How Amazon's bid to bury Hachette has backfired

Amazon's suggestion that the ebook and paperback revolutions are comparable has sparked scorn, satire and indigationWhen Amazon published their rather extraordinary "Message from the Amazon Books Team" at readersunited.com last week, they got a few things right and a few things wrong. Alongside a realistic analysis of ebook pricing and a rather aggressive plea to bombard the CEO of Hachette with threatening emails, the letter noted that "Just ahead of World War II, there was a radical invention that shook the foundations of book publishing". This was the paperback, and apparently it was opposed by publishers who "dug in and circled the wagons". Which is a bit odd, as the person most widely credited with the popularisation of the paperback (but not its invention) was Allen Lane, who, as founder of Penguin Books, introduced paperback classics to the British public.Amazon's other bizarre decision, alongside the somewhat unnecessary second world war reference, was to quote George Orwell selectively on the subject and accuse him of "collusion". In fact, Orwell was making a sarcastic dig in favour of the paperback, and Amazon has been accused of doublespeak by the Orwell estate. The parody page booksunited.org, created by online writer Dan Hon in the voice of the books themselves, smartly notes that "We are not fighting for our existence. We know that as long as you humans exist, you will write, and you will read." Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #book publishing #bit odd #allen lane #british public

Other Publishing stories related to: 'How Amazon's bid to bury Hachette has backfired'


The Meta Quest 2 VR headset is still on sale in an Amazon Black Friday deal

Good things come to those who wait, and if you decided to hold off on buying the Meta Quest 2 when it was discounted by $50 as part of Amazon’s early Black Friday sale, your patience is about to be rewarded. Now that Black Friday has come and gone, not only is the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-25 15:47:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #good things #black friday #email inbox #good reason #wider field #libraries


9 Best Amazon Kindle Black Friday Deals (2023)

Reading is the best hobby, and Kindles make it easier to access all your favorite books. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2023-11-25 09:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindles make #kindle


The 64 best Black Friday deals you can still get today at Amazon, Walmart, Target and others

Black Friday proper may be behind us, but the deals are anything but. For the past few years, companies have been both starting their Black Friday sales earlier than ever, and also extending them a few days after the main event. If you weren't able to log on and shop... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-25 00:10:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #10-year warranty #standard kindle #budget ereader #300ppi display #holding thousands #low-light footage #$20 higher #$100 drop #$56 drop #$10 higher #$60 depending #$549 depending #$20 lower #— precisely #kindle


All the best Black Friday deals of 2023 from Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy and others

Black Friday 2023 is finally upon us, and even though the sales seemed to start a little earlier this year, most of the deals are still going strong. Plus, we're seeing a few brand new deals that went live early this morning. We at Engadget care most about consumer... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-25 00:10:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #10-year warranty #standard kindle #300ppi display #holding thousands #low-light footage #$20 higher #$100 drop #$56 drop #$10 higher #$60 depending #$549 depending #$20 lower #— precisely #kindle


Amazon is still rolling out Black Friday deals — here are 36 gadgets you can still get

The days between Black Friday and Cyber Monday don’t have fancy shopping names associated with them, but it’s still a good time to shop for deals on Amazon devices, as most sale prices are still going strong. Amazon has sales on its own Kindles, Echos, Fire tablets and... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-24 16:17:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #delivery arrives #privacy zones #night vision #wider field #routers performed #step-by-step instructions #management features #6ghz band #isp plans #5ghz band #4ghz receiver #extra $10 #saving $15 #— buying #ebooks #kindle


Amazon's Kindle is down to $80 for Black Friday

Amazon has ereaders aplenty on sale for Black Friday. You can get the entry-level Kindle for $80, close to a record low. In addition, the retailer has its higher-end Kindle Paperwhite for $120, the Kindle Scribe for $240 and the Kindle Oasis for $180. The latest Kindle,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-24 13:30:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #extra perks #2-inch display #including access #rated ipx8 #water resistance #kindle


The Best Amazon Kindle Black Friday Deals (2023)

Reading is the best hobby, and Kindles make it easier to access all your favorite books. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2023-11-24 07:27:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindles make #kindle


The 35 best Black Friday Amazon deals you can shop for right now

Like Amazon Prime Day before it, Black Friday is a good time to save on Amazon’s own devices. We’re seeing some deals that match — and a few that beat — the prices from July and October’s sales. If you’ve had your eye on a Fire TV Stick or a Ring doorbell, or if you want... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-24 05:01:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #delivery arrives #privacy zones #night vision #wider field #routers performed #step-by-step instructions #management features #6ghz band #isp plans #5ghz band #4ghz receiver #extra $10 #saving $15 #— buying #ebooks #kindle


Audible Premium Plus is only $6 for the first four months in an Amazon Black Friday deal

Nearly 30 years after Amazon started as an online bookseller, products like the Kindle and services like Audible have kept quite an emphasis on reading. Now, in the lead-up to Black Friday (which Amazon also really focuses on), the company is running a massive sale on... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-23 17:00:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #deal covers #annual premium #online bookseller #black friday #holiday season #best-selling title #included titles #exclusive sales #kindle


Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite drops to $120 for Black Friday

Ereaders like the Kindle Paperwhite make great gifts — especially when they're on sale. The Paperwhite adds a few perks over the standard Kindle, including a warm backlight, a waterproof build and a larger screen. As part of Amazon's Black Friday sale, it's now $20 off... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-23 15:00:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #larger screen #prime day #300ppi screen #2-inch screen #kindle


These are the 10 best Amazon Black Friday deals on Kindles, Fire TV devices and Echos that you can get right now

Amazon started its Black Friday deals early this year, and many Amazon devices are on sale right now. We sifted through the sale and selected standout deals on Amazon Kindles, Fire TV sticks, Echo speakers, and Eero routers. There's also a bundle that combines an Amazon... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-17 15:30:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #video calls #list price #step-by-step instructions #management features #kindle


Amazon is officially killing the Comixology app, forcing users over to Kindle

Amazon has begun notifying Comixology users that they’ll no longer be able to read comics on the app come December 4. Comixology is merging with the Kindle app, and users’ libraries will soon only be accessible via the latter. The move caps off the ruination of... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-15 21:39:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #graphic novels #reading progress #important update #specific titles #moving forward #remain intact #manga #libraries #kindle


David Shelley To Lead Hachette in Both the UK and USA

In a move to bring the US and UK Hachette divisions closer, London's David Shelley is becoming CEO of both units. The post David Shelley To Lead Hachette in Both the UK and USA appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-11-15 21:10:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #usa appeared #david shelley #hachette


CEO of Hachette Book Group will step down at end of the year

The head of Hachette Book Group, Michael Pietsch, is retiring as CEO and will be succeeded by Hachette UK CEO David Shelley Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2023-11-14 20:46:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #michael pietsch #hachette


The Chief Executive of Hachette Book Group to Step Down

Michael Pietsch will be replaced on Jan. 1 by the chief executive of Hachette UK, who will helm both divisions, bringing them into closer alignment. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-11-14 20:01:58 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #michael pietsch #hachette uk #hachette


Black Friday 2023: The best early deals from Amazon, Target, Best Buy and more

With each passing year, the phrase "Black Friday" becomes more of a misnomer. What was once a day of post-Thanksgiving special offers has become a month of sales promotions from retailers across the web. It's happening again in 2023: Target and Best Buy are already... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-11-03 16:30:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #aa batteries #echo speakers #fire tvs #robot vacuums #discounting inventory #kindle


Amazon Sues Scammers Targeting Authors

Amazon sues some 20 websites falsely claiming an affiliation with Amazon that are designed to lure authors into paying fees to publish. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-31 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Sales Rise, Profits Soar at Amazon

Total sales at Amazon increased 13%, to $143.1 billion, in the third quarter ended September 30, 2023, over the comparable period in 2022, and operating income jumped to $11.2 billion, from $2.5 billion in the third quarter 2022. Online sales rose 7%. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sales rise #total sales


Hachette Book Group Reports Third Quarter Revenue Dip

CEO Michael Pietsch said the 5.2% decline was attributable to "a lighter publication schedule" compared to the same period last year and "a downward trend" in the overall publishing market. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #2% decline #downward trend #publishing market #book group


The 35 best Amazon Prime Day deals to shop for right now

Amazon's second Prime Day sale event for 2023 kicked off in the wee hours this morning, and it's turning out to be a great opportunity to shop for your holiday gifts early — or get something for yourself. And if you missed out on any of the deals from Prime Day in July,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-10-11 00:21:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tracks accurately #glides smoothly #important ratings #nintendo switch #full-sized adapter #well-built gamepad #works immediately #positive review #crucial mx500 #yahoo life #ebooks #kindle