Amazon's Russell Grandinetti: Kindle champ takes on the books trade | Observer profile

Why are some of the world's most widely read authors now at daggers drawn with Amazon? The answer lies in Jeff Bezos's chief lieutenant, now the most powerful man in publishingEarlier this year, Amazon threw a party at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to celebrate the launch of Alpha House, a political comedy TV series. It was an important moment for CEO, Jeff Bezos, signalling the global retailing giant's push into creating entertainment. Bezos's laugh pierced through the social din and his executives laughed along with him.But in less than six months, Amazon's mood has soured. Initiatives designed to establish the loss-making firm as a creative powerhouse have stumbled. The most bruising, an effort to push further into online book publishing, has pitched the book industry against the retailer it depends upon. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #important moment #book industry

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Huntingdon tops Amazon's 'most well-read' list

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Mon, 05/09/2011 - 08:10 People in Huntingdon and Cambridge buy the most books of any town or city in the UK, according to a list compiled by Amazon from its print and Kindle sales since the start of the year. Towns in Kent, Wiltshire and West Sussex... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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VIDEO: Amazon merger opposed

The Booksellers Association has formally opposed Amazon's attempts to merge with The Book Depository. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2011-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #booksellers association #book depository


Quercus plots to become top five UK trade publisher

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Fri, 02/09/2011 - 15:24 Quercus plans to increase its staff by 40% within the next three years, as it aims to become one of the UK’s top five trade publishers. The indie outfit is currently ranked as the 14th largest UK operation in terms of sales... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #trade publishers #pan macmillan #current number


Dawn Porter to write for Hodder Children's Books

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 01/09/2011 - 14:45 Hodder Children's Books has bought two teen titles from journalist and presenter Dawn Porter. Publisher Emily Thomas did the deal directly with Porter for a "sizeable" sum. The books are described as "epic stories of an... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sony offers first Harry Potter book free with new reader

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Thu, 01/09/2011 - 08:51 Readers will be able to download the ebook of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for free with the limited edition model of the new Sony Reader. Further details have emerged about the Reader, which is set to go on sale in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sony reader #harry potter


Galaxy National Book Awards coverage shake-up

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 02/09/2011 - 07:55 The Galaxy National Book Awards ceremony will not be broadcast in full this year, instead being showcased in a six-part series on More4, with submissions for the awards closing on 16th September. The six-part series,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #six-part series #16th september #12th november


'Ask an author' feature added to Kindle

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Thu, 01/09/2011 - 15:08 Amazon.com is offering a new feature enabling readers to ask authors questions directly via their Kindle devices. @author is currently on limited beta release, with a handful of participating authors including thriller writer... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin to offer personalised kids books with new app

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Wed, 31/08/2011 - 08:05 Penguin is aiming to bring traditional family storytelling into the digital arena with a new picture book reader app, Me Books, which enables parents and carers to personalise stories by selecting parts they want to record... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trade greets end of Waterstone's 3 for 2

Written By: Lisa Campbell, Graeme Neill and Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 31/08/2011 - 18:15 Publishers and trade figures have broadly reacted positively towards the scrapping of Waterstone’s 3-for-2 promotion. As The Bookseller revealed earlier today [31st August], the offer is... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Edinburgh Book Festival to publish story collection

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Wed, 31/08/2011 - 14:45 The Edinburgh International Book Festival, Scottish indie Cargo and US publisher McSweeney's are to team up on a four-volume collection of stories from authors including Roddy Doyle and Ali Smith. Fifty authors are to take part... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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OFT decision on Amazon merger due Friday

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Tue, 30/08/2011 - 15:30 The Office of Fair Trading has postponed its ruling on the merger between Amazon and The Book Depository until Friday (2nd September). Originally the OFT had scheduled to announce today (30th August) whether it considered the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Books-A-Million At the Crossroads

At no time in its history has the opportunity and danger been greater for Books-A-Million. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-08-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kay wins Scottish Book of the Year award

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Fri, 26/08/2011 - 14:34 Jackie Kay has won the £30,000 Scottish Book of the Year award for her autobiography Red Dust Road (Picador). The award, which is run by Creative Scotland, was presented to Kay by Dame Jenni Murray today (26th August) at an... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes biggest Booker book

Written By: Philip Stone Publication Date: Thu, 25/08/2011 - 07:56 Julian Barnes' The Sense of an Ending (Cape) is comfortably the bestselling longlistee of one of the most popular Man Booker longlists since records began. Barnes' concise novel has sold 9,700 copies at UK booksellers since the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BBC Books to develop series around TV's Sherlock

Publication Date: Wed, 24/08/2011 - 08:25 BBC Books is to launch a publishing programme around Bafta-winning TV series "Sherlock", which was inspired by the adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle's Victorian detective Sherlock Holmes. The titles will each feature the show's branding and introductions... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bbc books #publishing programme #mark gatiss


Private Eye to mark 50 years with anniversary book

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 24/08/2011 - 14:46 Private Eye is marking its 50th anniversary by publishing a book looking back at the history of the satirical institution. Private Eye: The First 50 Years is written by Adam Macqueen, a journalist on the magazine since 1997. It... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Collins goes near the Knuckle with new book acquisition

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Tue, 23/08/2011 - 14:43 Collins has bought a memoir of an Irish traveller bare-knuckle boxing champion. Craig Adams, assistant editor for Collins, bought world rights in all languages to Knuckle by James Quinn McDonagh, in an unagented deal. The book... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Wigmore no fools with Boycie book

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 22/08/2011 - 11:39 An autobiography by “Only Fools and Horses” star John “Boycie” Challis will be the first book published by new company Wigmore Books, set up by writer Peter Burden. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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One in six children doesn't read a book a month

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 22/08/2011 - 15:18 One in six children do not read a single book per month, according to a new survey by the National Literacy Trust. The research suggested the United Kingdom is polarised between those who do not read and the one in 10 children... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Grant appointed World Book Day director

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 19/08/2011 - 12:03 World Book Day has appointed Kirsten Grant as director, with Cathy Schofield stepping down from her position as co-ordinator which she has held since October 2000. Grant, who was previously Puffin marketing and campaigns... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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