- 2018 Apr 23
Amazon’s Critics Get New Life
President Trump’s attacks on the e-tailer and its chief executive, Jeff Bezos, have opened the door for the company’s critics.
Japan's Biggest Export? Its Culture
Anime, manga, and Haruki Murakami may form an unlikely trinity, but outside of Japan, they're the country's reputation makers.
Who Bought Sylvia Plath’s Stuff?
A tartan kilt, fishing rod, and dragon pendant were among items auctioned recently by the poet’s daughter, Frieda Hughes.
Lay Off the L.A. Readers
There's a stereotype out there that Angelenos are loath to crack open a book. If that's true, how do you explain the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books?
The Marvelous Rise of Stan Lee
How a man who was once "finished with comics" became synonymous with Marvel's powerhouse global brand.
Illinois College Town Loses a Bookstore
Bookworm in Carbondale, Ill., home to Southern Illinois University, is closing after 17 years in business.
Crowdfunding May Save Tucson Store
Three women are trying to raise $32,000 on Indiegogo to buy Antigone Books in Tucson, Ariz.
Coastal Virginia Gets a New Bookstore
Dog Eared Books, a new and used bookstore, opened in Hampton, Va., this past weekend.
- 2018 Apr 20
Sergio Pitol Dies at 85
The essayist, translator, and prolific author, recognized for breaking barriers between genres, died in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico on April 12.
This Year's Best Coffee Table Books
Rounding up the best gift books coming out this spring, from a book on the New York pigeon to Robert Crumb's sketchbooks.
Kendrick Lamar's Writing Tips
Before he was a Pulitzer winner, writes Leila Green, Kendrick's music taught her things about writing short stories she hadn’t learned anywhere else.
The 17 Best Stoner Mysteries
In honor of 4/20, a list of the best weed-related mysteries, in print and on screen.
The Trials of Literary Life
A new comic from Tom Gauld, author of 'Mooncop,' on James Joyce visiting his publisher.
- 2018 Apr 19
Amazon Tops 100 Million Prime Members
CEO Jeff Bezos has seen its customer loyalty program's membership skyrocket—and it's gaining traction overseas, too.
Regan Confirms Cosby Claims in Court
Judith Regan told jurors at Bill Cosby's assault retrial that his drugging and assault of Janice Dickinson was cut from her memoir.
Prince's Memoir is Almost Ready
The agent representing the book claimed the musician's memoir should be published around the holiday season; Random House did not confirm.
Qatar's National Library
The new library, which opened in Doha earlier this week, celebrates its collection by incorporating books into the infrastructure of the building.
Smith, Woodson Preach Lit Gospel
Tracy K. Smith and Jacqueline Woodson talk reading, race, and spreading the gospel of literature.
Ship Shaped Chinese Bookstore Charms
Zhan Qiao Pier Bookstore in Qingdao City, in east China's Shandong Province, is decorated like an ocean liner.
Istanbul Bookstore Relocates
Robinson Crusoe bookstore, part of the SALT Beyoğlu art complex, has moved to a new ground floor location.
Northern Michigan Gets a New Bookstore
Bay Books will open in Suttons Bay, Mich., this Memorial Day.
Minnesota Bookstore to Close
Good News Bookstore in Willmar, Minn., is closing after more than three decades in business.
Wisconsin Museum Store Celebrates Nature
The Arboretum bookstore in Madison, Wis., offers an eclectic array of books and sidelines for local nature lovers.
- 2018 Apr 18
Supreme Court Split On Sales Tax
A divided court is struggling to decide whether e-tailers should collect sales taxes in states where they have no physical presence.
'Mockingbird' Producer Strikes Back
Scott Rudin, whose upcoming Broadway adaptation of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' is in jeopardy, has filed a countersuit against Harper Lee's estate.
Somalilander Poet Jailed
Naima Abwaan Qorane has been sentenced to three years in prison for "anti-national activity" as part of a crackdown against activists and writers.
Unbound Book Festival Comes Unbound
A controversy surrounding race and inclusion at the Missouri festival has begun to unfold as the festival's launch date nears.
The Media Came for Comey
Booksellers in Washington, D.C., expected 'Fire and Fury' crowds for Comey book. Instead, they got mostly journalists.
North Dakota Bookstore Helps Inmates
Main Street Books in Minot, N.D., is supplying a local jail with books to help inmates learn trades and job hunt.
New Michigan Bookstore to Open
The Mitten Word Bookshop, a new independent store in Marshall, Mich., will open for business this Saturday.
South Carolina Bookstore Relocates
The Friends on Main bookstore in Union, S.C., has reopened in a new location.
Flooding Closes Boston Bookstore
I AM Books in Boston's North End will close for several days as a result of flooding.
- 2018 Apr 17
Bestselling Books? It's All About Trump
Since January, each book at the top of 'The New York Times' best-seller list has had one thing in common: President Trump.
Kanye West's Philosophic Tome
The rapper says he's writing a philosophy book called 'Break the Simulation.'
Courtroom Drama Over 'Mockingbird'
The producer of the disputed stage adaptation of 'To Kill a Mockinbird' has offered to stage a performance inside a federal courthouse.
L.A. Is a Publishing Town Now
How small, scrappy local book presses have turned the City of Angels into a bastion of publishing.
On East Asian Narratives
How storytelling from East Asia often involves plots without using conflict, and how that differs from storytelling in the West.
Michigan Store's Typewriter Inspires
Customers have embraced the invitation to type their thoughts on a public typewriter in Ann Arbor's Literati Bookstore.
Amazon's Berkeley Opening Causes Concern
Booksellers surrounding the University of California in Berkeley are worried about losing business to Amazon.
Beloved Michigan Bookseller Dies
The Chicago Tribune eulogizes the passing of Rick Tuttle, who ran the Acorn Theater, a bookstore in Three Oaks, Mich.
D.C. Bookstore to Open Outpost in Denver
A new branch of Washington D.C. bookstore and restaurant chain Busboys and Poets will open in Denver.
- 2018 Apr 16
Google Unveils Book-Talking AI
A new artificial intelligence experiment from Google, Talk to Books, can answer questions by pulling relevant sentences from books.
Supreme Court Hears Online Tax Case
On Tuesday, over 40 states will present a case urging the Supreme Court to reconsider charging taxes for online sales.
Reflections on Trying to Get Published
Writer Thomas Swick recalls his path to publication that included several rejection letters, and worse, silence.
A Guide to Lending Books to Friends
Librarians from around the U.S. offer tips on how to keep your friends, and your books, close.
- 2018 Apr 13
Author of 'Secretariat' Fame Dies
William Nack, the horse-racing expert whose book about Secretariat led to the 2010 film, died at age 77 on Friday.
Amazon Plans New Berkeley Bookstore
The retail giant is ramping up its Bay Area presence with a third brick-and-mortar bookstore, according to a new report.
British Publishers Fear U.S. Amid Brexit
Britain's imminent departure from the E.U. has U.K. publishers concerned about U.S. publishers moving into the European market.
Springer Nature Announces IPO
The academic book publisher plans to raise $1.5 billion through new shares in an initial public offering.
Go Behind the Big Business of Comics
Ahead of the New York Comic Con, the show’s founder explains how the comic books industry "outperforms the stock market."
Books to Read For Inspiration at Work
Check out eight books including Amy Poehler’s ‘Yes Please’ that can help generate ideas, improve brain function, and more.
- 2018 Apr 12
B&N Goes Back to Court
A federal appeals court revived a lawsuit seeking to hold Barnes & Noble responsible for customer losses from a 2012 data breach.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Exhumed
The poet's remains were rediscovered in a wine cellar recently, long after the exact location of his coffin had been forgotten.
Kansas Bookstore Gets a Book Machine
Ellen Plumb's City Bookstore in Emporia will soon be the home to one of less than 100 Espresso Book Machines in the world.
A Round Table On Identity in Publishing
Five women in publishing talk about why books about race and gender are so popular now.
How to Get Your Books Back
What are the rules for lending your books to friends? Librarians weigh in, since they're the experts.
- 2018 Apr 11
AAAL Condemns Harassment
The American Academy of Arts and Letters slammed conduct of members facing harassment allegations, but declined to take further action.
A Library Stays in Texas
After a public outcry, the University of Texas has decided not to relocate its fine arts library.
How to Prune Your Book Collection
Advice from authors, publishers, and booksellers (all notorious book hoarders) on how they keep control of their home libraries.
#MisandryInPublishing Isn't a Thing
There's no female conspiracy in publishing, Lauren Spieller writes—your book might just not be good.
Why Do Fantasy Novels Have So Much Food?
Writers since Tolkien have conjured magical feasts for readers, from Elvish Lembas Bread to Sansa Stark's beloved lemon cakes.
- 2018 Apr 10
Junot Díaz Pens a Trauma Confessional
"I never got any help, any kind of therapy," the author writes of his sexual abuse as a child. "I never told anyone."
The Instagrammable NYRB Library
The NYRB Classics imprint specializes in reissuing volumes that have been neglected—and the books have become design objects as well.
Nobel Prize Shakeup Becomes a Crisis
"The institution is in ruins," a local culture editor said of the allegations and subsequent resignations that have rocked the Swedish Academy.
Asian Authors Sweep YA, Part One
A number of East Asian-American authors are making a splash in the YA space with highly original and culturally specific fiction.
Asian Authors Sweep YA, Part Two
The "new voices of South Asian young adult literature" discuss writing about cultural identity without getting pigeonholed.
- 2018 Apr 09
How Trump Shook Up the Book Biz
America’s literary bubble is rethinking its identity, writes Lakshmi Varanasi for 'Politico,' as Trump voters become more central to public discourse.
Nobel Drama Leaves Sweden's King 'Sad'
The resignation of three members of the body that awards the Nobel Literature Prize is "a sad development," Carl XVI Gustav says.
Waterstones Sale Expected This Month
The sale of Waterstones to hedge fund Elliott Advisors is likely to close at the end of this month, 'The Bookseller' reports.
Romance Fiction's Diversity Problem
The Romance Writers Association issued a statement last week criticizing their own history of excluding black authors from RITA prizes.
A 'Recipe' to Fix the System
To change racial disparity in food culture, let’s start with cookbooks, author Julia Turshen writes.
- 2018 Apr 06
Iowa Bill to Hurt Student Book Buyers
A new proposal would force college students to pay the state sales tax, on anything they buy at university bookstores.
Teen Vandals Sentenced to Read
A Virginia judge's unusual sentence requiring teens who defaced a black schoolhouse with hate speech to read may have changed their minds.
A Guide for Literary Travelers
To promote awareness and cultural exchange, 22 ambassadors recommend the one book to read before visiting their country.
Terry Gilliam's 'Don Quixote' Trailer
The much delayed Cervantes homage from the Monty Python star, 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,' stars Jonathan Pryce and Adam Driver.
Secret Codes in a Scottish Library
Mysterious symbols scrawled in books in the Charleston Library in Dundee help elderly readers keep track of what they’ve already read.
Lamenting Loss of Los Angeles Stores
Movie World in downtown Burbank is the latest store to close in the Los Angeles area, writes Grok Nation.
The U.K.'s Foyles Sees Sales Hike
Foyles Bookshops saw a rise in overall turnover of 6.4% to £26.6 million ($37.3 million), despite flooding and a tax hike.
- 2018 Apr 05
Amazon Is Killing Jobs
A new report from the ABA and Civic Economics reveals a continuing and increasing loss of jobs and revenue thanks to the e-tailer's growth.
U.K. Book Reviewers: Let's Go Green
A group of U.K. books journalists have written an open letter urging publishers to use recyclable packaging to send out books.
Gaiman Takes Gormenghast to TV
Neil Gaiman is set to adapt Mervyn Peake’s gothic fantasy series for the small screen following years of talks.
'Mrs. Fletcher' Comes to HBO
Kathryn Hahn will star in, and Nicole Holofcener will direct, an HBO comedy pilot based on Tom Perrotta's book.
The Natural Enemy of the Librarian
Uplifting monument or waste of space? On Philip Johnson’s Bobst Library and a conflict between librarians and architects.
An Artist's Quirky Bookshop in Queens
Kosti’s Last Sunday Bookstore in Queens, N.Y., is open once a month and sells books and other works by artist Richard Kostelanetz.
San Francisco Bookseller to Revive Bar
Christin Evans, co-owner of The Booksmith, and a partner have bought and will reopen the Alembic, a once popular bar.
Indies Shrug Off Amazon Store Openings
Bookselling This Week reports independents near recently opened Amazon stores have seen few lost sales.
South African Chain's CEO Exits
Exclusive Books CEO Benjamin Trisk, credited with saving South Africa's largest bookstore chain, is leaving.
- 2018 Apr 04
Man Booker Reverses Nationality Decision
The prize will now list authors country or territory, and not by nationality, following criticism over its treatment of a Taiwanese author.
Joan Silber Wins PEN/Faulkner
Silber’s novel 'Improvement,' told in a series of interlinked stories, has won the 2018 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
Bibles Pulled in China
The Bible is being removed from Chinese online bookstores following Beijing's release of a white paper on religious policy.
Our Bodies Ourselves Transitions
The Boston women’s health book collective will, after several years of struggling financially, transition to a volunteer organization.
No Sympathy for Amazon
Trump's attacks on the company aren't nearly as alarming as the government largesse that helped it become a tech behemoth.
Profiling a Suburban Chicago Bookseller
The Chicago Tribute interviews Alex Yount, co-manager of Anderson's Bookshop in La Grange, Ill.
Michigan Christian Bookstore to Close
The Gift & Bible Center in Lansing is closing after 37 years in business.
- 2018 Apr 03
Hong Kong’s Missing Booksellers
As China’s Xi Jinping consolidates power, owners of bookstores trafficking in banned books find themselves playing a very dangerous game.
Will Bogaards Write a Book?
The PR pro at Knopf Doubleday who wrote a brutally honest job listing has yet to find a successful candidate—but he has gotten book offers.
Comey Tour Tickets Are Through the Roof
Tickets to stops on the fired FBI director's tour for his book 'A Higher Loyalty' are being resold online for hundreds of dollars.
Story Dispensers Come to the U.S.
A kiosk built by the French publishing company Short Edition, which distributes free short stories, has been installed in San Francisco.
How Didion Became Didion
An excerpt from Michelle Dean's new book explores how Joan Didion became "one of the boys" while still not quite fitting into their literary regime.
French Retailer to Close 36 Outlets
As a result of bankruptcy, France Loisirs, a retail chain and book club, is closing 36 of 200 outlets and laying off 450 staff.
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