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Digital ‘onslaught’ 18 months away 

Thursday, 5 October 2006
Booksellers may have as little as a year and a half to prepare themselves for the onslaught of the next generation of e-readers, according to European Booksellers Federation president John McNamee,...

Chinese book market continues to grow 

Thursday, 5 October 2006
The Chinese book retail market grew by 9.2% in the past year, while February 2006 was China's largest month for book sales ever, according to figures presented by Zhu Jianhua...

Our man in Frankfurt 

Thursday, 5 October 2006
Thorpe-Bowker publisher Andrew Wilkins has again been on the spot at the Frankfurt Book Fair, reporting each day not only for WBN but also for the Fair's official daily bulletins. His stories...

Unlikely Antipodean successes at Frankfurt 

Thursday, 5 October 2006
Two antipodean books are unlikely early hits at this year's Frankfurt Book Fair. After eight modestly successful books in his home country of New Zealand, veteran novelist Lloyd Jones has...

Manga stimulates international comic markets 

Thursday, 5 October 2006
The seemingly inexorable spread of manga is having a positive effect on domestic comic markets around the world, according to a panel of manga and comic publishers speaking today at...

Frankfurt reaches agreement to expand Abu Dhabi Book Fair 

Thursday, 5 October 2006
Following Frankfurt's successful venture with the South African Publishers Association to launch this year's inaugural Cape Town Book Fair, the fair today announced an agreement to support the expansion of...

WAYRBA award winners announced 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
The winning titles in the 2006 WAYRBAs (Western Australian Young Readers' Book Awards) were announced on 22 September. The winners were as follows: Younger readers' award: Garden of the Purple...

Gallagher addresses Frankfurt rights meeting 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
Allen & Unwin's Patrick Gallagher was among the speakers at the 20th Rights Directors Meeting, a traditional precursor of the Frankfurt Book Fair. With a topic covering the English-language rights market,...

Frankfurt expands focus on education 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
This year, the Frankfurt Book Fair is focusing strongly on education and literacy, with a theme of ‘Education for the Future.' Speaking at the opening press conference of the fair,...

India shows its potential at Frankfurt 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
This year's Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair is India, which today unveiled a major exhibition focused on its literature and cultural history. Coordinated by the National Book...

Figures show Frankfurt still growing 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
A 4% increase in exhibitors from Germany has more than compensated for a small drop in overseas exhibitors this year, allowing the Frankfurt Book Fair to legitimately claim another record...

IPA president outlines challenges for industry 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
With a turnover of about US$88 billion (A$115 billion), the global publishing industry is the world's largest creative industry, International Publishers Association (IPA) president and Argentinian publisher Ana Maria Caballenas...

Sony Reader launched: but not in Australia 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
Sony has finally released its much-delayed Sony Reader in the US--but so far the global electronics giant has no plans to release the device in Australia.The paperback-sized reader, which has...

Frankfurt underway 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
The 2006 Frankfurt Book Fair starts today.More than 280,000 people are expected to attend this year's fair. All 13 exhibition halls at the fair are sold out and 3.5% more...

Retail figures healthy, but business confidence shaky 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
While retail figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show slight growth has continued from July into August, the result of a National Australia Bank (NAB) business confidence...

ABA secures fee-free debit card deal 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
The Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) has announced that it has secured a deal with the Commonwealth Bank for ABA members to continue paying zero fees on debit card (EFTPOS) transactions.The...

Australian Book Centre update to creditors 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
Administrator Worrells Insolvency has issued an update to the creditors of remainder wholesaler Australian Book Centre, which went into liquidation earlier this year.The update reveals that unsecured trade creditors still...

Around the World: Round-up 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
In news from our Around the World blog this week: Borders launches a US online book club; Waterstone's reports another sales decline; Amazon.co.uk takes out ‘bestselling company of the year';...

Van Noorden appointed MD of OUP 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
Oxford University Press has appointed Peter van Noorden as managing director of its Australia and New Zealand operation (OUPANZ). Van Noorden, formerly general manager of the Jacaranda School Division at...

Llewellyn takes up NYC appointment 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
Caro Llewellyn, former director of the Sydney Writers' Festival, has been appointed the director of the PEN World Voices--The New York Festival of International Literature. The festival, which was launched...

‘Good Reading’ to cease bookselling 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
Good Reading magazine has announced that as of 31 December this year it will no offer book sales through its Good Reading Direct service (operated by SeekMedia). The magazine, which...

Australian Food Media Club awards 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
The Australian Food Media Club presented its annual awards on Wednesday 27 September. Winning titles were as follows: Simon Johnson award for excellence in a hardcover food-related book: Plenty: Digressions...

Forthcoming events 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
Trade events coming up over the next week, as shown on our events calendar, include: the Frankfurt Book Fair, which kicks off on 4 October; the International Booksellers Federations' 50th...

Bestsellers this week 

Tuesday, 3 October 2006
This week the new Guinness World Records notches up a rather impressive record of its own; the 2007 edition has gone straight to number one in its first week out...

Media Extra: What’s hot 

Sunday, 1 October 2006
A great mix of new titles appear in our Most Mentioned chart this week. Unsurprisingly, David Malouf has come in at number one with his new book Every Move You...

Around the World this week 

Tuesday, 26 September 2006
Among the new stories added to our Around the World blog:Turkish novelist acquitted of 'insulting' chargeMurakami wins world's richest short story prizesales up for Man Booker shortlisted titlesFor more, see...

Forthcoming events 

Tuesday, 26 September 2006
Trade events coming up over the next week, as shown on our events calendar, include: the 20th International Rights Directors Meeting in Frankfurt on 3 October; followed by the big event, the Frankfurt Book Fair,...