• Paris’ venerable Librairie Galignani lays claim to being the oldest English language bookstore on the European continent. • Despite its age — the store was founded in 1801, but the publishers of the same name date back to 1520 — it has weathered the years well and continues be an important part of Paris’ vibrant literary community. By Rachel Aydt …
Brooklyn Embraces the World: Book Fest, Publishers Boost International Lit
• The Brooklyn Book Festival, which takes place this Sunday, is devoting a stage exclusively to international programming. Among those authors appearing will be Pakistan’s Feryal Ali Gauhar and UK graphic novelist Nick Abadzis. • The programming is a reflection of the broad community of independent publishers making their home in the borough, many of which focus on translations, including …
By Sticking with Java, E-Book Publisher Wattpad Exhibits Huge International Growth
• In August, Wattpad published usage analytics for downloads and readers of the company’s ebooks. The report covers desktop usage, as well as some 1,000 different phone models from 600 carriers in 160 countries (excluding China). • While English-language books and readers using smartphones remains the strongest segment, growth among Southeast Asian readers using Java-based feature phones is nearly as …
The Bible vs. Mao: A “Best Guess” of the Top 25 Bestselling Books of All Time
• Inspired by the Huffington Post‘s attempt to list the top 15 bestselling books of all time, we offer a humble revision, expanding the list to 25 total. • The Bible and Quotations from Chairman Mao still vie for the top spot, with more than 6 billion published copies each. By Noel L. Griese In the September the Huffington Post published an …
The Digital Innovators: Henry Volans of Faber Digital
The third in our series of video interviews with digital innovators from the UK features a discussion with Henry Volans, head of digital development at Faber.
On Not Changing With the Times: How Manhattan’s Three Lives & Co. Bookstore Endures
• Three Lives & Co. Booksellers in New York City has managed to survive increasing economic pressure that has forced the closing of numerous other bookstores. Three Lives’ longevity is the result of staying very much the same as when it first opened in 1968. • Owner Toby Cox — formerly of the marketing department of Broadway Books — likes …
Chilean Artists Bomb Berlin with 100,000 Poems
• On Saturday, Chilean artist collective Casagrande, along with Literaturwerkstatt Berlin, dropped 100,000 poems over Berlin as a protest against war. • This is the fifth instance of the “Poetry Rain” project, which has also taken place in four other cities that were subject to intense aerial bombings during their history. By Siobhan O’Leary BERLIN: Last Saturday night, just as the …
The Ideavirus: Seth Godin as a Microcosm of Publishing’s Flux
• Following Seth Godin’s decision last week to leave traditional publishing behind, several questions have been raised. Is he really making a radical change? Or is this simply another smart marketing play? • Godin’s very public defection is just one more example of how publishing is in flux. He may be the exception to the rule, but his example sets a precedent for others to …
Beijing International Book Fair: E-books and Digital Content Boost China’s $150bn Publishing Media Market (Update)
• The Beijing International Book Fair (August 30 through September 3) reflects China’s booming digital publishing business with 2,000 sq. meters of digital exhibits. • Sales of ebooks, downloaded games, apps and other digital content in China hit 80 billion RMB ($11.8 billion) in 2009. By Edward Nawotka UPDATED 8/29: Our initial statistical information stated that the $150bn applied exclusively to …
The Digital Innovators: Peter Collingridge of Enhanced Editions
Here, Peter Collingridge discusses his career, his outlook for Enhanced Editions, and his vision for the future of the ebook.