The Guardian view on changes to copyright law: book lovers beware | Editorial

A government proposal to ease restrictions on the sale of imported cultural works risks harming a world-class industryThe hoopla around the release of Sally Rooney’s new novel on Tuesday – with bookshops opening early, and queues of shoppers eager to lay their hands on Beautiful World, Where Are You – has contributed to the image of a publishing industry in rude health. Last year had the highest sales in eight years. Yet authors, bricks-and-mortar bookshops and publishers alike fear that the industry faces a powerful new threat, if cheap editions legitimately produced for an overseas market are allowed to be sold in the UK. Kazuo Ishiguro, Bernardine Evaristo and others have warned that the effect on writers would be devastating.EU regulations meant that UK producers could prevent the importation of such books into Britain; in the wake of Brexit, the government is considering reversing this. A report proposes to change how we deal with the exhaustion of intellectual property rights. The document, from a taskforce headed by Iain Duncan Smith, Theresa Villiers and George Freeman, argues that, apart from limited exceptions, “in general, protectionist use of IP rights should be resisted”. It suggests that we liberalise parallel import laws “to reduce prices and increase choice for consumers” (in notes from a familiar Tory hymn sheet). This would mean that a non-UK publisher, say, that has legitimately bought the rights to publish Harry Potter, could then sell those books back... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-09-07 18:00:33 UTC ]
News tagged with: #kazuo ishiguro #bernardine evaristo #limited exceptions #reduce prices #publishing industry

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The Guardian view on changes to copyright law: book lovers beware | Editorial'


Doha’s Book Fair Strives to Put Qatar in a Positive Light

Doha's book fair may be overshadowed by Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, but it has ambitions to raise the cultural profile of Qatar in this fast developing region. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #positive light #book fair #abu dhabi


Skyhorse Moves Up Mandela Book

In light of Nelson Mandela's passing, Skyhose Publishing has moved up the publication schedule for Bob Crew's biography of the former South African president, Mandela: His Life and Legacy for South Africa and the World. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nelson mandela #south africa


Alt-Week 12.7.13: Wormhole short-cuts, watery planets and history as seen by Google Books

Alt-week takes a look at the best science and alternative tech stories from the last seven days. Don't pack your bags just yet, but Hubble has found indirect evidence of water on five different planets -- a lot of it, in some cases. Bigger brains ... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #google books


Quercus Books chosen for Shropshire Bookfest

Two books published by Quercus, The Last Wild by Piers Torday and Secrets, Lies... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


The Slate Book Review Top 10 of 2013

Monday: Slate staffers pick their favorite books of 2013. Tuesday: The overlooked books of 2013. Wednesday: The best lines of 2013, and the best poetry of 2013. Thursday: Dan Kois’ 15 favorite books. Friday: The Slate Book Review Top 10. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2013-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #overlooked books #dan kois


PP’s Shakespeare Book Club: No More Tragedy…It’s Time for Romance

Publishing Perspective’s epic reading of the complete plays of Shakespeare, The Play’s The Thing. is near the finale. Next up: the romances, starting with "Cymbeline." Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing perspective


December 2013 Audio Books: In the Studio

Diaz adds narration to her body of work and more in this week's audio books news. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Dan Kois’ Favorite Books of 2013

Monday: Slate staffers pick their favorite books of 2013. Tuesday: The overlooked books of 2013. Wednesday: The best lines of 2013, and the best poetry of 2013. Thursday: Dan Kois’ 15 favorite books. Friday: The Slate Book Review Top 10. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2013-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #dan kois #overlooked books


Manil Suri Wins the One Book Prize Most Authors Don’t Want

The Literary Review has awarded its 21st annual Bad Sex in Fiction Award to Manil Suri for a scene in The City of Devi featuring a, err, stellar climax. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book prize #authors don #literary review #fiction award


December’s Top Reviews of Self-Published Books from BlueInk Review

This month's starred reviews of self-published books includes a "stellar" historical novel and a "touching" memoir of life as a teacher of disadvantaged students. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #top reviews #self-published books #blueink review #starred reviews


Fixed Pricing Law Project Gets the Green Light in Québec

Nearly 16 months after the Québec publishing industry began its quest for fixed pricing on new titles, they finally got what they wanted...sort of. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #green light #fixed pricing


President of Israel Opens Guadalajara Book Fair

On November 30, President Shimon Peres opened the largest Spanish-language book fair in the world. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Bill Gates: Here Are the Books I Read When Out on the Road

I read while traveling, waiting for meetings, in the evening, and especially on vacation. As you can see, I'm still pretty much an old-school print guy, because I like to jot notes in the margins, but I assume I'll move over to ebooks when annotation features get better.     Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bill gates #ll move


Publishers, Book Fair Help Revive Cambodia’s Love of Reading

Under the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia's reading culture was destroyed, but over the past five years it has returned with the help of a revitalized publishing industry. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reading culture #book fair


Abbie Ross in two-book deal with Transworld

Transworld has signed two books from debut writer Abbie Ross for its Doubleday list. Publishing... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


The Overlooked Books of 2013

Monday: Slate staffers pick their favorite books of 2013. Tuesday: The overlooked books of 2013. Wednesday: The best lines of 2013, and the best poetry of 2013. Thursday: Dan Kois’ 15 favorite books. Friday: The Slate Book Review Top 10. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2013-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #overlooked books #dan kois


'Lazarus' novel awarded book prize

Stoner by late US author John Williams, first published 48 years ago, wins the Waterstones Book of the Year prize. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2013-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #waterstones book #year prize


Amazon’s Australian Kindle store: an unhappy ending for the book industry?

Amazon has been prising open the wallets of Australian consumers for years – but what will its local push on Kindle mean for readers, writers and publishers?Ben Eltham Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book industry


'E-book of the Year' vote at Sainsbury's

E-books by Sainsbury’s is asking customers to vote for their ‘E-book of the Year... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Huffington takes on Sandberg in new book

W H Allen has bought a new book by Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington. The title is said... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |