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

Book found on bathroom shelf sells for $171,000

Nov 25 2009: A copy of Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" bought for a 'few shillings' about 50 years ago, and shelved in the family's bathroom in Oxfordshire for many years (where it was recently discovered) sold at auction yesterday for 103,250 UK pounds (about US $171,000).

...

Full Story

Barnes & Noble lowers earnings guidance

Nov 24 2009: Barnes & Noble reported that store sales fell 2% in their second quarter. BN.com sales rose 9% and College sales (from the newly purchased Barnes and Noble College Booksellers) were down 0.2% on the one month of sales that is measurable. Overall, BN reported a loss of ...

Full Story

Borders third quarter results 'difficult and disappointing'

Nov 24 2009: Total sales at Borders Group continued to sink in the third quarter, though the chain did better on the bottom-line. Revenue fell 12.7% in the quarter ended October 31, to $595.5 million, while the loss from continuing operations was cut to $38.5 million from $172.2 ...

Full Story

The 2009 National Book Award Winners

Nov 19 2009: The winners of the 2009 National Book Awards have been announced at the National Book Foundation's 60th National Book Awards Ceremony and Benefit Dinner.

This year's winners are:

• Fiction: Colum McCann, Let the Great World Spin (Random House)
• Nonfiction: T.J. ...

Full Story

Google Settlement Filed

Nov 13 2009: After two delays, attorneys for the AAP, Authors Guild and Google filed an amended settlement agreement today in an effort to end litigation brought by the publishers and authors against Google over its library scanning program. The biggest change in the agreement deals...

Full Story

Linden MacIntyre wins Canada's Giller Prize for 'The Bishop's Man'

Nov 11 2009: Veteran journalist and author Linden MacIntyre has won Canada's Giller Prize for his second novel. The Bishop's Man is published by Random House Canada, the title currently has no U.S. publisher.

Full Story

Google Settlement delayed?

Nov 09 2009: Today is when the Google Books Settlement parties were supposed to present their revised agreement to the Federal court. But unconfirmed reports this morning indicate that the judge may have been asked for a little more time - possibly until Friday the 13th of November.

Full Story

Borders to close 200 Waldenbooks outlets

Nov 06 2009: As Barnes & Noble prepares to close all but two of their B. Dalton mall stores by January 2010, Borders announced that they will close about 200 of the remaining mall-based Waldenbooks outlets in January, which will result in the loss of about 1500 mostly part-time jobs...

Full Story