What's the Buzz: Flaws in Google Book Search, Dan Brown Videos, China's Bestsellers

By Hannah Johnson

Adding to the pervasive anti-Google rhetoric, Geoffrey Nunberg wrote in the Chronicle of Higher Education about the failings of Google’s Book Search, particularly with regards to metadata. He said, “the book search’s metadata are a train wreck: a mishmash wrapped in a muddle wrapped in a mess.” (via @ColumbiaUP)

As Dan Brown hysteria mounts, one UK publisher responded with a bit of silliness and sarcasm in their video entitled, “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Dan Brown.” The best part? You get free Tom Hanks with every tub of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Dan Brown.

However, if you are — like millions of people — waiting impatiently for Dan Brown, enjoy this video from Transworld of the rather anticlimactic unveiling of the book’s UK cover. (At this point, I will restrain myself from linking to all the quirky Dan Brown videos floating around on YouTube, but you should take a look!)

And to supplement our regular coverage of the Beijing Book Fair, here is a list of the July 2009 Fiction bestsellers from China, as translated by Bruce Humes on his blog.

About the Author

Hannah Johnson

Hannah Johnson is the publisher of international book industry magazine Publishing Perspectives, which provides daily information and news about book markets around the world. In addition to building partnerships with international cultural and trade organizations, she works with the Frankfurt Book Fair to organize and support a number of its overseas initiatives. Hannah has also worked as the managing editor for an online media company, The Hooch Life, focused on craft distillers and cocktail experts. Prior to that, she worked as a project manager for the Frankfurt Book Fair’s New York office, managing various business and marketing activities.