Stopping a Merger, Preparing for the Holidays, and Reading with Friends: This Week in Book News

Hello writers and welcome to another edition of our weekly publishing news roundup! This has been an exciting week on the Kobo front, with new territories launching for Kobo Plus! As always, if you have any questions about Kobo Plus or want to bulk opt in your books, shoot us an email at writinglife@kobo.com

Now onto the news!

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Follett Corp. has sold Baker & Taylor to a private investment company led by B&T CEO.

Follett Sells Baker & Taylor to B&T CEO

The makeover of Follett Corp. continues with the announcement that it has sold Baker & Taylor to a private investment company led by Aman Kochar, B&T CEO and president. The deal includes all of B&T’s related businesses, which include Baker & Taylor Publisher Services, collectionHQ, Baker & Taylor UK, and James Bennett.

The Biden administration is suing to stop the PRH and Simon and Schuster merger.

Justice Dept. Sues Penguin Random House Over Simon & Schuster Deal

The Biden administration’s rejection of the proposed $2.18 billion publishing merger reflects a changing atmosphere in Washington toward consolidation. The Biden administration on Tuesday sued to stop Penguin Random House, the largest publisher in the United States, from acquiring its rival Simon & Schuster, as part of a new drive in Washington against corporate consolidation.

The Association of American Publishers have pushed back in the Internet Archive lawsuit.

Publishers, AAP Hit Back in Internet Archive Discovery Dispute

Lawyers for the AAP and the plaintiff publishers insist that communications and documents being withheld in the case are in fact privileged, and accused the IA of attempting to litigate this case and their desired policy gains in the press based on a false narrative rather than in the courtroom based on the facts and the law.”

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By now I feel everyone is familiar with the supply chain issues that have been plaguing countless industries, including publishing. This is how some indie bookstores are preparing for the looming potential chaos of the holiday season.

How bookstores are adjusting to supply-chain issues this holiday

“Our basement has more books in it than we’ve ever had,” Michael Fusco-Straub, co-owner of Books Are Magic in Brooklyn, tells me over the phone. It’s October, and Fusco-Straub and his staff have been busy getting ready for the upcoming holiday shopping season.

After Sally Rooney opted to not translate her books into Israeli, major retailers have pulled her books from their shelves.

Sally Rooney novels pulled from Israeli bookstores after translation boycott

Books by Sally Rooney will no longer be sold in two Israeli bookshop chains, after the acclaimed writer’s decision not to sell translation rights for her most recent novel to an Israeli publisher. Rooney’s novels were previously available from Steimatzky and Tzomet Sefarim, but the books have now been removed from their websites, and will be pulled from physical shops too.

A group of teachers in the Philippines have created an internet archive of books frowned upon by the government.

A group of teachers in the Philippines has launched an internet archive of “subversive” books.

In the Philippines, educators and researchers are responding to a military crackdown on “subversive” books and documents by launching an internet archive of endangered books and materials frowned upon by the government.

Funding has come through to restore the roof of Jane Austen’s house.

Jane Austen’s House secures future with funding to restore roof

As Jane Austen famously put it in Emma, “there is nothing like staying at home for real comfort”. Now the roof on the novelist’s own home is set to be restored, after funds were raised to save it through public donations and a grant from the government.

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Damon Galgut has won the Booker Prize for his novel The Promise.

The Promise by South African writer Damon Galgut wins $84K Booker Prize | CBC Books

The Promise by South African writer Damon Galgut has won the 2021 Booker Prize. The £50,000 ($84,905 Cdn) award annually recognizes the best original novel written in the English language and published in the U.K. This is Galgut’s first Booker Prize win and third time being nominated for the prestigious award.

The Writers’ Trust of Canada announced their 2021 honorees.

Katherena Vermette, Tomson Highway and Cherie Dimaline among winners at 2021 Writers’ Trust Awards | CBC Books

Katherena Vermette, Tomson Highway and Cherie Dimaline were among the honorees at the 2021 Writers’ Trust of Canada Awards, an annual event that recognizes the country’s best writers and books of the year. The Writers’ Trust of Canada is an organization that supports Canadian writers through literary awards, fellowships, financial grants, mentorships and more.

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Using recordings the actor left behind, a biography of the late Paul Newman is in the works.

Paul Newman Will Tell His Own Story, 14 Years After His Death

Knopf plans to publish a book next year based on hours of recordings the movie star left behind, as well as interviews with family, friends and associates. Decades ago, the actor and philanthropist Paul Newman, frustrated by all the unauthorized biographies and coverage of his life, recorded his own oral history, leaving behind transcripts that for years were forgotten in the basement laundry room of his house in Connecticut.

Novelist Kim Sherwood is set to expand the universe of 007.

Licensed to thrill: Kim Sherwood set to ‘expand the James Bond universe’

A new generation of Double O agents has been authorised by the estate of Ian Fleming, with Bond aficionado and novelist Kim Sherwood set to pen a new series of “audacious, pacey, sexy” spy stories.

R.L. Stine is ready to spook the younger generation with his all new collection of Stinetinglers.

R.L. Stine has an all-new collection of ‘Stinetinglers’ ready to scare young readers

Looking for something to send a chill down your spine? Horror maestro R.L. Stine has 10 new stories to offer young readers in his latest creepy collection, Stinetinglers, due out Aug. 30, 2022.

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As someone whose favourite activity is reading alongside my best friends, this piece from Vogue really resonated with me.

Words With Friends: On the Joys of Tandem Reading

I learned to read on my own when I was barely five (getting my parents excited about the possibility that they had a child prodigy on their hands, a notion quickly dispelled by my total lack of math skills), and from then on, I never stopped.

Have a lovely weekend!

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Staff Pick

Rachel, Author Engagement Coordinator

“Joni and I had the pleasure of interviewing Anat Deracine about her book Driving By Starlight for the KWL Podcast recently (episode out soon!), and this book was truly a joy to read. About two young women navigating life, love, and friendship in Saudi Arabia, this novel shows the different approaches they take to combat the oppressive world they live in. One thing I especially enjoyed about reading this book is that it painted a clear picture of life in Saudi Arabia without being too heavy on exposition which is not an easy task. If you want a compelling and wildly interesting read about the intricacies of female friendship, I cannot recommend this enough.”