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Tuesday, 13 September 2011
If you've got news you think would be of interest to Weekly Book Newsletter readers, let us know by emailing bookseller.publisher@thorpe.com.au

On tour 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
SeptemberDiane Armstrong, HarperCollins (Empire Day) NSW, Queensland and Victoria.Jay Bahadur, Scribe (Deadly Waters) Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.Peter Baines, Macmillan (Hands across the Water) Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.Leah Chishugi, Virago (A...

RiP Liz Riley 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
The Australian Booksellers Association writes: 'It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of our friend and colleague, Liz Riley. 'Liz was a dedicated and...

More than 45,000 attend MWF 2011 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
More than 45,000 people attended the 2011 Melbourne Writers Festival, held between 25 August and 4 September. Festival director Steve Grimwade told the Weekly Book Newsletter that the festival's organisers...

McPherson’s reports nine percent drop in revenue 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Book printer McPherson's Printing Group has recorded a nine percent drop in revenue and a 24% decline in pre-tax earnings in its printing division for the 2010-2011 financial year. Sales revenue for...

ABA welcomes new members 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
The Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) has recently welcomed the following new members: Corporate Bookshop MembersAustralian Blue Express - Carine, WABooks of Renown - Armidale, NSWBrown Books - Batemans Bay, NSWChristian...

New digital publishing service launched 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
A new digital publishing service designed for publishers and government and academic agencies has been launched, called Xmplar. The business, which launched at the beginning of September, is founded by...

Quote of the week 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
‘This might sound suspiciously like we're letting the market decide what books should get published. And you know what? That's exactly what I'm saying. The audience should dictate what gets...

Rip Michael Stern Hart 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Michael Stern Hart, ebook pioneer and founder of Project Gutenberg, has died aged 64.Dr. Gregory B. Newby, CEO of the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, writes: 'Michael S. Hart left...

RiP Bernard Smith 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Bernard Smith, renowned art historian and critic, has died aged 94. Smith taught at the University of Melbourne and was art critic for the Age before being appointed founding chair...

Bestsellers this week 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Darren Lockyer's self-titled autobiography (Random House), said to reveal the people, places and events which have shaped the rugby league icon's life and career, is first on the bestsellers chart and...

On Fancy Goods 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
On Fancy Goods this week Rachel Edwards reviews Babylon (Stephen Sewell, Victory), Portia Lindsay reviews Big Porn Inc: Exposing the Harms of the Global Pornography Industry (ed by Melinda Tankard...

James Bennett partners with Ebrary 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Library supplier James Bennett has announced it has partnered with ebook supplier Ebrary in Australia. In a statement, James Bennett said libraries could now ‘seamlessly integrate Ebrary's ebooks into their...

ILF thanks Indigenous Literacy Day participants 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
The Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) has thanked all members of the Australian book community who participated in the fifth annual Indigenous Literacy Day (ILD) on Wednesday 7 September. ILF executive...

Publication of ‘ALR’ to end in October 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
The Australian Literary Review (ALR) will be published for the last time in October, reports Crikey. ALR editor Luke Slattery told Crikey that the monthly supplement, published by the Australian,...

Local authors top bestsellers at BWF 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Popular children's author Emily Rodda, former national gallery director Betty Churcher and debut-fiction author Anna Funder topped the bestseller list at this year's Brisbane Writers Festival, reflecting a strong line-up...

McGraw-Hill to split into two companies 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
International publisher McGraw-Hill has announced that the business will be divided into two companies in 2012. As part of a 'Growth and Value Plan' approved by the board of directors,...

Around the world 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Among the many international booktrade stories added to our Around the World blog in the past week:Houellebeqc 'goes missing' before book tourUS court decision on 'first-sale doctrine' concerns libraries and...

Around the world 

Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Among the many international booktrade stories added to our Around the World blog in the past week:Faber finance director killed in Kenya; wife kidnappednovelist Houellebecq 'goes missing' before book tourUS...

In Brief 

Monday, 12 September 2011
Readings to donate 10% of profits to Readings FoundationReadings has announced that it will increase its annual contribution to The Readings Foundation, with the bookseller to donate 10% of its...

ANZ to sponsor Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 

Monday, 12 September 2011
The organisers of the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival in Bali, Indonesia, have announced a new partnership with the Australian and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ Group), which will see...

Media Extra: What’s hot? 

Sunday, 11 September 2011
Anna Funder's Stasiland was a massive hit when it was released several years ago, so it's no surprise that her debut novel All That I Am (Hamish Hamilton) is generating huge...

Borders Singapore placed under judicial management 

Wednesday, 7 September 2011
Borders Singapore has been placed under judicial management for six months, reports ChannelNewsAsia.  Judicial management is a form of administration in which a court-appointed officer takes on management of a business in...

Rights round-up 

Wednesday, 7 September 2011
In rights news this week: SalesNonfiction--Random House has sold The Butterfly Effect (Dannielle Miller) to China.Children's/YA--Hardie Grant Egmont has sold UK rights to books 4 to 6 of ‘The Phoenix...