'Shelf-help' books set to fill publishers' coffers in 2014

New 'intellectually credible' self-improvement books set to outsell celebrity biographies in 2014Sir Alex Ferguson may have the coveted Christmas number one spot with the record-breaking sales of his memoir, My Autobiography. But not even celebrity memoirs are likely to match the publishing sector predicted to grow exponentially in 2014: self-help books.Next year is set to be the one when self-help gains intellectual credibility. This Thursday will see the paperback release of a surprise British bestseller of 2013, The Examined Life: How We Lose and Find Ourselves by psychoanalyst Stephen Grosz. Chosen as a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week, it is an extraordinary exposé of the human condition, gleaned from 25 years of listening to patients on the couch.Grosz's publisher, Vintage, is launching a series called Shelf Help, a list of 12 titles that aim to improve our lives, "because, as we all know, one of the best ways to feel better about life is through a good book". Its list includes Jeanette Winterson's memoir, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?; Far From the Tree: Parents, Children and the Search for Identity, a study of family life by Andrew Solomon; and Julian Barnes's Nothing to be Frightened Of, an examination of "the fear of death, God, nature, nurture and the author's childhood". The list launches in London next week with the Shelf Help Sessions, an event featuring Grosz and Winterson, chaired by the series' curator, literary reviewer Alex Clark, who is a former... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #ve made

Other Publishing stories related to: ''Shelf-help' books set to fill publishers' coffers in 2014'


London Book Fair 2011: Selling Rights in Russia

With Russia the market focus country at the Fair, Russian publishers will be at Earls Court in force and there will be many associated literary and cultural events. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #selling rights #russian publishers #earls court #cultural events


The Bookseller Group to launch We Love This Book

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Mon, 11/04/2011 - 09:06 The publisher behind The Bookseller is launching an ambitious new quarterly consumer book magazine and website this June, We Love This Book. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookseller group


Weak start to 2011 for UK and US book trade

Written By: Benedicte Page and Philip Stone Publication Date: Mon, 11/04/2011 - 09:40 Book sales have slumped on both sides of the Atlantic as the British and American markets experienced year-on-year declines in the first quarter of 2011. Book sales in the UK were down 3.1% to £324m, with... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book sales #volume sales #book trade #benedicte page #nielsen bookscan


London Book Fair 2011: Social Networking for Bookworms

Until recently, reading a book had resisted technological advances, but like everything else, this has started to evolve and now we are embracing technology. Books are now more easily available in electronic format and sharing your opinion about a title – print or ebook – is more popular. So... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book lovers #social networking #electronic format


Agents Keeping Foreign Publishers on Digital Leash

As the London Book Fair goes through its annual run this week, American agents are trying to figure out the best way to sell digital rights to foreign publishers in markets that are far behind the U.S. in ebook sales. Even though many international publishers are just starting to dabble in... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #foreign publishers #ebook sales #international publishers #digital books #local market #major houses #foreign deals


Specific Media appoints UK publisher services director

Ad network Specific Media has appointed Fox Networks Group's Graeme Lynch as its new UK publisher services director. Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Downloading Free Books to Your IPad

Reading reader Greg Jacobs is interested in putting books other than those available from the iBookstore on his iPad. He writes: Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #putting books


Publishers back new PEN freedom initiative

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 11/04/2011 - 15:34 Penguin, Hachette Livre and Random House have all joined with PEN International for the launch of the literature-championing organisation’s latest initiative, the PEN International Publishers’ Circle. The scheme will see... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hachette livre #random house #pen international #financial support


London Book Fair 2011: Going Global

In 2009, the number of self-published books released in the US exceeded the number of new titles from conventional publishers for the first time in history. Now, a similar pattern is emerging overseas. Until recently, costly transatlantic shipping, different trim sizes and business models, and... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #trim sizes #business models #foreign markets #vice versa


London Book Fair 2011: An Evolutionary Phase

This year's London Book Fair is taking place at a time of unique change. The shift from the printed word to the downloaded text is accelerating; chains and standalone bookstores are closing down around the world; and the very future of the book "entity" is being challenged by commentators and... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #taking place #printed word


New awards on Sports Book shortlists

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Mon, 11/04/2011 - 11:35 New awards for Best Racing Book and Best Sports Book Retailer will be up for grabs at this year's British Sports Book Awards 2011. W H Smith, Amazon, Waterstone's and Foyles are all in the mix to win the best sports retailer... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #football book #rugby book #publicity campaign


Quadrille buys book by Royal cakemaker Cairns

Publication Date: Fri, 08/04/2011 - 10:49 Quadrille has acquired a baking title by Fiona Cairns, who is to make the wedding cake for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s impending nuptials. Editorial director Anne Furniss acquired world rights to The Birthday Cake Book from agent Heather Holden... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #prince william


Trade looks to "packed" London Book Fair

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 08/04/2011 - 08:48 A record number of exhibitors are set to showcase at the London International Book Fair next week, as one publishing m.d. reported a "bouncy and optimistic" mood ahead of the three-day event and digital conference. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #record number #digital conference


London Book Fair: ones to watch, part II

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Thu, 07/04/2011 - 16:04 read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #part ii


Wink Publishing launches for budding authors

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Thu, 07/04/2011 - 15:58 A husband-and-wife team has launched an e-publishing company for new authors. Cornwall-based lawyers Nigel and Abbie Flanagan are calling on unpublished writers to submit the first 50 pages of their work to Wink Publishing.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #budding authors #husband-and-wife team #unpublished writers #public vote


Publishers gloomy on Borders' turnaround plan

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Thu, 07/04/2011 - 09:05 US publishers have dismissed Borders' recovery plan, which includes revamped stores and increased online sales, as unrealistic and are increasingly gloomy about its future. The New York Times reports Borders senior... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #random house


Quercus acquires Hull-set crime novel

Publication Date: Wed, 06/04/2011 - 14:24 Quercus has won a "keenly contested" auction to a debut literary crime novel set in Hull and East Yorkshire. Editor Jon Riley acquired UK and Commonwealth rights excluding Canada to The Dark Winter from Oliver Munson at Blake Friedmann in a two-book... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #keenly contested #oliver munson #blake friedmann #true nature


Coronet to publish Tess Daly fiction

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 05/04/2011 - 16:11 Coronet will publish "Strictly Come Dancing" presenter Tess Daly's first sashay into fiction, having acquired The Camera Never Lies by the TV host. Editor Charlotte Haycock acquired British Commonwealth rights to the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tv host


On Rights and Book-Scouting

Translations account for about 12% of all titles published in Russia in 2010. Here, as in other corners of the world, American and British blockbusters are translated and almost guaranteed top slots on the bestseller list. Names like J.K. Rowling, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Agatha Christie,... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #titles published #bestseller list #agatha christie #nora roberts #stephenie meyer #john grisham


Room top pick in spring TV Book Club

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Mon, 04/04/2011 - 08:51 Emma Donoghue's Room (Picador) has added another accolade to its Man Booker shortlisting and Orange-longlisting after receiving the vote of "TV Book Club" viewers as their favourite spring read of the 10 titles. The second most... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #popular title #16th january #28th march