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

George MacDonald Fraser dies

Jan 03 2008: Author George MacDonald Fraser died Wednesday following a battle with cancer. Born April 2, 1925, the author was best known for his Flashman series of historical novels. His most recent novel, The Reavers, was published in the UK last Fall and will be published in the ...

Full Story

This Year in History - 1907

Jan 01 2008: In 1907:

• Robert Baden-Powell led the first scout camp on Brownsea Island, England; the RMS Lusitania made its maiden voyage; a major financial crisis in the USA was narrowly avoided when J.P. Morgan and others set up a $25 million pool to invest in shares ...

Full Story

This Year in History - 1807

Dec 28 2007: In 1807:

• Napoleon attacked Russia and the slave trade was abolished throughout the British Empire.
• The American poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, was born.
• Publishing house, John Wiley & Sons was founded.
• Charles and Mary Lamb published Tales from ...

Full Story

This year in history - 1707

Dec 23 2007: In 1707.....

• Isaac Newton's Arithmetica Universalis is first published but Newton is so unhappy with the work that he refuses to have his name appear as author and considered purchasing all the copies so he could have them destroyed.
• The Act of Union joining ...

Full Story

This year in history - 1607

Dec 21 2007: With the year coming to a close, let's take a look back in time to see what was happening this year in previous centuries, starting with 1607.

• Jamestown, Virginia, is settled, becoming the first permanent English colony in North America.
• John Hall marries Susanna,...

Full Story

J.K. Rowling answers questions such as who Malfoy and Neville marry?

Dec 20 2007: In a Q&A in Time magazine, J.K. Rowling answers in-depth questions such as what did Dumbledore really see in the Mirror of Erised? Who do Draco Malfoy and Neville marry? And what jobs do the key characters hold as adults?

Full Story

Rowling's 'Beedle the Bard' bought by Amazon

Dec 14 2007: Amazon have announced it was the mystery buyer of the copy of J.K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard, bought at auction for £1.95 million (~$4 million) this Wednesday. Amazon have established a website where it is posting images from the extensively illustrated ...

Full Story

Single copy of J.K. Rowling's 'Tales of Beedle The Bard' sells for over $4 million

Dec 13 2007: The Times reports that J.K. Rowling's 160 page handwritten story of The Tales of Beedle the Bard sold for almost £2 million yesterday (over USA $4 million). The proceeds will go to the charity Children's Voice.

Rowling hand-wrote and illustrated just seven copies of ...

Full Story