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 ]
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Sheila Barry of Canada's Groundwood Books, discusses the challenges of consistently publishing an engaging variety of books to children of all ages. The post Sheila Barry on Publishing Children’s Books That Matter appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Livres Canada Books facilitates networking and connections to help the international publishing community to discover the latest from the vibrant Canadian publishing market. The post Livres Canada Books: Your Convenient Connection to Canadian Publishing appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It's a fact: even though printed books are not yet dead, there's an increasing number of people who are turning to ebooks to read their favorite book. Trajectory, a Marblehead-based company launched three years ago by two technology veterans, seeks to not only help publishers distribute their... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal
[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2015-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The UK Literacy Association (UKLA) is launching an award for digital ebooks and apps for children aged 6-8. The Digital Book Award, created in association with Booktrust and sponsored by the Open University, is open todigital products that use sounds and visuals to make a children’s experience... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Irish Arts Center in New York City will be handing out thousands of books by Irish writers to NYC residents on the holiday. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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This week: Ayn Rand's connection to the 2008 financial collapse, America's youngest serial killer, and a modern retelling of "Madame Bovary." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A new Scholastic report found that a whopping 91 percent of children ages 6 to 17 said, 'My favorite books are the ones that I have picked out myself.' The books children liked the most were those that made them laugh, that let them use their imagination, and that tell made-up stories. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When it comes to catering to Millennials, Total BooX believes that eliminating the the friction in the traditional ebook purchasing process is key. The post Total BooX: Ebooks for the Way the 21st-Century Reader Reads appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The festival featured more than 40 authors who spoke on panels, signed copies of their books, and met with readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Book People is undergoing a company-wide restructure, with its Coventry site slated for possible closure. The mail order and e-commerce company has been undergoing an "intensive period of analysis" since venture capital company Endless LLP invested £10-20m in the business, and co-founder... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Florida Antiquarian Book Fair, set this year for March 13-15 at the St. Petersburg Coliseum, is already the oldest and largest event of its kind in the southeastern United States. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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2014 acquisitions Profiles International and Crossknowledge helped John Wiley & Sons to a third quarter revenue rise of 5% on a constant currency basis (2% including the impact of foreign exchange), at $465m. However, the company said organic revenue – excluding the impact of the buys - was... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hybrid German author Karl Olsberg describes how he leveraged the huge audience of Minecraft fans to sell a series of novels based on the game. […] The post Tapping Into the Minecraft Audience to Market Books appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Titles in the category cross all genres and faiths, with topics ranging from cosmology to coming out. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Audible, the largest producer and seller of audiobooks, has reportedly begun commissioning original audio works. A book by Jeffery Deaver is one of the works currently being created by the company. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Book Marketing Society (BMS) has appointed Miranda McKearney as its new chair. McKearney, founder and former c.e.o. of charity The Reading Agency, takes on the role from previous chair Martin Neild, who has stepped down after five years. McKearney stepped down from her role at The Reading... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Garry Wills's latest book on the Catholic Church is among notable spirituality and religion titles releasing in March. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pluto Press is partnering with Haven Distribution to supply free books to prisoners in the UK. Haven is a charity that has been sending books to prisoners since 1996 and is aims to help with their self-education and resettlement. It seeks to encourage self-worth and raise self-esteem in... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A crop of new and weighty books about and by Pope Francis mark the second anniversary of his election to lead the Catholic Church. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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