Book News

Richard Flanagan wins Man Booker Prize for Fiction; First Amendment groups challenge Idaho school’s parental consent form; Eric Schwartz joins Columbia University Press as editorial director

The 20 finalists for the National Book Awards in Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature were announced on Wednesday morning, October 15, on NPR’s Morning Edition by Books & Books owner Mitchell Kaplan.

In celebration of the Major League Baseball post-season, here is the Indie Baseball Bestseller List, based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week period ending October 5, 2014.

Robin Talley, the author of Lies We Tell Ourselves, talks about the inspiration for her story about the integration of a Virginia school in 1959, the challenges of researching LGBT experiences of the ’50s and ’60s, and more.

Digital galleys of an array of adult and children’s titles in the Winter/Spring 2015 Indies Introduce Debut Authors and New Voices promotion are now available on NetGalley.

Jodi Picoult, author of Leaving Time (Ballantine Books), discusses why she chose to write about elephants, how she researched their behavior, the strength of mother-daughter bonds, and the role independent booksellers have played in her career.

Following complaints from parents about mature content, seven books were removed from the Highland Park Independent School District’s reading list, including The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, who said he was baffled by the school’s decision.

Here are the titles on the November Indie Next List flier, on its way to ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement.

Authors United to ask Justice Department for Amazon inquiry; Women’s National Book Association selects Great Group Reads; NCAC announces winners of Cameron Post Essay Contest; Penguin Random House in partnership with Universal Pictures

Banned Books Week is being celebrated in bookstores throughout the country from September 21 – 27 with special events, displays, videos, and more. 

Based on sales at independent bookstores nationwide for the eight-week period ending September 21, 2014.

The October Indie Next List’s 12 “Now in Paperback” titles are featured with bookseller quotes on a downloadable flier and shelf-talkers.

Two panels of booksellers from every region of the country have chosen 10 debut adult titles and 10 children’s titles for the Indies Introduce Debut Authors and New Voices promotion. Featured Winter/Spring titles include fiction and nonfiction, middle grade and YA, publishing between January and June 2015.

The National Book Foundation has announced the longlists for this year’s National Book Awards for fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people’s literature.

Caitlin Doughty is the author of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, a 2014 Summer/Fall Indies Introduce nonfiction title and a September Indie Next List pick. “Doughty’s book is a clear-eyed look at death and a call for us all to think about a difficult topic in healthier ways,” said David Enyeart of Common Good Books.