The PW Morning Report, November 26, 2008

By Dermot McEvoy -- Publishers Weekly, 11/26/2008 6:02:00 AM

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

A daily round-up of the latest publishing news: Kindle 2.0; Updike Cops Bad Sex in Fiction Award; Adios Publishing Lunch; Laura Bush Searches for Publisher; "Most Expensive Book" Arrives at the NYPL; Andrew Greeley Recovering; Schizophrenia Grips Publishing Industry; and Ann Coulter’s Jaw Wired Shut

Amazon’s Kindle 2.0 to Hit Shelves in Early 2009, reports TechCrunch.com
A larger screen student version is also scheduled for 2009

Updike Receives "Unique Achievement" Bad Sex in Fiction Award, reports The Guardian
Rachel Johnson wins for her novel Shire Hell. The Literary Review also presented John Updike a "unique achievement" award after he was nominated four consecutive times for the award

Budgets Killing the Estimable Publishing Lunch, reports New York Observer
As Cheech & Chong used to say, "things are tough all over." Leon Neyfakh is to be lauded for his piece about publishers cutting back on the publishing lunch because of budgetary constraints. I look back to those halcyon days at Doubleday in the early 1970s where if you couldn’t handle a four martini lunch it was obvious you couldn’t acquire or edit!

Laura Bush: "I’ve been talking to some publishers…," reports AP
The First Lady is apparently serious about her next book project. Mrs. Bush is being represented by Washington heavyweight attorney Robert Barnett, whose other clients include Hillary and Bill Clinton and Ted Kennedy

"Most Expensive Book" Arrives at the New York Public Library, reports AP
Michelangelo: La Dotta Mano or "the learned hand," is valued at well over $100,000. It is a 62-pound handmade tome depicting the life and work of Michelangelo

Rev. Andrew Greeley Recovering From Fall, reports UPI
The novelist’s condition has been upgraded to fair after suffering a fractured skull in a fall two weeks ago

Schizophrenia Grips Publishing Industry, sez New York Times
Is it the time of the year or are strange things happening in publishing? The Times is opting for the latter

Ann Coulter’s Jaw Wired Shut Just in Time for New Book, reports Huffington Post
Yes, Virginia, Santa will be coming early this year. And coming just in time for Obama’s inauguration will be the Wicked Witch of Right’s latest tirade, Guilty: Liberal "Victims" And Their Assault On America (Crown Forum)

Happy Thanksgiving!

The PW Morning Report will return on December 1, 2008

« Back | Print