Dear Reader by Paul Fournel review – an elegy for the printed book

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

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Dear Reader by Paul Fournel review – an elegy for the printed book'


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #design thinking


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #killing patton #bestselling book


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bloomsbury children #revealed plans #4th february #include events #activities based


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book market #print sales


'Grey' Dominates Print Bestseller List

The book sold more than 350,000 copies in just three days on sale, according to Nielsen BookScan, which records roughly 80% of print units. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book sold #nielsen bookscan #print units


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #spiegel grau


Batsford's half-million print run for Marotta

Pavilion imprint Batsford has a 500,000 first print run for colouring book Millie Marotta's Tropical Wonderland, to meet retail orders around the world.  The book, released today (25th June, £9.99), is the follow-up to Millie Marotta’s Animal Kingdom, which has been translated into 30 languages... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #print run #millie marotta #million copies #animal kingdom #nielsen bookscan


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book market #distribution channels


Harlequin launches reader rewards programme in US

Harlequin is offering its readers in the US and Canada rewards such as autographed books via a new rewards programme. Readers can sign up to Harlequin My Rewards via the dedicated website www.harlequinmyrewards.com and earn rewards by buying books or sharing book information, including book... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rewards programme #buying books


The Roundup: Religion Book News from Around the Web, June 24, 2015

A hijab-wearing female comics superheroine debuts; evangelical author Elisabeth Elliot memorialized. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #short takes #nominations open


International Hot Book Properties: Week of June 22, 2015

Among the books drawing interest from publishers this week are a thriller by the Italian translator of 'The Goldfinch,' a new Spanish bestseller by the author of 'The Last Night at Tremore Beach,' and a Swedish novel about a bullied teenager. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #spanish bestseller


PRH adds to ‘A Puffin Book’ list

Penguin Random House Children’s is adding books by Noel Streatfeild, Erich Kastner and Anne Fine to its A Puffin Book list of classic children’s titles.   PRH launched A Puffin Book last year to replace Puffin Modern Classics and is adding 20 further titles to the list in July.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #puffin book #noel streatfeild #erich kastner #anne fine #classic children


Waterstones Summer Book Club titles revealed

Two novels from Pushkin Press have made it onto the Waterstones Summer Book Club collection. The chain retailer has revealed the 10 titles it will champion by recommending to customers over the summer, with Pushkin Press’ One Night Markovitch by Ayelet Gundar-Goshen and The Brethren by Robert... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pushkin press #chain retailer #ayelet gundar-goshen


Children's sector booms but review space falters

Authors and book reviewers have hit out at national newspapers for shrinking the amount of editorial space given over to children’s books, despite huge growth in the market. In the UK, the children’s sector (including teen and YA titles) is the fastest-growing area of the market: sales grew... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #huge growth #book reviewers #national newspapers #ya titles #nielsen bookscan


Unity Books wins Bookseller of the Year

While the future of bookshops remains uncertain, one of Wellington's leading independent stores has proven there is still life left in them yet. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2015-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


True stories inspire book prize wins

Real-life historical adventures inspire both winners of this years CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway medals, Tanya Landman and William Grill. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2015-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tanya landman


This Publishing Startup Wants To Crowdfund Books For Indie Bookstores

Inkshares, a crowdfunded book publishing platform, is working with indie bookstores to help them launch their own imprints.A fledgling publishing company is offering a new tool to indie bookstores: crowdfunded imprints.Read Full Story Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing startup #indie bookstores


IPA urges protection for Greece's book market

The International Publishers Association (IPA) has urged Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis to protect the country’s reading and book culture during the ongoing financial crisis. In a letter, IPA secretary general Jens Bammel wrote of how the Greek publishing industry has “suffered... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book market #book culture #economic crisis


Book Deals: Week of June 22, 2015

Atria Goes to ‘The Other Side’ with Bishop and more in this week's notable book deals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book deals