As publishers vie to persuade us to pack their titles for the holidays, we chart the evolution of the ’beach read’Summer reads, beach reads, holiday reads … at this time of year, the publishing world works itself into a sweat trying to force its novels into our carry-on luggage, or over the ether on to our Kindles. There are more books sold in the summer than during any other season: the well-established publishing calendar tends to see hardbacks released in the autumn to be given as gifts at Christmas, then repackaged as paperbacks in late spring. As Donna Harrington-Lueker sets out in her history of the beach read, Books for Idle Hours, the summer publishing rush is at least a century old, and has typically aimed “airy and froth-like” books on “young ladies” (the quote is from an 1888 work on summer books by Arlo Bates). The summer fiction market is changing, though, with more and more “serious”, “literary” novels showing up where once there were only thrillers and crime novels, bonkbusters and romances. So it is that Normal People by Sally Rooney is currently piled high on the tables of WH Smith’s Travel alongside Lee Child, Jodi Picoult and Bernard Cornwell.I’m aware of how contentious and porous discussions of genre can be. Generic labels, though, are the terms that booksellers and publishers think in and for literary novels, the chances of summer success are still relatively slim. Tom Tivnan, managing editor of the Bookseller, points to Nielsen BookScan data that... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2019-07-14 07:00:23 UTC ]
We take a look back at some of the library stories that captivated the publishing world in 2015, and a look ahead at what they portend for 2016. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
We take a look back at some of the library stories that captivated the publishing world in 2015, and a look ahead at what they portend for 2016. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
This week saw an unexpected new title shoot to the top of the U.K's official book charts: "Mog's Christmas Calamity," by children's author Judith Kerr. Aged 92, Kerr has penned a new book featuring "Mog," a cat beloved to generations of British kids but what's really unusual is that she wrote... Continue reading at Advertising Age
[ Advertising Age | 2015-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Open Letter press is well known in the publishing world for its literature in translation program. It's less known in its hometown of Rochester, though the press's new French novel might change that. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The ability of YouTube personalities to capture readers is writ large if you look at this week’s bestseller list. Three books by YouTube dynamos landed in the top 20 on Publishers Weekly's current overall bestseller list, powered by Nielsen BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Vlogger Zoe “Zoella” Sugg’s second novel Girl Online: On Tour (Penguin) has taken the Official Top 50 number one spot from David Walliams, in a week that saw YouTubers dominate the top of the charts. The sequel to 2014’s Girl Online (Penguin) sold 56,038 copies for £377,813 last week, according... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-10-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Judith E. Markham, managing editor at the publishing arm of Our Daily Bread Ministries, and Carol Holquist, publisher of the press, are retiring. They are being replaced, respectively, by Joyce Dinkins and Ken Petersen. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Amid tight security, author Salman Rushdie told reporters that the publishing world must continue to defend free speech. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Ahead of the Frankfurt Book Fair, Ed Nawotka reflects on the up-and-coming stars, those in the spotlight and behind the scenes, of the publishing world. The post At Frankfurt, It’s Time for the Superheroes of Publishing to Rise appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-10-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Random House Children’s Books’ edition of 'The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep' sold just over 10,000 copies in its first two days on sale, according to data from Nielsen BookScan which tracks about 85% of all print sales. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Unit sales of print books rose 2% in the first nine months of 2015, compared to the similar period in 2014, at outlets that report to Nielsen BookScan, which records about 80%–85% of all print sales. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
WH Smith has revealed a list of 100 "best paperbacks of all time" as voted for by its customers. The chain retailer asked customers to vote for their favourite paperback through social media, with “thousands” getting involved. WHS said that Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird topped the list,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The children’s publishing world has only 24 hours left to book tickets to this year’s Bookseller children’s conference, which is taking place next Tuesday (29th September). The day, themed around the idea of growing the children’s market by invention and reinvention, covers four key areas:... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
'The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep' sold about 35,000 copies in outlets that report to Nielsen BookScan last week, a 20% increase over the week that ended August 23. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Last year was the best year for sales of graphic novels in the UK since BookScan records began in 1998, with the genre bringing in almost £20.5m worth of print sales. Publishers and retailers are crediting the boom to a broadening of range and a diversification of characters and writers within... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Swedish literary agency Salomonsson has signed Carl-Johan Forssén Ehrlin, the author of the chart-topping self-published picture book The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep. The book, which Ehrlin created to help parents lull their children to sleep, is currently the second biggest-selling title... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
James Patterson has jumped to the top of the UK Top 50 chart this week with 14th Deadly Sin (Arrow)—his 21st individual title to reach the summit since Nielsen BookScan’s records began. However, Swedish author Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrlin has scored a surprise hit with his picture book The Rabbit... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Headline has signed two more books by author and Daily Telegraph columnist Bryony Gordon, including one looking at mental illness. Gordon is the author of The Wrong Knickers, also from Headline and about Gordon’s 20s, which has sold 45,225 copies through Nielsen BookScan to date. Her first new... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Sphere is to release a new book by Kevin Pietersen this autumn, focussing “squarely” on events on the pitch. Pietersen’s KP: The Autobiography, released last year, has sold 106,654 copies through Nielsen BookScan to date. In the book Pietersen criticised a number of his former England cricket... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
E L James has retaken the Official Top 50 number one from Harper Lee, as Grey (Arrow) sold 17,171 copies to Go Set a Watchman's (William Heinemann) 15,476 in the chart this week. Grey’s sales were down 25.8% week on week, but Watchman dropped further, with a 42% decrease in volume. Despite... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this