Penguin blames 'intolerant' Indian laws for pulping of book

Publisher says it was forced to withdraw Wendy Doniger's book The Hindus because of law threatening jail for insults to religionPenguin India has said "intolerant and restrictive" Indian laws forced it to remove a book from sale after it tried to defend an American author's religious history against objections from a conservative Hindu group.The publisher's decision this week to withdraw and pulp all copies of the historian Wendy Doniger's The Hindus: An Alternative History shocked writers and intellectuals in India, with some worrying it was a sign of rising intolerance against dissent in the country.Doniger defended Penguin India in a statement, saying the publisher had battled for four years against a lawsuit filed by the Hindu group Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti (Save Education Movement).The group objected to the book's description of mythological texts as fictional and said it hurt "the religious feelings of millions of Hindus", according to the lawsuit, which also named Doniger and the New-York-based arm of the publisher Penguin Group Inc as defendants.Penguin India said it "believes, and has always believed, in every individual's right to freedom of thought and expression, a right explicitly codified in the Indian constitution", according to a statement from the company released on Friday.It warned, however, that India's penal code would "make it increasingly difficult for any Indian publisher to uphold international standards of free expression".The code,... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shirley Hughes: I hope books survive, they are wonderful pieces of technology

Shirley Hughes, winner of the inaugural Book Trust lifetime achievement award, answers our questions about Dogger, Alfie and how come she waited until she was over 80 years old to write her first novel. We also got to meet the real DoggerFirst of all some exciting news… Shirley Hughes has won... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Colouring-in books boom continues with volume of mathematical patterns

Alex Bellos and Edmund Harriss’s Snowflake, Seashell, Star promises to be ‘both a field guide and a therapeutic exercise book’Adults who are running out of cats and gardens to colour in as part of the new craze for “mindful” colouring books will soon have a more educational option for their... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Restless Books’ Publisher Searches for Cuban Science Fiction

As the USA and Cuba reestablish diplomatic relations, literary relations are also flourishing: Restless Books will release a series of Cuban sci-fi books. The post Restless Books’ Publisher Searches for Cuban Science Fiction appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year shortlist

An exploration of the landscape around a remote Cornish farmhouse, a study of the role of lemons in the Italian cultural landscape, and an account of life below deck on giant container ships are among the books shortlisted for the Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year shortlist. Stanfords... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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July 2015: Top Reviews of Self-Published Books from BlueInk Review

Our July 2015 selection from BlueInk Review, a service which reviews self-published books, focuses on a variety of nonfiction titles. The post July 2015: Top Reviews of Self-Published Books from BlueInk Review appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Colouring book to bring “insight and illumination” into maths

Canongate has acquired a mathematical colouring book. Katy Follain, publishing director of non-fiction, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights in Snowflake, Seashell, Star by Alex Bellos from Rebecca Carter at Janklow & Nesbit. Bellos has “created a unique and inspiring colouring book using... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple Loses E-book Appeal—Now What?

Last week, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, by a 2–1 margin, affirmed Judge Denise Cote’s 2013 finding that Apple orchestrated a 2010 conspiracy with five major publishers to fix ebook prices. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Deals: Week of July 6, 2015

Playwright and PEN winner Victor Lodato sells his sophomore novel to SMP, YouTube star Marzia Bisognin lands a deal for her debut novel, former senators Tom Daschle and Trent Lott explore a D.C. crisis at Bloomsbury, and more in this week's notable book deals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Orenda Books signs dark comedy thriller

Orenda Books has signed world English language rights to a debut "deeply moving thriller". Rights to Epiphany Jones by Michael Grothaus was signed by Orenda's pubisher Karen Sullivan from Maggie Hanbury of the Hanbury Agency. Described as an "energetic, inventive, gritty and deeply moving... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author seeks Refuge for Books donations

Author Lucy Beresford is launching an initiative to create a library at one of the London shelters for domestic violence charity Refuge.   Beresford said: “I'm launching an initiative called Refuge for Books, asking all my friends in the publishing world to send me a copy of a book for Refuge.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Mexico Now Sells Print Books Online

Amazon Mexico has finally launched its full retail operations and a print bookstore; it had previously offered Kindle ebooks since 2013. The post Amazon Mexico Now Sells Print Books Online appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Court rules Apple violated antitrust laws by conspiring to raise ebook prices

Apple violated antitrust laws by colluding with publishers to raise electronic book prices when it entered a market in 2010 that had been dominated by Amazon.com, a divided federal appeals court... To view the full story, click the title link. Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2015-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW Picks: Books of the Week, July 6, 2015

This week, dirty Seinfeld fan fiction, a David Lynchian campus novel, and Kim Stanley Robinson's latest. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UK Sends Young Authors to 2015 Guadalajara Book Fair

28 UK authors will be setting up shop at the the Guadalajara Book Fair, this November 28-December 6, as part of Britain's 'guest nation' literary program. The post UK Sends Young Authors to 2015 Guadalajara Book Fair appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin signs YouTuber Santoro

Vlogger Matthew Santoro has signed a global deal with Penguin for a book featuring a “collection of weird, hilarious and crazy facts about the world around us”. Santoro has 4m subscribers on his YouTube channel, where he posts videos featuring collections of facts. In a co-publishing... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Long It Takes Kids to Read Popular Books

Personal Creations show how long it takes kids to read classic books, from Clifford the Big Red Dog to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The post How Long It Takes Kids to Read Popular Books appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple Loses Appeal, E-book Decision is Affirmed

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed Judge Denise Cote's 2013 finding that Apple orchestrated a scheme to fix the price of ebooks. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Navid Kermani to Receive 2015 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade

German author and Middle East expert, Navid Kermani, will receive the 2015 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade for his writing and political activism. The post Navid Kermani to Receive 2015 Peace Prize of the German Book Trade appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple To Pay $450 Million In Settlement For Price Fixing E-Books

A federal appeals court stood by a 2013 decision that found the tech giant guilty of fixing ebook prices with publishers.Apple's last-ditch attempt to avoid paying $450 million to ebook buyers was just quashed, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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YouTuber Butler to do UK book tour

YouTube star Marcus Butler is to go on a 13-date book tour to support publication of his forthcoming book Hello Life (Headline). Butler has 3.7m subscribers to his YouTube channel and two million Twitter followers. Hello Life, released on 28th July, is part memoir, part self-help guide. The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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