Who Will Save Our Books?

Apr 26, 2013 | News

A bestselling author has sent out an S-O-S for the book trade. Last week James Patterson took out ads on the cover of Publisher Weekly, in The New York Times Book Review, and in Kirkus asking the questions, “Who will save our books? Our bookstores? Our...

Amazon: Friend or Foe?

Apr 18, 2013 | News

As the US celebrates National Library Week, there’s cause for celebration in the stacks. News from Simon & Schuster details a one-year, pilot e-book lending program with New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and the Queens Library. Over at the London...

Are Books Part of the Past?

Apr 12, 2013 | News

Are books part of the past? Or are they essential to the future? No, we’re not talking about the shopworn debate over the death of print. In this clash for hearts and minds and money, books will likely survive — but what future lies ahead for books...

No Such Thing As Used E-Book

Apr 5, 2013 | News

While the publishing world learns to live with the idea that e-books may be good for business, after all, a federal district court judge finds there is no such thing as a used e-book. “To quote OR Books founder, John Oakes, ‘e-books are God’s gift to...

Shades of Grey… And Green

Mar 29, 2013 | News

Random House parent company Bertelsmann has put a cap on a record year for the global publishing giant with an announcement that worldwide revenue at RH rose almost 23%, while the companies’ profits operating margin jumped almost 76%. “Those are both astounding...

Copyright Reform Next?

Mar 22, 2013 | Copyright, News

Publishers prepare to pack for London, while the Supreme Court sends John Wiley & Sons packing with a copyright-related ruling that the First Sale doctrine applies as well in Bangkok as it does in Berkley. Ahead of the London Book Fair, running from April...

Millionaires By the Book

Mar 15, 2013 | News

With the tide of e-book sales rising fast, the number of million-selling digital titles has likewise swelled. That’s good news for authors and their publishers, and lest we forget, heartening too for all makers of devices. Yet bookstore owners can take heart as well:...

Tech-Based SXSW Festival Goes Literary

Mar 8, 2013 | News

Live and learn. In 2009, book business representatives took their show on the road to Austin and were met with a hail of digital brickbats. Four years on, the techies and the booksters have found common ground at the upcoming SXSW Interactive Festival. “In 2009, the...

In Books, Everyone’s Declaring Independence

Mar 1, 2013 | News

Across the publishing industry, all the players are proudly declaring independence. Authors have cut ties with publishers and agents and found success in more than “50 shades.” Determined to survive in their brick-and-mortar forms, “indie” booksellers are fighting for...

Sherlock Holmes, RIP

Feb 22, 2013 | News

In a famous case, Sherlock Holmes seemed to meet his demise. Yet the character survives, and for a detective 126 years old, he manages rather well to this day in part because of an apparent quirk in copyright law. One scholar, though, wants to put an end to Holmes as...