Leading authors call for government probe of Amazon's 'damaging' power

Malcolm Gladwell and Ursula Le Guin lead call to US justice department to investigate its ‘monopoly as a seller of books’Authors including Malcolm Gladwell, Ursula Le Guin, Michael Chabon and Ann Patchett are putting their names to a letter attacking Amazon’s “abuse of its dominance in the world of books” and calling on the US justice department to investigate the retailer’s “power over the book market”.The letter, which is due to be submitted to the department later this month, is the latest initiative from the group of powerful authors calling themselves Authors United, which was set up in the wake of the dispute over terms between the internet shopping site and Hachette last year. Douglas Preston, who founded the group, said that signatories were “pouring in” for the letter this week, with “many hundreds” putting their name to the letter, including Sara Paretsky, Francis Fukuyama, Elizabeth George, Michael Lewis, Richard North Patterson, Luc Sante, Stuart Woods and Daniel Handler. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #latest initiative #authors united #douglas preston #michael lewis #daniel handler

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Amazon Kindle Textbook Creator turns authors into teachers (and vice versa)

While ebooks are everywhere, electronic textbooks never really caught on, despite their potential to bring immersive learning at a lower cost. Amazon is trying to change that with the Kindle Textbook Creator, a free app from its newly formed Kindle ... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2015-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Moonves: Amazon Deal Better for S&S, Authors

In a presentation to analysts on December 9, at the UBS Media Conference, CBS CEO Leslie Moonves said Simon & Schuster’s new sales agreement with Amazon is better for both S&S, and authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Douglas Preston on Amazon, Authors United, and What’s Next

Throughout the months-long dispute between Amazon and Hachette over ebook sales terms, Douglas Preston was one of the most outspoken authors on the matter. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cheaper books make for wealthier authors, insists Amazon's Jeff Bezos

'The Kindle is trying to reduce friction for reading a whole book, and it’s working,' Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said at a conference yesterday. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Leading Players in the Amazon-Hachette Dispute: Notables of 2014

The dispute over ebook terms between Amazon and Hachette Book Group USA generated headlines around the world when the e-tailer stopped accepting preorders on HBG titles and delayed shipments on some print titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon and Hachette call a truce in their ebook pricing war

Well, that was anticlimactic. Online retail titan Amazon and the publisher Hachette have been sniping at each other for months because they couldn't see eye to eye on how much ebooks should cost (and how much revenue Amazon should get off of them).... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Not all authors are bitter about Amazon | @guardianletters

Andrew Wylies attack on Amazon (Top literary agent likens Amazons brutal tactics to Isis, 31 October) portrays an opinion of the company that is directly contrary to my experience as an author.My specialist non-fiction book (Dentist on the Ward: An introduction to the General Hospital for Core... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Top literary agent Andrew Wylie calls Amazon Isis-like distribution channel

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[ The Guardian | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Paul Krugman: 'Amazon Has Too Much Power'

'New York Times' columnist and Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Krugman wades into the Amazon/Hachette dispute, declaring that Amazon 'has too much power.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Canadian Authors Hit by Hachette-Amazon War

Canadian authors say the Hachette-Amazon fight is hurting U.S. sales, particularly for writers looking to break into the American market. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Americas Authors Guild presses US justice department to get aggressive with Amazon

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[ The Guardian | 2014-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Gives KU Authors $2.7M Bonus

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bestselling authors write to Amazon's board over 'ugly' Hachette sales dispute

Group representing Donna Tartt, Stephen King and others says Amazon tactics have driven sales down by at least 50%Some of the worlds most famous authors escalated their heated dispute with Amazon on Monday, publishing a letter to retailers board warning of the ugly history of blocking book... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-09-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors United Preparing New Amazon Initiative

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon-Bonnier battle goes public with protest by European authors

More than 1,000 writers from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland have signed a letter to Amazon saying that the company has made Bonnier-published books less available and manipulated Amazon's recommended reading lists. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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German-language Authors Join in Battle Against Amazon

Austrian, Swiss and German authors have sent an open letter of protest to Amazon, protesting the use of 'authors and their books as a bargaining chip to exact deeper discounts.' Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Responds to German Authors' Protest

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Child hits back at indie authors in Amazon debate

Author Lee Child has come out swinging in the manner of Jack Reacher on The Passive Voice website... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-08-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon vs Hachette: readers and authors take sides in publishing dispute

The tussle between Amazon and the publishing conglomerate has been raging since spring. Heres an update on the fightA corporate boxing match broke from the ring and swelled into all-out rumpus last weekend, as readers and authors took sides in Amazon and Hachettes fight over the publishing... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon ebook pricing battle intensifies after 'Authors United' ad

Compares Hachette dispute to past paperback fears, but partially quoting George Orwell is a risky moveAmazon has hit back following an open letter from more than 900 authors criticising its licensing dispute with publisher Hachette, which was published as an ad in the New York Times.However, the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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