Breaking news on authors, publishers, and book-related topics

RIP Maeve Binchy

Jul 30 2012: Best-selling Irish author Maeve Binchy has died aged 72 after a short illness. Binchy's books have sold more than 40 million books and have been translated into 37 languages.

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Google argues that its book search passes fair use tests 'with ease'

Jul 30 2012: In its motion for Summary Judgment in the Authors Guild vs. Google, filed on July 27, Google attorneys argue that its keyword searchable index of books scanned from library shelves "passes with ease" the ultimate test of fair use, because it provides "enormous ...

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Booker longlist of 12 books includes Hilary Mantel, Will Self, and 4 first novelists

Jul 25 2012: The Booker Prize longlist has been announced including four first novelists (indicated by asterisks below):

• Nicola Barker, The Yips
• Ned Beauman, The Teleportation Accident
• Andre Brink, Philida
• Tan Twan Eng, The Garden of Evening Mists
• Michael Frayn, ...

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Dept. of Justice proposed e-book price fixing lawsuit to go ahead despite 92 percent of comments in opposition

Jul 23 2012: Despite 92% of the 868 received comments opposing the settlement, and most of those against appearing to be very similar to an online form letter, the Department of Justice are not budging on their decision regarding the proposed settlement with Simon & Schuster, ...

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Penguin Group buys self-publishing service Author Solutions For $116m

Jul 19 2012: In the first significant investment by a major trade publisher in self-publishing, Pearson announced Thursday morning that it has acquired self-publishing service Author Solutions from Bertram Capital for $116 million in cash (or a little more than one times sales). ASI...

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eBooks now the dominant format in USA adult fiction - with 30 percent of sales

Jul 18 2012: Digital books are now "the dominant single format" in the adult fiction category, according to a new BookStats joint report from the Association of American Publishers and the Book Industry Study Group. eBooks exploded in the adult fiction category last year, accounting...

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Else Holmelund Minarik, author of Little Bear Books, dies at 91

Jul 17 2012: Else Holmelund Minarik, a writer for children whose Little Bear picture-book series — which simply, gently and evocatively tells the story of an anthropomorphized cub’s forays into the wider world — has been a mainstay of childhood for more than half a century, died on ...

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Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, has died aged 79

Jul 16 2012: Motivational author Stephen Covey, who wrote the best-selling The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, has died at the age of 79.

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