London Book Fair 2009

The latest news, commentary, photos, videos and related links involving the 2009 London Book Fair.

By Lynn Andriani and PW Staff -- Publishers Weekly, 4/15/2009 2:07:00 PM

For information on LBF programming, see London Book Fair

For news from Book Brunch, click here

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr. 23: The Hypnotist Gets London Talking

While London saw a number of big book deals, one of the biggest involved the Swedish thriller, The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler. The title, which has yet to sell in the U.S., was at the center of a heated auction in the U.K. involving some of the country's leading crime publishers.

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr. 22: London Attendance Slightly Down, But Quality Way Up

On the morning of the fair’s last day, Frank Daniels, chief commercial officer of Ingram Digital, told PW, “Overall attendance may not be that great, but the quality of the attendance has been phenomenal. People are very focused,” and those who did show up “came to do business.”

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr. 22: Europeans Seem to Know Little About Google Settlement, But Enough Not to Like It

European and U.K. publishers and authors have been wary of the Google Book Search settlement, and at a session closing day two of the London Book Fair, they voiced their concerns.

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr. 22: In U.K., Sony E-Reader Says Bring It On, Kindle

So far Sony has had the dedicated reading device market to itself in the U.K., where the Kindle has yet to be introduced. But Wesley Dearing, product manager in the U.K. for the Sony Reader, knows the Kindle is coming, eventually, and even has a message: bring it on.

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr. 22: Young LBF Attendees Flock to Hear Byng and Company's Canon Tales

A star-studded line-up of presenters—including Canongate’s Jamie Byng and Boing Boing’s Cory Doctorow—was probably what brought many of the international young attendees to the event, although the unusual format (and bar set up in the back of the room) probably didn’t hurt, either.

TheBookseller.com, Apr. 22: Only Half of Publishers Have Digital Plans

Just over half of publishers surveyed at the London Book Fair have put plans in place to sell books in any digital form.

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr. 21: British Publishers Try to Find the Money in E-books

A standing room only crowd jammed into the Cromwell Room at Earls Court mid-morning on day two of the London Book Fair, hoping to learn the answer to what moderator Torin Douglas called “the $64,000 question: where’s the money” in e-books?

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr. 21: Willen Accepts Lifetime Achievement Award

Umberto Eco flew to London specifically to present the sixth annual LBF Lifetime Achievement Award in International Publishing to his old friend Drenka Willen, senior editor, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr. 21: Penguin Breakfast Explains Company's Global Outlook

At Penguin UK’s headquarters at 80 Strand this morning, chairman and CEO John Makinson presented a group of journalists with an overview of the company’s global business, offering commentary and observations from five of its international divisions.

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr. 21: At London Book Fair, Panel Says Two-Year British E-Textbook Study is Myth-Shattering

Caren Milloy, director of e-books for JISC, said the two-year effort was largest e-book study ever conducted.

The Bookseller LBF Daily, Apr. 21: Evade the Net

Even though the deal applies to the U.S. only, opinion against the Google Book Search Settlement remains strong in Europe. In this morning's Bookseller daily edition distributed on the show floor at the London Book Fair, agent Piers Blofeld weighs in. (Scroll ahead to page 12.)

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr. 20: London Book Fair Opens, Attendees Optimistic

The 2009 London Book Fair opened this morning with a long line of attendees wrapped around Earls Court in unusually bright sunshine. It was an auspicious start to the fair, which was predicted by many to be quieter this year but by anecdotal accounts at least appears to be fairly busy.

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr 20: Early Deals Round-Up

In a handful of deals that closed just before the tents opened in London, HarperCollins signs Prince Charles for two books, the first about stewardship, and the Free Press and Holt both ink debut authors to six-figure deals.

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr 20: Nobel Laureate Sen Discusses India's Relationship with Books

Amartya Sen, academic, author and Nobel Laureate, spoke to delegates gathered for the Chairman's Breakfast about the value of browsing and wondered aloud to what extent Calcutta's low crime rate -- including a very low homicide rate -- might be attributable to India's interest in books and reading.

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr. 20: At London Book Fair, E-books on the Outside, But Looking In

At the London Book Fair, the Digital Zone and Theatre, a 23-seat area on the edge of the show floor, drew overflowing crowds to hear presentations about e-books and digital publishing—an almost poetic embodiment of the e-book market itself: a few on the inside, but with big numbers milling about.

PublishersWeekly.com, Apr. 20: LBF Panel Compares U.S. and U.K. Consumer Book Buying Habits

The British are at least three years behind Americans in adapting e-books; and American readers are much more interested in romance, while more British readers skew toward literary fiction.

The Bookseller, Apr. 20: London Shines in Hard Times

U.K. publishers and agents are making the most of LBF this year, as they forecast fewer people going to Frankfurt this fall.

The Guardian, Apr. 20: Waiting for the iPod Moment

Victoria Barnsley founded Fourth Estate at age 30 and is now HarperCollins UK's chief executive. The Guardian offers a profile of the woman who wants to shape the future of publishing in the digital age.

Publishers Weekly, Apr. 17: Penguin India Pays Record Advance for Debut Novel

British literary agency David Godwin Associates Ltd. has sold Tiger Hills, a novel by Sarita Mandanna, to Penguin India for the largest advance the house has ever paid for a debut.

Publishers Weekly, Mar. 16: LBF Weathers the Economic Headwinds

Despite economic problems plaguing many parts of the world, executives with the London Book Fair are optimistic the show, set for April 20-22 at Earls Court, will come close to reaching last year's attendance levels.

Bookseller.com, Mar. 6: Beaufort Looks for U.K. Jewel Deal

Beaufort Books, publisher of The Jewel of Medina, is hoping to "finalize details" to distribute the controversial book in the U.K. at London Book Fair.