the publishing world that considers a book as a technological enterprise.
- 2013 Mar 14
A Note on Nerdfighters
In her article about transgender teens, Margaret Talbot quotes Annette Bening and Warren Beatty’s son Stephen calling himself, among other things, a “nerd fighter.”
Has Virago Changed Publishing Attitudes?
It's 40 years since Virago Books was set up to celebrate the work of female writers. So how successful has it been in opening up the way for more women authors?
- 2013 Mar 13
B&N Argues It Didn't Violate Patents
Barnes & Noble sued Alcatel-Lucent in July 2010, seeking a ruling that it hasn’t infringed patents registered by the telecommunications company, which had warned of possible legal action.
Animated Pop-Up Books
See the books come alive.
- 2013 Mar 12
C.K. on Clifford
Comedian Louis C.K. does a bit on Clifford the Big Red Dog.
PublishAmerica Sued Again
Charges include inserting errors.
The History of Education and Textbooks
From Ancient Egypt to today.
- 2013 Mar 11
Why We Need to Invent New Words
The Guardian: Don't let the dictionary define what you say. Make up your own words. Here are rules you need to follow.
- 2013 Mar 07
Franco to Star in Of Mice and Men
James Franco will make his Broadway debut as George Milton in Of Mice and Men.
Cleary Home For Sale
Beverly Cleary's childhood home in Portland, Oregon is for sale.
Lena Duchannes: Fashion Guru?
Witchy fashion styles are appearing on the runway.
Teenagers Seeking 'Easier' reading
A British study reports that teenagers are seeking out books that are not challenging enough.
Harry Potter GIFs
Tell you what it's like to be an art student.
Booksellers Have Publishers Over Barrel?
Publisher and former Conservative Party politician Iain Dale has hit out at the big booksellers, including W H Smith, Waterstones and Amazon, saying they have publishers "over a barrel."
- 2013 Mar 06
Katniss Poster Portrait
'Catching Fire' is only eight months away.
Should Wal-Mart Buy B&N?
Wal-Mart has looked into buying Barnes & Noble in the past, but should it look again?
Why is Good Sex Writing So Difficult?
Julian Barnes claims that British novelists feel obligated to write love scenes and so make a hash of it, replacing euphemisms with cliches. So what is so tricky about literary sex?
- 2013 Mar 05
Graham Reads Green Eggs
Philadelphia drag queen Martha Graham Cracker reads Green Eggs and Ham to appreciative audience.
Workplace Woes
Publishing profession among the fields offering long hours, low pay for 20-somethings.
Dr. Seuss Cakes
Cake Wrecks features Dr. Seuss cakes.
Favorite Books Key to Literacy?
Study shows that reading familiar books helps kids learn words.
House with Bookshop and Cafe
It's called the Izu Book Cafe and it also doubles as the home of a newly retired couple.
- 2013 Mar 01
'Hobbit' Delayed 5 Months
And Scorsese's "Wolf of Wall Street" gets a release date.
- 2013 Feb 28
What a Difference A Book Makes
An infographic demonstrates the significant impacts that books have on children's lives.
Most at Risk from Amazon?
Bed, Bath & Beyond.
- 2013 Feb 27
Inside 100 Years, 94 Books
The Guardian takes a look at Matthew Kahn's ambitious two-year project.
- 2013 Feb 26
Shred But Not Read
Children's books deemed "undeliverable" are being shredded at a Montgomery County, Tenn. post office.
- 2013 Feb 25
Amazon Squashes Affiliates...
...who promote free Kindle books.
- 2013 Feb 22
James Patterson and Duchess of Cornwall
Team up to encourage fathers to read to their children more.
- 2013 Feb 21
Obama Visits Georgia Classroom
President Obama visited a pre-kindergarten classroom in Decatur, Ga. as part of efforts to promote his education plan.
Obama's Universal Preschool Plan
An opinion piece gives high marks to Obama's preschool expansion plan.
The Short Story Boom is Bogus
Laura Miller takes on the Times.
E.L. James's Love Rival
The Submissive, released this month as an e-book, chronicles the BDSM relationship between a wealthy CEO and young librarian.
- 2013 Feb 19
Amazon Fires German Security Force
Amazon reacted to mounting criticism Monday by firing a security company named in a German television documentary about alleged mistreatment of foreign temporary workers.
War & Peace Gets BBC Miniseries
The long novel will become six hour-long episodes scheduled to be broadcast on BBC One in 2015.
Reader's Digest Bankruptcy
The brand is trying to shed $465 million in debt.
New James Bond Novel Hits in Sept.
Ian Fleming's estate confirms a new James Bond novel, written by William Boyd, will be published later this year.
- 2013 Feb 15
Obama: 'Don't Forget to Be Awesome'
Obama had some words of advice for John Green.
Hatchet Job of the Year Award
Camilla Long wins for her takedown of Rachel Cusk's Aftermath.
Amazon Used Neo-Nazi Guards?
Amazon is at the center of a deepening scandal in Germany as the online shopping giant faced claims that it employed security guards with neo-Nazi connections to intimidate its foreign workers.
