Book clubs in America: Why do we love them so much?

A casual observer of the book-club scene could be fooled into thinking that this summer was a hard one for the nation's leisure readers. Late in spring, Oprah's club shuttered, stranding publishers in what promises to be a long shoal of short print runs and offering the rest of us one literary arbiter fewer to love or hate. Borders, which ran a sort of book group of its own, shut down stores, too, after creditors refused a buyout offer from a book-club mega-company. Could reading groups be losing their sway in our culture? On one hand, this is a reasonable question; on the other, it's like asking whether the United States should worry about being out-powered by Belgium. More than 5 million adults are thought to be in reading groups, not counting online clubs, and a number of those adults have a noticeable missionary bent: If Oprah didn't get you onboard, there's a good chance that your neighbor with a Thursday group will have you marking up Love in the Time of Cholera before summer is through.[more ...] Continue reading at 'Slate'

[ Slate | 2011-07-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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‘Look at Me': The first-ever Instagram book is a self-help guide for brands

You’ve read books in print. You might have read books online or on a mobile device. But until now you probably haven't read a book on Instagram. Jason Sperling, executive creative director at agency RPA, today began publishing his new 160-page book, “Look at Me When I'm Talking to You,”... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #brands appeared #mobile device #makes sense


When Reporters Write Books, Does The Times Win, Too?

WRITING books must be in the DNA of Times journalists. Even the paper’s founding editor, Henry J. Raymond, cranked them out, including his “History of the Administration of President Lincoln” in 1864. The next year, he r ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-06-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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ALA 2015: On E-books, Libraries Pushing For Options

Digital Content Working Group co-chair Carolyn Anthony told members that ALA officials were "continuing to dialogue" with the Big Five publishers over ebook prices. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Adult colouring-in books: the latest weapon against stress and anxiety

Are we really a nation vibrating with anxiety? The booming sales of colouring books that help calm us down would suggest soThe Michael O’Mara publishing empire is housed exactly as you would expect from a company that had no idea how fast it was going to grow. Clara Nelson, the publicity... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publicity director #south-west london #true story


Glaister steps down as c.e.o of The Book People

The Book People’s co-founder Seni Glaister is stepping down from her role as c.e.o of the company. William Wellesley, who has been at the company since January, and has been previously joint managing director at Molton Brown and group chief operating officer at GEMS Education, has been appointed... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Deals: Week of June 29, 2015

Razorbill takes the debut YA from a Hollywood movie-studio consultant; YouTube sensation Matthew Santoro gives the facts to Perigee; Orbit invests in a new series, Empire of Storms; and more in this week's notable book deals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tracking Facebook’s Book Challenge

On January 2, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced he would be challenging himself to read a new book every other week in 2015. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The World's 57 Largest Book Publishers, 2015

The growing complexity of international book publishing is reflected in this year’s ranking of the world’s largest publishers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Employing Localized Data for Global Book Discovery

Jim Bryant draws examples from Trajectory.com bookselling partners in China to argue that superior, localized metadata increases book sales — everywhere. The post Employing Localized Data for Global Book Discovery appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2015: Perseus Book Group

Perseus Book Group was founded in 1996 by venture capitalist Frank Pearl. It is an independent company that represents independent publishers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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ALA 2015: Sloan, Knight Foundation Grants For Digital Public Library of America

The two new awards, coupled with significant earlier support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowment for the Humanities, will help to establish the growth of DPLA’s "service hubs." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW Picks: Books of the Week, June 29, 2015

This week, an attack by a walking corpse, and a coming-of-age novel set in Barbados. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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35 Books Every Designer Should Read

We asked some of the world's top design schools to share their favorite books. Here's what they recommend for your summer reading list.It doesn't matter if you're a student of design, or just someone who hears the term "design thinking" and stays quiet at meetings while noting to Google it... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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No, Bill O'Reilly, 'Killing Patton' Was Not the Bestselling Book of 2014

A response to inaccurate statements made by O'Reilly about 'Publishers Weekly' and his book sales history. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Spiegel & Grau Moves Up Ta-Nehisi Coates Book

Spiegel & Grau is pushing up the publication date of Atlantic correspondent Ta-Nehisi Coates’ new book, 'Between the World and Me,' which confronts issues of race in America, from September 8 to July 14. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harry Potter Book Night back in 2016

Bloomsbury Children’s Books has revealed plans for a second Harry Potter Book Night in 2016. The event, which will take place on the 4th February, will again include events and activities based on the seven Harry Potter books penned by J K Rowling. More than 10,000 schools, libraries,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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German Ebook Sales Reaches 4.3% Of Overall Book Market

Statistics from the publishers association show that German ebook sales has stabilized, with prices dropping year over year, and print sales are up. The post German Ebook Sales Reaches 4.3% Of Overall Book Market appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Short Takes: Spirituality & Religion Book News, June 24, 2015

Nominations open for Christianity Today book awards; NirV Bible now available in Anglicized edition. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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What Can Revitalize Brazil’s Book Market?

Ricardo Lay discusses how to revitalize the book market in Brazil, such as opening new sales and distribution channels and bolstering foreign rights sales. The post What Can Revitalize Brazil’s Book Market? appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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We Review a Self-Published E-Book About a Lady Clone War

'Star Wars' and 'Lord of the Rings' had a baby, it died badly, and this book is its reanimated remains. The post We Review a Self-Published E-Book About a Lady Clone War appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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