A charming French novel about an old-school publisher trying to get to grips with the digital ageAt more than one point in this novel I found myself asking: could this be any more French? Early on we meet a character described thus: “She used to be incredibly good-looking and now at thirtysomething she is creditably handsome.” Sorry? What the narrator, an ageing male publisher, looks like, or how creditably or uncreditably good-looking he is, we don’t find out. Another woman leaves the room “in a wiggle of buttock” – I dropped my annotating pencil when I read that line. “Artichokes require a degree of elegance” – there’s another drop of essence of Gallic for you.But there is more to Dear Reader, and what kept me going was that one of the subjects exercising our narrator is the issue of electronic readers – Kindles or, as our hero Robert Dubois has it, the “dear reader” of the title. This book is an elegy for a dying world: that of the printed book and, that death’s darker corollary, the reader who is still interested in, or has the attention span for, the long-form narrative. (I always thought these things were arranged better in France, with no Net Book Agreement and tax breaks for bookshops, but apparently not.) In the world of Dear Reader, there has been a general collapse of cultural understanding: the interns point out to Dubois the remarkable coincidence that the publishing house they have landed in has the same name as him. Meanwhile, Dubois cannot quite get to... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2014-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with:
#electronic readers
#attention span
#tax breaks
PW compiled a list of noteworthy publications of Pope Francis's second encyclical 'Laudato Si: On Care For Our Common Home.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#pope francis
Maximum Pop!, a pop music site for 14-21 year olds, has launched a dedicated channel for YA books. The company has hired a full-time books editor, former YA blogger Laura Fulton, to run the books area of the site and already has more than 4,000 followers of its twitter account... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#ya books
Scholastic has signed a new book by Yogscast, a network of YouTube broadcasters who produce gaming-related video content. The Diggy Diggy Book will be published in hardback in October and is described as a “must-have” for Yogscast fans, featuring jokes, information about the Yogscast team, and... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Portico, an imprint of Pavilion Books, has bought two books by Sunday Times Style writer Francesca Hornak. Commissioning editor Nicola Newman bought world rights in History of the World in 100 Modern Objects and Worry With Mother from Olivia Guest of Jonathan Clowes Ltd. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#pavilion books
Describe your role I’m the publicity and marketing assistant at Michael O’Mara Books. I support the department by carrying out general administrative tasks as well as posting on our social media channels, setting up competitions with third parties and running my own campaigns. What do you... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#marketing assistant
#mara books
This week: a vampire story mixed with a detective story, plus the latest from Mary Kubica and Paula McLain. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#mary kubica
#paula mclain
The Bodley Head has acquired a biography of spy Donald Maclean, written by John Murray publisher Roland Philipps. Publishing director Stuart Williams bought UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, to A Spy Named Orphan: The Lives of Donald Maclean, from Natasha Fairweather at United... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#john murray
#bodley head
#natasha fairweather
#united agents
"Go Set a Watchman" sold more print copies in its first week than any book since Dan Brown’s "The Lost Symbol," which was released in September 2009. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#digital era
#print copies
#dan brown
#lost symbol
Equinox’s president takes business advice to Harper, Two Dollar Radio signs its first graphic novel, the Pioneer Woman inks a multi-picture-book deal, and more in this week's notable book deals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#book deals
Amazon has reportedly blocked a person from reviewing an ebook because the company thinks that they are friends with the author. Imy Santiago attempted to post a review of an unnamed title several times, each time being told that it was in violation... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
'What Pet Should I Get?': New illustrations, books, and exhibits are still to come from Dr. Seuss, 24 years after his death. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#bringing rhymes
Bryan Stevenson took home the Carnegie Medal for 'Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption' and gave a riveting speech that left the audience buzzing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#bryan stevenson
#carnegie medal
Putin's government plans to offer tax breaks and other benefits to booksellers who let the government pick patriotic titles for in store promotions. The post Russian Booksellers Balk at “Help” from Putin in Picking Books appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#government plans
Apply by July 31st to be a Frankfurt Book Fair Business Club Ambassador. In exchange for promotion you receive a free pass and added benefits. The post Frankfurt Book Fair Business Club is Seeking Ambassadors! appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#july 31st
#free pass
The Cat, the Lorax, and Horton...those are your favorite Dr. Seuss protagonists. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#pw asks
#favorite dr
Those who are so quick to dismiss the launch of Oh My Vlog! and its coverage of the new breed of online superstars are missing the pointOn Wednesday afternoon, while Piers Morgan was penning his important and completely helpful musings on the concept of Nicki Minaj’s support from Black Twitter,... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#tanya burr
#print journalism
'What Pet Should I Get?': New illustrations, books, and exhibits are still to come from Dr. Seuss, 24 years after his death. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#bringing rhymes
DGMT share price drops 9% after ‘marked deterioration’ in advertising revenue for flagship print titlesShares in the Daily Mail’s parent company have slumped 9% after it reported a fall in print advertising revenues at its flagship national newspapers. Advertising revenues at the Daily Mail and... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#print advertising
#advertising revenue
#advertising revenues
#digital counterpart
#8% increase
#print decline
Diversion division EverAfter Romance has launched a print program for its self-published romance authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#self-pubbed authors
#print program
Jet Blue, Random House and Mary Pope Osborne are giving away free kids books through a program that places book vending machines in underprivileged neighborhoods. The post Vending Machines to Dispense Free Kids Books appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#vending machines
#jet blue
#random house
#underprivileged neighborhoods