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

"The Namesake" opens to very good reviews

Mar 09 2007: "The Namesake", based on Jhumpa Lahiri's novel of the same name, opens in movie theaters today. The critics' rating at rottentomatoes.com is 89%, ranking it as "cream of the crop". The film critic for the Wall Street Journal says, "This immensely pleasurable film is . ...

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National Book Critics Circle winners announced

Mar 09 2007: The National Book Critics Circle awards were announced last night, the winners are:

• Fiction: The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
• Nonfiction: Rough Crossings: Britain, the Slaves and the American Revolution by Simon Schama
• Biography: James Tiptree, Jr.: ...

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British Book Awards shortlists announced

Mar 08 2007: The shortlists for the Galaxy British Book Awards, (known as the "Nibbies" in the trade, and billed to the public as "the Oscars of the book trade") have been announced. With about 10 different prizes sponsored primarily by large retailers, such as Readers Digest, ...

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Terrorists bomb Baghdad book market

Mar 06 2007: A suicide bomber struck the book market on Mutanabi Street in Baghdad yesterday, killing at least 20, wounding more than 65 and destroying many bookstores and stationery shops.

An Iraqi colonel on the scene said the suicide car bomb, which was loaded with gas ...

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The demise of regional newspaper book review sections

Mar 06 2007: Triggered by the rumor that the Los Angeles Times will soon fold its review section into its regular newspaper, The Wall Street Journal reports on the demise of the stand-alone newspaper book review section in USA regional newspapers - currently 6 regional newspapers ...

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B&N stock price falls sharply.

Mar 05 2007: Lower prices for its club members combined with deep discounting for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows caused Barnes & Noble to forecast earnings projections for the current fiscal year that were well below analysts' expectations. The company said it expects earnings...

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LA Times likely to cut book coverage

Mar 02 2007: At last night’s reception for the 2006 Los Angeles Times Book Awards, the newspaper's editor and book editor both downplayed reports that the paper is planning to scale back its book coverage. Editor James O'Shea hinted that, despite the suggestion from his predecessor...

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Simon & Schuster places biggest reorder in history for 'The Secret'

Mar 02 2007: Simon & Schuster has placed the biggest reorder in its history for Rhonda Byrne's runaway hit, The Secret, going back to press for two million more copies. The book and movie got a boost from Oprah Winfrey who dedicated two episodes of her talk show to it in early ...

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