How Minecraft has bewitched 40 million of us

The worldwide domination of Markus Persson's building-blocks game is a triumph for the power of human imaginationA funny thing happened on the way to this column. Browsing idly through the Publishers Weekly site, I came on the list of the Nielsen bestselling books of 2014 (so far) in the US. The Top 20 list was dominated by "young adult" fiction, books such as Divergent by Veronica Roth and John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, plus the usual movie tie-ins. At No 9 ,there's a religious book, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by missionary Sarah Young. At No 11 is Heaven is for Real ("A little boy's astounding story of his trip to Heaven and back").Two slots further down there's a "junior novelisation" of the Disney film, Frozen. At No 15 is an "activity book", complete with 50 stickers, based on the same film. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #young adult #veronica roth #john green #jesus calling #activity book

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Hervé Le Tellier’s ‘The Anomaly’ has already sold a million copies in France. It should take off here, too.

With its elegant mix of science fiction and metaphysical mystery, Le Tellier’s thriller rests somewhere between “Lost” and “Manifest.” Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-11-30 17:01:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #million copies #science fiction


This Vietnamese Publisher Is Expanding to Target 5 Million Ex-Pats in the US and Beyond

News and business digital publisher Vietcetera announced Friday a relaunch of its English-language International Edition, which aims to attract a readership of over 5 million Vietnamese ex-pats living in the U.S., Germany, France, Australia, Canada and the U.K. Based in Ho Chi Minh City,... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2021-11-24 06:00:00 UTC ]
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Witch + Spy = Essayist: The Millions Interviews Randon Billings Noble

Randon Billings Noble discusses her path to essay writing, current reading life, the anthology editing process, and what's next in her career. The post Witch + Spy = Essayist: The Millions Interviews Randon Billings Noble appeared first on The Millions. Continue reading at The Millions

[ The Millions | 2021-11-17 11:00:36 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #anthology


Sharjah Reports 1.69 Million Attendees at 40th International Book Fair

The public-facing 40th Sharjah International Book Fair's 11-day run drew close to 1.7 million attendees and 1,632 exhibitors. The post Sharjah Reports 1.69 Million Attendees at 40th International Book Fair appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-11-16 11:39:14 UTC ]
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Zondervan’s ‘The Story’ Sells 5 Million Copies

'The Story,' which condenses the Bible into 21 chapters, has surpassed five million copies sold across all formats, 16 years after it was initially released by Zondervan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-09 05:00:00 UTC ]
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A woman won a million-euro writing prize . . . then turned out to be three men.

This week, the winner of the Planeta Prize, a Spanish 1-million-euro literary award, was announced: Carmen Mola, a famously private crime thriller writer. All that was known about Mola, often referred to as Spain’s “Elena Ferrante,” is that she was a university professor in her mid-40s living in... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-10-18 18:30:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #carmen mola #elena ferrante #university professor #planeta


ALA Accepting Applications for $2 Million in NEH-funded Covid-19 Relief Grants

Up to 200 U.S. libraries of all types will be selected to receive $10,000 grants to support, restore, and sustain their core activities. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-10-06 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #$2 million #receive $10 #libraries


Canelo clinches Sowden's 'bewitching' debut thriller

Canelo will publish Curtis Brown graduate Stephanie Sowden’s debut, billed as “Girl A (HarperCollins) meets The Girls (Vintage)”.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-08-14 07:45:56 UTC ]
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Clays invests in new press with 50-million book capacity

UK book manufacturer Clays has ordered a new printing press which will have the capacity to produce roughly 50 million books a year. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-08-09 22:52:28 UTC ]
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NPD BookScan: US June Print Book Sales Up 2.8 Million Over 2020

'NPD Books' Brenna Connor says there's a possibility that the American market will go into the autumn with double-digit year-to-date gains. The post NPD BookScan: US June Print Book Sales Up 2.8 Million Over 2020 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-07-12 17:32:28 UTC ]
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National Poetry Day to spotlight over 40 books in recommended lists

The 2021 trade campaign to mark National Poetry Day (NPD) on 7th October is spotlighting 43 new poetry books from 26 different publishers, in a year that sees more recommendations from indie presses than ever before. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-07-09 09:29:33 UTC ]
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Knight Foundation Invests $5 Million in 'Library-Centered' Digital Platform

The funding will support the Palace Project, a nascent partnership between LYRASIS and the Digital Public Library of America to develop digital tools and services for libraries. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-06-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital platform #palace project


NEA Opens Applications for $135 Million in Grants

The National Endowment for the Arts is now accepting applications for $135 million in grants tied to the American Rescue Program established by Congress in March. Grants start at $50,000 and the deadlines range between the end of July and late September. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-06-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Binc Gives $1.1 Million to Bookstores, Comic Shops

The Book Industry Charitable Foundation has announced that its Survive to Thrive grant program will award a total of $1.1 million to 115 bookstores and comic shops: 99 stores will receive $10,000 and 16 will receive $7,500. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-06-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #comic shops #receive $10 #book industry


The 1923 novel ‘Nordenholt’s Million’ explores issues unnervingly familiar in the Trump-covid era

The book, written by a British chemist, imagines a wealthy tycoon’s disturbing plan to save (some) humans from a biological disaster. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-05-26 16:14:54 UTC ]
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Historic Home of Warwick's Saved After Friends Raise Millions

More than 30 people raised $8.35 million to buy the building that houses Warwick's bookstore in La Jolla, Calif., saving it from having to move from where it has operated since 1952. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-05-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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'I believe in romance': remembering Valerie Parv, the Australian author who sold 34 million books

The author of 70 novels translated into 29 languages, Valerie Parv has passed away just before her 70th birthday. Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2021-04-30 05:02:04 UTC ]
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$40,000 Swindle Puts Spotlight on Literary Prize Scams

The organizers of at least five British awards received emails asking them to transfer prize money to a PayPal account. One of them paid out. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-04-16 17:53:34 UTC ]
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US Book Industry Charitable Foundation Raises $1 Million for Bookstores

Ingram Content Group seeds Binc's 'Survive to Thrive' bookstore grant program, with additional major support from publishers and Bookshop.org. The post US Book Industry Charitable Foundation Raises $1 Million for Bookstores appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-04-01 14:26:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookstores appeared #bookstore #ingram content group #book industry


HarperCollins will acquire the trade division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for $349 million.

Only three months after the high-profile merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster, The New York Times reported earlier this morning that HarperCollins, one of publishing’s “Big Five,” will acquire Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books and Media—Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s trade... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-03-29 14:25:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #trade division #$349 million #simon schuster #revenue fell #trade publishing #penguin random house #houghton mifflin harcourt