Two Big Five US publishing houses independently announce new directorial appointments focused on workplace diversity and inclusion.
PEN America Names Ayad Akhtar Its Next President
Following Jennifer Egan in the post, the playwright and novelist Ayad Akhtar takes up the PEN America presidency in December.
Aspen Institute: ‘Changing the Narrative’ on Diversity in Publishing
In a straightforward discussion, even the concept of inclusivity was called out for assumptions about diversity.
Coronavirus Worklife: Children’s Book Literary Agent Stephanie Barrouillet
Despite useful digital alternatives, Tel Aviv-based Stephanie Barrouillet says there remains a need for rights and publishing pros to meet.
PublisHer Opens Its New Initiative, With ‘Unmasked’ Interviews
The international PublisHer professional network of ‘bookwomen’ rolls out its #Unmasked series of video interviews with women in publishing.
Spain’s Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial and Canada’s Wattpad Strike Rights Deal
PRH Grupo Editorial gets translation rights to English-language titles from Wattpad Book, a world Spanish exclusive.
‘Race and Power’: The UK’s Cambridge University Press Opens Free Access
Hoping to ‘not just voice outrage,’ but also to ‘provide research and data,’ the oldest publisher offers expert writings in ‘Race and Power.’
PEN America Releases 111 New Essays of Solidarity for the Future
Voices from across the spectrum of cultural observation look at the dynamics of the moment and predict how ‘We Will Emerge’ from the fray.
Coronavirus Impact: Nigeria’s Aké Arts and Book Festival 2020 is Digital
The Aké Arts and Book Festival has a strong activist context for many of its 2020 events, set around the theme ‘African Time.’
Aspen Institute Looks at a Publishing Industry Challenged to Embrace Diversity
Aspen asks, ‘Why is the world of publishing so reluctant to offer Black writers the same major book deals typically offered to white writers?’