As you might have suspected, the publishing industry continued to work very hard this week. We anticipate, barring any unforseen circumstances, that this torrid pace of productivity will continue through approximately next Tuesday with a sharp drop-off around Friday and absolutely nothing happening the following Monday.
Anything we missed this week, we’ll catch next week. Duty got in the way of duty or something like that.
- Lagardere to Buy Time Warner Books: As has been widely reported throughout the blogosphere (and, apparently, traditional media), French giant Lagardere (surely there’s an accent or two we’re missing) purchased Time Warner Books. This should not affect your daily life unless: a) some of the smaller imprints are discontinued or sold or b) corporate headquarters are moved and you are required to undersand the nuances of international postage. Take our word for it: no post office in the United States possesses or has heard of International Reply coupons.
- Scholastic has joined the audiobook revolution. This seems like something that should have already happened, but what do we know? Jennifer Feldman will head the division.
- Profits Pile Up at Harper: HarperCollins made a boatload of money as 2005 drew to a close. Thanks to Narnia and Freakonomics and few other titles, sales continue to be strong. We stand relieved.
