The Art of the Publisher by Roberto Calasso review – a timely insight into the identity of a publishing house

An important riposte to digital culture, these essays by the Italian publisher and author argue that a publisher’s list is a literary work in its own rightThis collection of essays by the Italian author and publisher Roberto Calasso, translated by Richard Dixon, is a paean to publishing. Calasso argues that the art of the publisher lies in nurturing a distinctive literary vision. Publishers like Kurt Wolff, who published authors such as Kafka and Robert Walser, understood that being a publisher was not just about marketing books but creating a “form”: all the books produced by a publisher are part of a “self-sufficient composition”. Blurbs, covers, layout, paper, typeface: all serve “to give form to a plurality of books as though they were the chapters of a single book”. In effect, the list of a publisher becomes a literary work in itself. But in an age of corporate mergers and digitisation, this is an endangered ideal.In part, these essays are memoirs of Calasso’s own experience creating the Biblioteca Adelphi and of the authors and publishers he has known. But what makes this slim text memorable is his sheer passion for books – not digital texts but physical objects, in which every part is designed to enhance the experience of reading. An important and timely book. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-02-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #single book #digital texts #physical objects #timely book

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The Art of the Publisher by Roberto Calasso review – a timely insight into the identity of a publishing house'


Publishers get together for Movember fundraiser

Staff from Simon & Schuster, Pan Macmillan and Red Lemon Press are calling on employees from... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #simon schuster #pan macmillan


Hindi ebook first from Random House India

Random House India has released the first Hindi ebook by any international publisher in the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #international publisher


A Humorous New Vocabulary for Book Publishing

At the New York Times' Drafts blog, comedian Steve Macone offered a helpful, humorous glossary of terms for the modern book business. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book publishing


From Crowdfunding to Author Advances: German Self-Publishing Experimentation

The self-publishing ecosystem in Germany is expanding into more dramatic experimentation, from crowdsourcing to offering author advances. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


BookPeople, Random House Partner on Pen-Pal Literacy Initiative

More than 40 schools have signed on to participate in new pen-pal literacy program in Austin, Tex., launched by BookPeople and Random House Children’s Books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Self-published title shortlisted for business book prize

A self-published title has been included in the shortlist for the CMI Management Book of the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Instagram Is Now Publishing a New Ad Almost Every Day

Advertising on Instagram has quickly moved from a novelty to a near-daily occurence, and they're churning up a tsunami of "likes" as well as a dose of aggrieved user comments.General Electric, Levi's, Lexus and Ben & Jerry's have now posted their first ads to the mobile photo- and... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2013-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mobile photo- #video-sharing network #broad audience #michael kors


Hacked Off warns local paper publishers not to join new regulator

A battle for the hearts, minds and pockets of small and medium-sized newspaper publishers is being fought over the new system of press regulation.The large publishing companies who created the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) are urging smaller publishers to sign up to their... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rupert murdoch #news uk #daily mail #press regulationhacked


Pan Mac to publish Helen Lederer novel

Pan Macmillan has acquired the debut novel of comedienne Helen Lederer, titled Losing it.... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pan mac #pan macmillan


Five Revelations from Time Inc.'s First SEC Filing

Time Inc. showed a little leg Friday, filing the first of what is expected to be numerous documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the leadup to its spinoff from parent Time Warner.The spinoff, which was announced in March, is expected to happen in the second quarter of 2014.Time... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2013-11-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #exchange commission #$818 million #4% decline #subscription revenues #2% drop #ad revenue


Amazon now allows you to gift Prime, just in time for the holidays

If you're still looking for gift ideas for that special someone, Amazon is looking to lend a hand. The online retailer has announced that customers can now give a $79 one-year membership to Prime. Recipients will get an email on the day of the giver's choosing with instructions on how to get... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle book #source link #online retailer #lending library #shopping cart


Chicago Review Press Hits Major Milestone

Forty years ago this fall, a University of Chicago graduate student named Curt Matthews and his wife, Linda Matthews, founded Chicago Review Press, naming it after the Chicago Review literary journal, for which Curt was then poetry editor. Operating initially out of the couple’s basement, CRP’s... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #poetry editor


Digital publishing startup Booktrope wins $205,000 in angel investment

After Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post with his spare pocket change earlier this year, I took a look at the growth of the digital publishing industry here in the Seattle area. Booktrope, a digital publishing startup based here in Seattle, was one of the companies I chatted with... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2013-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #big push #independent publishers


Will US Publishers Risk Dealing with a Russian Ebook Service?

Bookmate, a Russian ebook subscription service, wants to attract English language publishers to its platform to cater to developing markets. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #developing markets


Times: 'We won't reduce level of children's coverage'

The Times' new literary editor Robbie Millen has promised that the newspaper will not cut its... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Ebooks need more attention from their publishers

The industry is supposedly embracing a digital future, but too scant attention is too often paid to the basics of organising ebooksThe bright hopes of digital publishing are gathered in London for the latest FutureBook conference and the future looks, well, familiar. As the new boss of... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #charlie redmayne


Pitchfork To Launch $19.96 Print Publication, "The Pitchfork Review"

Pitchfork, the web's most established voice in music criticism, offers an exclusive look inside its new print magazine--and explains why it'll be the one to (finally) get print right.When Pitchfork launched in 1996, Internet music criticism (or Internet anything) was virtually non-existent, and... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pitchfork review #music criticism


FutureBook: libraries and publishers talk joint ventures

Collaboration between libraries and publishers in the only way forwards, panellists argued at The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Baltimore Sun parent company reorganizes publishing unit

Tribune Co. announced a restructuring of its publishing business Wednesday to focus on its digital efforts and streamline operations, resulting in nearly 700 job losses across the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and six other daily newspapers. Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2013-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #chicago tribune #digital efforts #streamline operations #daily newspapers


Walkley: three key skills for the publishing future

George Walkley, head of digital at Hachette UK, has defined the three essential, bedrock skills... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing future #hachette uk