Booksquare

Today’s links of interest:

• Janet Silver, Tina Pohlman, Gretchen Koss, Jennifer Josephy All Out at Doubleday
  Sixteen to be laid off from Doubleday. Names are starting to trickle in.
• Christian Science Monitor to Publish Online Only
  Interesting, scary, cool. Not necessarily in that order.
• Boncampagni sisters - author and Wall Streeter - spar over ‘Hedge Fund Wives’ novel
  Fun, fun, fun — this kind of excitement always makes for a happy holiday season.
• Authors, publishers settle suit against Google
  Interesting. Now maybe we can get on with the business of getting on.
• LA Observed: List of L.A. Times departures
  File Under: How Not to Run a Newspaper. More bleeding. The LA Times — the management, such as it is — is killing the newspaper. Sort of like that whole Nero/Rome thing.

Today’s links of interest:

• Acclaimed author Tony Hillerman dies at 83
  Very sad.

Today’s links of interest:

• Oprah’s Favorite New Gadget
  It’s official: The Kindle, or, Oprah continues to save the publishing industry.
• The Analog Hole: Another Argument Against DRM
  A few more thoughts on books, DRM, and the analog hole.
• The 26th Story: Q&A with Agent and former Publisher Larry Kirshbaum
  Pretty cool interview — love it when interviewees are open and up-front in responses.
• Hachette Brings Yen, Orbit Under One Roof
  Will now be collectively known as "Orbit".
• Oprah?s new favorite gadget: The Kindle
  Based on detailed analysis from BS HQ, we’re totally on board with this theory!
• Publishers, enough with vapid hype
  The LAT’s David Ulin says: "There’s little doubt that the economy will affect this further, or that, even without the advent of recession, publishing is a business in crisis mode. But I see hard times as having a potential upside — if we focus on the work itself." We say: "Word." We also say: "Note that he’s talking about certain types of books, not all books."
• Amazon.com Announces Third Quarter Sales up 31% to .26 Billion; Sales Growth Fueled by Lower Prices, Expanded Selection and Free Shipping
  Guess who wrote the headline? In other news, they expect some sort of downturn due to potentially slower holiday sales.

Today’s links of interest:

• (BBtv) John Hodgman: More Information Than You Require. This is not a book trailer. - Boing Boing
  So we don’t have qualms about recommending that you watch the video.
• Amazon delays UK launch of Kindle
  Bummer, though the British still have the Sony ereader to keep them warm through the holidays.
• Most ‘worth talking about books’
  Agree, disagree?

Read more…

Today’s links of interest:

• Random House Launch Website Toolkit For Authors
  While a fine idea (sounds similar to the tool built by HarperCollins), please tell us that RH isn’t truly going to allow authors to customize their fonts and colors? Talk about a recipe for disaster.
• Google Doubles Book-Scan Publisher Partners
  Meaning, what? They’re only the evil empire for some people?
• Words into hype?By Chris Offutt
  Clip ‘n Save Guide to Literary Terms, to wit: "Plot — A device, the lack of which denotes seriousness on the part of writers."

Read more…

Today’s links of interest:

• Words into hype?By Chris Offutt
  Clip ‘n Save Guide to Literary Terms, to wit: "Plot — A device, the lack of which denotes seriousness on the part of writers."
• First-Time Novelist Wins Booker
  Aravind Adiga wins for "The White Tiger".
• Have books become the new target for internet piracy?
  Basic, clueless, and without context. Noted especially for the final line, which shows how absolutely the author misses the point.
• McCain’s YouTube Takedown Inspires Fair Use Fervor
  Finally, the candidates are talking about the copyright question.

Read more…

Today’s links of interest:

• A Mite Too Radical?
  A look at a "radical" suggestion that people support independent booksellers, and an honest assessment of how boycotting Amazon isn’t the answer.
• Longtime Times Book Review Senior Editor Dwight Garner to Join Kakutani and Maslin in Daily Paper
  Interesting and strange.
• Opening press conference 2008
  Texts of speeches from the opening days of the Frankfurt Book Fair. Compare and contrast Paulo Coehlo with Gottfried Honnefelder, wonder who is living in the modern world.
• What Would Tod Goldberg Do?
  Normally, we’d link to this because Jane picks up on the blogging/women/opinion theme we discussed last week, but…well, the real reason we’re linking is because we love to see the words "Tod Goldberg" in a headline.

Read more…

Today’s links of interest:

• DZANC Books - WRITE_A_THON
  As always, we love to bring you news from the Dzanc gang. In these tough economic times, the need for creative fundraising is greater than ever before. Consider joining in on the Dzanc write-a-thon to help support the great books and great programs this non-profit is known for.
• Reaching for a Higher Profile, Abu Dhabi Opens a Hub for Western Media
  Or, do you know the way to Abu Dhabi? Sorry, couldn’t resist.
• ‘Staggering’ Library Book Thefts
  This is a crime that must be stopped!
• In Defense of Piracy
  Lawrence Lessig on the stifling of creativity, via antiquated law.

Read more…

Today’s links of interest:

• Reading A Novel Can Help Obese Children To Lose Weight
  If only it worked for grown-ups, too.
• Top novelist feels pressure to ‘dumb down’
  If this is true, it’s disturbing. Why do smart women writers have to be pigeon-holed? Can’t the readers decide for themselves?
• Google’s Schmidt Says Internet ‘Cesspool’ Needs Brands
  Agreed.

Read more…

Today’s links of interest:

• Laura Bush sees women neglected in literacy push
  And here we can find common ground.
• Goodbyes: The Downsized Employee
  An account of how it feels to be back on the streets after flying high at the Gawker empire.
• LA Observed: Incredibly, deep new cutbacks at L.A. Times
  Before long, the headline will read "LA Times Tests Running Newspaper Without Reporters, Columnists, or Anyone To Answer Phones"

Read more…