TODAY'S NEWS

Penguin, Quarto Have Good Quarter
Penguin and Quarto have both had good starts to the year. Penguin parent Pearson said today that the house has made a strong start to the year and is on track to achieve double digit profit margins in 2008, its stated goal for the year. First-half publishing highlights include Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth, Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction) and Sebastian Faulks' forthcoming James Bond novel Devil May Care, celebrating the centenary of Ian Fleming's birth. In its education group, Penguin said it continues to expect another year of good profit growth. In the U.S., the company is seeing healthy demand for instructional materials and educational services.

At Quarto, sales rose 22%, to £21 million ($42 million) and operating profit increased to £268,000 from £142,000. Sales in the quarter were aided by a first time contribution from MBI of £3.2 million, which Quarto bought last year. “These results are very encouraging,” said chairman Laurence Orbach in a statement, noting that sales were up in all areas with the notable exception of its home improvement line.

Beacon Press to Launch Series on Free Speech
By Lynn Andriani
Beacon Press is planning a new series of books focused on free speech. It is a natural progression for the independent Boston press, which has long been associated with First Amendment issues, having published the first full edition of the Pentagon Papers in 1971, as well as authors including Howard Zinn, James Baldwin, Ben Bagdikian, Cornell West and others.

The series will explore free speech over the first 150 years of American history; the emergence of an organized fight for free speech in the post-WWI years, and battles that have been fought over free speech in recent years. “Beacon Press publishes books that try to change the way that people think about fundamental issues. We believe that exploring the history of free speech is essential to ensuring that our understanding and respect for the First Amendment continue to grow,” press director Helene Atwan said. Read on »

Starbucks Revamps Entertainment, But Will Keep Books
Starbucks is restructuring its entertainment operation with Ken Lombard leaving as head of the group and being replaced by Chris Bruzzo, chief technology officer. It was under Lombard’s direction that the giant coffee chain began selling selected books, and Starbucks said it will “continue its relationship with the William Morris Agency to identify book projects that it can offer in its stores.” The most recent Starbuck book selection, chosen earlier this week, was Garth Stein's The Art of Racing (Harper).

First Two Vigilante Books Land in Amazon Top 100
By Lynn Andriani
Richard Vigilante Books is off to a strong start, with its two first books landing on Amazon’s top 100, although other booksellers have been slow to respond. The books—The Deniers by Lawrence Solomon, which posits that the science behind global warming is a myth; and Moment of Truth in Iraq by Michael Yon, which praises American soldiers in Iraq for “turning defeat and disaster into victory and hope”—went on sale earlier this month. Publisher Richard Vigilante said bookstores have been slow to order the book, but now that both have gained ground on Amazon, stores—mainly B&N—are paying attention. Read on »

Monday's Reviews Today: Guthrie's Night and Sedaris's Flames
In the "gutsy" new Edinburgh-set crime novel from Allan Guthrie, Savage Night, an ex-con struggles to keep his family together. According to our critic, fans of authors like Derek Raymond and Jim Thompson will "love this blood-drenched tartan noir." And When You Are Engulfed in Flames, the new essay collection from David Sedaris, "the king of the poignantly absurd," also makes the grade. The book, which focuses less on the author's family members than previous efforts, proves another triumph. Read on »

Blogs

MORE STORIES

Job Moves
A number of moves this week in Hachette Book Group sales force. Peter Mauceri, after 22 years with the group, is retiring from his post as v-p, director of national accounts and sales director of Little, Brown Adult. (Mauceri was one of the founding members of the Warner Books sales group.) Carol Lovercio is also retiring. Lovercio has been with Hachette for 18 years and was sales director for the warehouse club segment. Craig Young is being promoted from director of national accounts to v-p, sales director for BGI, Little, Brown Adult, and Octopus USA. Chris Murphy, v-p of trade sales, will take over Levercio's former territory, handling warehouse club and jobber business. And Karen Torres, v-p trade marketing and sales support, will assume responsibility for field sales.

AUTHORS ON THE AIR

Authors on the Air: Bringing Home the Birkin; Batali’s Italian Grill; I Lost My Love in Baghdad
This morning on The Early Show eBay luxury goods reseller Michael Tonello discussed his memoir Bringing Home the Birkin: My Life in Hot Pursuit of the World's Most Coveted Handbag (William Morrow, $25.95). PW’s starred review declared it “a funny, whip-smart memoir sure to be a sensation among Vogue and W devotees." Read on »

PICTURE OF THE DAY

A Sweet Book Tour
On Wednesday night author Joanne Harris (l.) launched the U.S. book tour promoting her new novel, The Girl With No Shadow (William Morrow), at the Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble. To celebrate the event--the novel is the follow-up to the bestseller Chocolat—Harris was presented with the first pair of limited edition red “Lollipop Shoes.” The shoes, made entirely of chocolate, are from chocolatier Joelle Mahoney (pictured), whose confectionery inspired Chocolat. Submit your pictures here »

JOB OF THE DAY

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