In Mexico, One Bookstore per 120,000 Inhabitants, by Elena Poniatowska

Cultural Cross Sections Elena Poniatowska In this column that originally appeared in La Jornada, Elena Poniatowska considers the role of editors and talks with Diego Rabasa, founder of publisher Sexto Piso. Already precarious, the pandemic lockdown has made the plight of independent publishers and bookstores in Mexico in light of Covid-19 even more acute. To be an editor is to answer the call of the gods. It’s a vocation, a ministry, an immense privilege, to enter the Olympus of literature. To be an editor is to pick those who have talent and launch them. To be a publisher is to foretell: this one will make it. It’s also to disappoint and reject. I recall the Dutch printer Alexander Stolz in Mexico holding out to me his exquisite edition of Benjamin Constant’s Adolphe, as if it were a diamond, at the Fondo de Cultura Económica, and the paternal care that Arnaldo Orfila Reynal took with the anguished palavering of Fernando del Paso. To be an editor is to be a psychologist and to be bewildered as to how to treat each creature-author. Vicente Rojo was my editor, and we have loved each other deeply since, but I never gave him trouble. What must that genius from Pachuca named Yuri Herrera be like? What’s his soft spot? I have to handle Carlos Montemayor with kid gloves because he’s unpredictable. Federico Alvarez, director of the FCE in Spain, told me that seeing Elena Garro and Helena Paz enter the FCE in Madrid was like falling into... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'

[ World Literature Today | 2020-06-03 21:05:48 UTC ]
News tagged with: #public policies #administrative expenses #reduce costs #combining promotional #advertising efforts #press teams #editorial program #cervantes winners #medium term #marketing teams #exhibition spaces #economic opportunity #fernanda melchor #random house #literary translator #bookstore chain #publishing industry #book price #penguin random house #independent bookstore #publishing companies #publishing world #bookseller #publishing houses #bookstore

Other Publishing stories related to: 'In Mexico, One Bookstore per 120,000 Inhabitants, by Elena Poniatowska '


Two Bookstores Close, While Two Move Forward, in Wisconsin

While two independent bookstores in Door County, Wisconsin, have closed or will close, two others report an uptick in sales. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #move forward #independent bookstores


Patrick Carman's 'Half Nelson' proposal: for each Amazon purchase, buy a book at an independent bookstore

'39 Clues' author Patrick Carman says he knows Amazon is a convenient option, but suggests buying a book from an independent bookstore each time you buy from Amazon. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #independent bookstore


California Bookstore Day Plans Moving Forward

Eighty California indies are signed up to participate in the statewide California Bookstore Day on May 3, 2014, featuring exclusive publisher titles for sale. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-01-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Barefoot Stops Selling Direct to Bookstores

As part of its transition to a lifestyle company, the Cambridge, Mass.-based publisher terminated its contracts with sales reps. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sales reps


DBW 2014: The Future of Bookstores, Libraries

At Digital Book World, independent booksellers and librarians answered two questions: Why are we still here, and how do we stay here? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #independent booksellers


November Bookstore Sales Fell 4.2%

November bookstore sales fell 4.2% compared to November 2012, dropping to $818 million, according to preliminary results released Tuesday morning by the U.S. Census Bureau. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #2% compared #$818 million #census bureau


Why Don’t More Bookstores Stock Self-published Titles?

Bricks-and-mortar bookstores are missing a huge opportunity by failing to take advantage of the self-publishing revolution, argues Tanja Tuma. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bricks-and-mortar bookstores #huge opportunity #self-publishing revolution


Independent bookstores, Amazon all report successful holiday season

Many independent bookstores reported holiday sales as good or better than last year's, while Amazon called the 2013 holiday season its best ever. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-01-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #independent bookstores


Police officer awarded £60,000 damages over Times article

Report about Met detective sergeant Gary Flood claimed there were strong grounds to believe he was dishonest and corruptA police officer has been awarded £60,000 in damages in a high court judgment against the Times over an article which claimed that there were strong grounds to believe he was... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #public interest


Independent bookstores and self-published authors are increasingly teaming up

Previously, independent bookstores tended to stay away from marketing self-published authors, but in the age of Amazon, some are embracing local authors no matter how they released their work. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #independent bookstores #self-published authors


Independent bookstores capture headlines in 2013

Many were sounding the death knell for independent bookstores as first Barnes & Noble and then Amazon rose to prominence. But indie stores have surprised the naysayers. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #death knell #independent bookstores #barnes noble #amazon rose #indie stores


Irish literature gets €150,000 boost with laureate award

An outstanding Irish writer of fiction will be chosen to promote Irish literature around the worldAs Ireland becomes the first country to exit the eurozone bailout programme, one of its writers can look forward to a period of prosperity with the creation of a laureateship award worth €150,000... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #highest level #established authors #anne enright #sebastian barry #younger generation


October Bookstore Sales Dip

Bookstore sales slipped 1% in October, to $799 million, according to preliminary estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #census bureau


Small Is Beautiful: Micro Bookstores Find a Place

Even before the demise of Borders, the trend of opening superstores was waning, and new bookstores were getting smaller and cozier (many were in the 3,000 to 5,000 sq. ft. range). Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Toothless Fixed Book Price Law Undermines Mexican Bookstores

Though Mexico has a fixed book price law, editor Marcelo Uribe notes that enforcement is non-existent and is calling for stronger protections for booksellers. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


BuzzFeed Said to Expect 2014 Sales of Up to $120 Million

BuzzFeed, the online publisher of news, lists and quizzes that are designed to be shared on social media, is forecasting revenue of as much as $120 million in 2014, said two people with knowledge of its financials.The sales level will depend on how many advertising deals are booked next year,... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #online publisher #$60 million #web traffic #top ranks #$40 million #growing faster


Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day continues to grow

Take Your Child to a Bookstore Day will be celebrated on Dec. 7 this year and founder Jenny Milchman says she hopes to expand the message of the holiday to year-round initiatives, including field trips to bookstores in at-risk areas. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookstore day


Apple Doesn't Want to Pay the Feds' E-Book Lawyer $70,000 a Week

Apple lost its antitrust ebook trial this summer. Now it has to pay a court-appointed attorney more than $1,100 an hour to keep tabs on itself. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2013-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #apple doesn #apple lost


For Indies First day, authors get behind independent bookstores

Thanks to Sherman Alexie's forgetfulness, writers across the U.S. will volunteer at their local bookstore Saturday for the inaugural Indies First day.Not long ago the writer Sherman Alexie missed one of his readings, standing up fans at the Queen Anne Book Company, a store in Seattle. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #independent bookstores #sherman alexie #long ago


Audible buys rights to 5,000 AudioGO titles

Amazon-owned audiobook seller Audible has bought rights to 5,000 of AudioGO's titles.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bought rights