Pelican’s new browser-based reading website takes flight with grace

With subtle interactive features and simple, bold design, Penguin’s resurrected non-fiction imprint places the focus on the reading experienceAfter reading Economics: The User’s Guide by Ha-Joon Chang, published by Pelican Books, I feel confident enough to explain the word “disintermediation”. This catchy term means cutting out the middlemen from a supply chain, and it’s crucial to an understanding of modern publishing. Amazon has been trying to cut out publishers for two decades, in the hope of achieving a more efficient ecosystem. Publishers, once they got wind of this, started thinking of clever ways they could turn the tables: that is, cutting out Amazon and going direct to consumers.A new front in this literary conflict has opened at pelicanbooks.com, although it looks less like a battlefield than a boutique in an online Marylebone High Street. Penguin’s original non-fiction imprint relaunched earlier this year, its predictably covetable paperbacks glowing with turquoise nostalgia for the days when people bettered themselves rather than slumping in front of Gogglebox. Pelican’s digital incarnation is stunning, its flat design bold yet understated, with a studied simplicity reflected in the intuitive user experience. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-11-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #supply chain #modern publishing #started thinking

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Should Adults Be Reading YA Novels? The Debate Continues!

At Slate, Ruth Graham argued that adult readers should be embarrassed they are reading YA novels, generating a firestorm of protest elsewhere online. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #debate continues #adult readers


Should boys read boys?

Is it really true that boys want to read books about boys, written by men? Or is this narcissism and sexism of the saddest, most damaging kind? Night School author CJ Daugherty makes the case that books should be gender free. What do you think? Join the discussion on Twitter @GdnChildrensBks, on... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #young adults #public profiles #twitter @gdnchildrensbks


HGTV Magazine & Food Network Magazine Continue to Increase Rate Bases in 2015

Hearst Magazines announced that both HGTV Magazine and Food Network Magazine will be increasing rate bases in 2015. HGTV Magazine will increase its rate base twice in 2015, from 1.0 million in 1.1 million with the January/February issue, and to 1.2 million with the July/A Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2014-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hgtv magazine #rate base


Podcast: The Future of Reading

Looking ahead to the American Libraries Association annual conference in Las Vegas later this month, Andrew Albanese takes stock of efforts by ALA’s Digital Content Working Group to influence the future direction of reading. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #future direction #las vegas


Headline creates game based on Scarrow novels

Simon Scarrow is “leading the charge in redefining what it means to be an author brand... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #simon scarrow


Short Takes: Religion Publishing News Briefs, June 11, 2014

Bruderhof magazine back in print; a signal anniversary for women in ministry; readers join authors online and on the water; publishing seminar offered; awards and honors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #short takes


Children’s Books Ireland Awards: “Hagwitch” Takes Book of the Year

At its annual awards ceremony, Children’s Books Ireland honored, among numerous others, Mary-Louise Fitzpatrick's "Hagwitch" as Book of the Year. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Murakami’s “Wind Up Bird Chronicle” — a Perfect Summer Read

Our summer online book club covering the works of Haruki Murkami, “A Wild Murakami Chase,” moves on to "The Wind Up Bird Chronicle." Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bird chronicle


Should adults be embarrassed to be reading young adult books? (+video)

Those in the literary community are weighing in on both sides of the debate, with some saying young adult books aren't sophisticated and others saying they should be able to read whatever they like without being ashamed. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary community


Should adults be embarrassed to be reading young adult books?

Those in the literary community are weighing in on both sides of the debate, with some saying young adult books aren't sophisticated and others saying they should be able to read whatever they like without being ashamed. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary community


Green Writers Press Takes Local Approach

Last April, writer, designer, and literary agent Dede Cummings had a dream that convinced her that she needed to do something to improve the environment. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Audio Book Club Reads Americanah

This month, Dan Kois, Jamelle Bouie, and Emily Bazelon discuss Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel about two Nigerians who migrate west: Ifemelu to America, and Obinze to London. Is the romance between these two star-crossed lovers convincing? Do the novel’s sharp-edged takes on race in... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dan kois #blog posts


Publishers may hate Amazon, but the retailer may be helping us read more books

Amazon.com's negotiations with publisher Hachette Books Group have sparked a wave of anger toward the e-commerce giant from authors and readers alike. Several authors and analysts have spoken out, saying Amazon is a threat to traditional publishers. Perhaps. But whatever is going on in the... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2014-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hate amazon #traditional publishers #e-commerce giant


Butcher's Skin Game takes top spot on Original Fiction chart

Just under 3m book sales registered through Nielsen BookScan for the week ending the 31st of May... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nielsen bookscan #week ending


How do they protest in Thailand? By reading in public (+video)

In Thailand, various protestors are gathering in public places to silently read books like '1984' and 'Unarmed Insurrection' to convey how they feel about the country's political situation. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #public places #unarmed insurrection #political situation


How do they protest in Thailand? By reading in public

In Thailand, various protestors are gathering in public places to silently read books like '1984' and 'Unarmed Insurrection' to convey how they feel about the country's political situation. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #public places #unarmed insurrection #political situation


Bloomsbury takes global sales in-house

Bloomsbury is taking its international sales in-house for the first time, after 15 years of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New Fortune and Money Websites Go to War With Old Partner CNNMoney

Fortune and Money magazines each rolled out their own websites Sunday, ending a long partnership with CNNMoney.com under which their digital content had been subsumed in the larger site.The collaboration is coming to an end because the magazines' and CNN's family is splitting up: Time Warner is... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital content #tv properties #public company


BEA 2014: Lev Grossman and Deborah Harkness: Magical Flights of Fantasy

As Lev Grossman celebrates the August release of The Magician’s Land, the final volume in his Magicians trilogy, and Deborah Harkness celebrates the July release of The Book of Life, the final volume in her All Souls trilogy, the two credit the zeitgeist, as well as the skills they honed in... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lev grossman #deborah harkness #august release #final volume #magicians trilogy #july release #souls trilogy


BEA 2014: Reading Room Updates

The Reading Room, one of the fastest growing social discovery platforms for books, has reached more than one million members and just released a major platform update with a new look and feel, including a responsive design for mobile. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reading room #responsive design