Breaking news on authors, publishers, and book-related topics

Orange Prize for Fiction might well soon be the Apple Prize

Aug 13 2012: The well respected prize that celebrates the best of women's international fiction that has, since 1995, been known as The Orange Prize for Fiction, might well soon become the Apple Prize for Fiction - if the rumors abounding that the US technology giant is close to ...

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Humorist David Rakoff dies aged 47

Aug 10 2012: Humorist and essayist David Rakoff died yesterday at the age of 47 after a three year battle with cancer. A frequent contributor to This American Life, Rakoff authored the essay collections Fraud (2001) Don't Get Too Comfortable (2005) and Half-Empty (2010).

Rakoff'...

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Gore Vidal has died, aged 86

Aug 01 2012: Gore Vidal, an eclectic author who faithfully chronicled the major shifts and upheavals in the United States in books, essays and plays, has died. He was 86.

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RIP Maeve Binchy

Jul 30 2012: Best-selling Irish author Maeve Binchy has died aged 72 after a short illness. Binchy's books have sold more than 40 million books and have been translated into 37 languages.

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Google argues that its book search passes fair use tests 'with ease'

Jul 30 2012: In its motion for Summary Judgment in the Authors Guild vs. Google, filed on July 27, Google attorneys argue that its keyword searchable index of books scanned from library shelves "passes with ease" the ultimate test of fair use, because it provides "enormous ...

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Booker longlist of 12 books includes Hilary Mantel, Will Self, and 4 first novelists

Jul 25 2012: The Booker Prize longlist has been announced including four first novelists (indicated by asterisks below):

• Nicola Barker, The Yips
• Ned Beauman, The Teleportation Accident
• Andre Brink, Philida
• Tan Twan Eng, The Garden of Evening Mists
• Michael Frayn, ...

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Dept. of Justice proposed e-book price fixing lawsuit to go ahead despite 92 percent of comments in opposition

Jul 23 2012: Despite 92% of the 868 received comments opposing the settlement, and most of those against appearing to be very similar to an online form letter, the Department of Justice are not budging on their decision regarding the proposed settlement with Simon & Schuster, ...

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Penguin Group buys self-publishing service Author Solutions For $116m

Jul 19 2012: In the first significant investment by a major trade publisher in self-publishing, Pearson announced Thursday morning that it has acquired self-publishing service Author Solutions from Bertram Capital for $116 million in cash (or a little more than one times sales). ASI...

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