Legally bookish: Reese Witherspoon and the boom in celebrity book clubs

The star has deposed Oprah Winfrey as queen of the online literary discussion groups – and plenty more A-listers are getting in on the act. Our reporter dives under the coversEvery novel I’ve ever read as part of a book club has involved a sprint to the finish. My latest group is no different, except for the possibility – at least as I understand it – of being publicly shamed by Reese Witherspoon. Which is why I am speed-reading the new novel by Celeste Ng, an hour before I am due to discuss it with my fellow members of Reese’s Book Club.Already I am mentally drafting my apology to our host. “Sorry, Reese. It’s just been a really busy month” – not least because of all the celebrity book clubs. Today, more than 25 years since Oprah Winfrey launched hers, everyone is leading their own community of readers, from the Queen Consort to rapper Noname, from former NFL quarterback Andrew Luck to singer Amerie, from ex-vampire slayer Sarah Michelle Gellar to late-night host Jimmy Fallon. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2022-12-12 06:00:54 UTC ]
News tagged with: #reese witherspoon #queen consort #latest group #celeste ng #fellow members #book club

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Book chains in talks with police to protect stores

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Tue, 09/08/2011 - 14:10 Waterstone's and WH Smith closed stores across riot-stricken areas in London as the violence appears set to continue into a fourth night. A Waterstone's spokesperson said it was closing stores early depending on police advice... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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July retail growth "modest", amid poor book market

Written By: Philip Jones Publication Date: Tue, 09/08/2011 - 09:43 July retail sales saw a modest improvement, according to figures from the British Retail consortium, though book sales fell to their lowest level for seven years with food continuing to outperform non-food items. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #modest improvement #lowest level


Media Cache: After Much Ado, a Google Book Deal in France

Could the Internet giant's deal with Hachette Livre clear a path for a deal to settle longstanding litigation in the United States? Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #media cache #internet giant


Baltimore libraries will soon check out Nooks in addition to books

Pilot program to lend out electronic readers, pre-loaded with best-sellersThe City That Reads will soon be a leader in bringing new technology to library patrons — electronically. Two branches of the Enoch Pratt Free Library will begin lending 28 Nook e-readers preloaded with almost two dozen... Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2011-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harry Potter's Pottermore E-Book Site is Now Open--for Scammers

Scam artists are selling fake early access to the Pottermore Web site or asking for personal data to register an "account." Either way, you're going to be sorry if you interact with them. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harry potter #personal data


Decemberists' singer writes kids book for Canongate

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Fri, 05/08/2011 - 11:01 Canongate has bought a children’s book written by the lead singer of American indie rock band The Decemberists. Senior editor Francis Bickmore bought UK and Commonwealth rights (excl Canada, Australia and New Zealand) to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lead singer #angharad kowal #writers house


July books spending hits seven year low

Written By: Philip Stone Publication Date: Thu, 04/08/2011 - 15:50 Spending on physical books in July slumped to its lowest level in seven years as ebooks continue to encroach onto traditional bookseller territory. According to Nielsen BookScan data, £111.5m was spent on printed books in the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #year low #physical books #lowest level #ebooks continue #printed books #volume sales #four-week period #6m year-on-year


Digital sales double at S&S, international "booming"

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 09:20 Digital sales more than doubled at Simon & Schuster in its second-quarter but did not offset the decline in print. However, the publisher reported an increase in profits of 12% off the back of the shift to digital and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #simon schuster #publisher reported


Rasmussen new Macmillan Children's Books m.d.

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 01/08/2011 - 15:54 Macmillan Children's Books has appointed current Carlton Publishing m.d. Belinda Rasmussen to the role of publisher. She will report directly to Pan Macmillan m.d. Anthony Forbes Watson, and will join the Pan Macmillan... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #macmillan children #report directly #pan macmillan #start date #publishing programme #ebook list


Legal battle over libraries hots up

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Mon, 01/08/2011 - 08:53 The defence of the public library service has entered a new phase with the judicial review hearing in the High Court into Brent council’s contentious proposal to close six of its 12 libraries. The case was the first to be... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pan Mac buys third book from Orion's Wright

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 01/08/2011 - 14:32 Pan Macmillan has bought the third novel by Orion senior rights manager Pippa Wright, entitled The Foster Husband. Senior commissioning editor for fiction Jenny Geras acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Andrew Kidd... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rupert Murdoch's Disaster Is Already an E-Book

Vanity Fair gets a compilation into the Kindle and Nook stores: Twenty previously published stories for $4, heavy on the Michael Wolff. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2011-07-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rupert murdoch #vanity fair #nook stores #michael wolff


Illustrated Palazzo to celebrate 200 years of Austen

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 29/07/2011 - 15:25 Bath-based independent Palazzo is to publish illustrated editions of Jane Austen's novels to mark the bicentenary of their original publication. The Bath Bicentenary Editions will launch with Sense and Sensibility, first... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jane austen #original publication #28th september #folio society


PA hails copyright legal first

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 28/07/2011 - 15:38 A legal case ruling that an internet service provider (ISP) must block access to a copyright-infringing website has been hailed by the Publishers Association as setting a legal precent to protect copyright. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #block access #publishers association #protect copyright


World Book Night confirms US launch

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 28/07/2011 - 15:19 World Book Night will launch in the US in 2012, with the States confirmed as the event's first international partner. HarperCollins vice president of independent retailing Carl Lennertz has been appointed as chief... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harper Lee tops World Book Night pick

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 27/07/2011 - 15:15 Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is the most popular title among the public to be given away as part of World Book Night 2012. The organisation launched a public vote last month asking people to vote for the titles they... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #public vote #popular title #organisation launched #jane austen #markus zusak


Irish authorities clear Amazon Book Depository acquistion

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 27/07/2011 - 08:17 The Irish Competition Authority has cleared the acquisition of The Book Depository by Amazon after a three week investigation into the deal. In a short statement, the authority said: "[We have] formed the view that the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book depository #short statement #substantial lessening #25th september #relevant parties #confidential information #published version


Harper Lee tops World Book Night picks

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 27/07/2011 - 15:15 Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird has been voted the most popular title to be given away as part of World Book Night 2012. The organisation launched a public vote last month asking people to vote for the titles they... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #public vote #popular title #organisation launched #jane austen #markus zusak


Irish authorities clear Amazon Book Depository acquisition

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 27/07/2011 - 07:40 The Irish Competition Authority has cleared the acquisition of The Book Depository by Amazon after a three-week investigation into the deal. In a short statement, the authority said: "[We have] formed the view that the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book depository #short statement #substantial lessening #25th september #relevant parties #confidential information #published version


Telegraph ordered to pay damages over book review

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Tue, 26/07/2011 - 17:11 Telegraph Media Group has been ordered to pay £65,000 in damages after losing a high court case for libel and malicious falsehood over a Lynn Barber book review published in the Telegraph. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pay damages #book review