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Bestsellers this week 

Tuesday, 27 November 2007
Bryce Courtenay snatches top spot this week from Matthew Reilly with his new book The Persimmon Tree. Courtenay has described it as 'unashamedly, a love story'. Now 74 years old,...

Forthcoming events 

Tuesday, 27 November 2007
Trade events coming up over the next week, as shown on our events calendar, include: Australian Copyright Council training sessions, Adelaide 26 - 30 November Walkley Awards winners announced, Sydney...

In brief 

Tuesday, 27 November 2007
Kiwi claims victory in Amazon patent fightNew Zealander Peter Calveley is claiming a one-man victory over Amazon.com, with the internet retail giant announcing changes to its '1-click' checkout system following an...

Bookseller+Publisher goes Web2.0 

Tuesday, 27 November 2007
Bookseller+Publisher Online now has its own group on social networking site Facebook. If you are a user of Facebook and would like to join, click here.The Bookseller+Publisher Facebook group is...

Walkley shortlist 

Tuesday, 27 November 2007
The four titles shortlisted for this year's Walkley award for nonfiction are:The Great War (Les Carlyon, Picador)People in Glass Houses (Tanya Levin, Black Inc.) Jonestown (Chris Masters, Allen & Unwin)Detainee...

Dymocks responds to ASA concerns on digital rights 

Thursday, 22 November 2007
Dymocks' CEO Don Grover [pictured] has issued a response to the Australian Society of Authors' recent press release that expressed ‘serious concerns' over digital rights issues for authors.‘The basis for...

Quote of the week 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
‘You can't outbook the traditional book. You have to have a device that can do things that the print book can't do'--Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos at the launch of the...

ARW gets NZ go-ahead for Borders bid 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
The New Zealand Commerce Commission has cleared Angus & Robertson/Whitcoull's Group Holdings (ARW) to acquire 100% of the shares in Borders NZ.Commission chair Paula Rebstock said the Commission was satisfied...

ACBA conference 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
The Australian Campus Booksellers Association (ACBA) held its annual conference in Sydney last week. With over 60 delegates and ‘some great speakers', outgoing ACBA president Rolf Wilkens of the Swinburne...

Around the world 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Among the stories added to our Around the World blog this week:LP warns about Chinese guidebook confiscationsIndian company was bidder for BordersChinese dissident jailed for illegally publishing bookRegan sues News...

Hardie Grant celebrates 10 years 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Hardie Grant Publishing celebrated 10 years in business with a cocktail party held in Melbourne last Friday night. Guests, including Hardie Grant staff from both Sydney and Melbourne, authors and...

ASA warns on digital rights 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) has expressed ‘serious concerns' over rights and contractual issues caused by the increasing delivery of digitised content.The ASA's concerns have been prompted by developments...

Amazon launches Kindle e-book reader 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Online retailer Amazon.com has released its long-awaited Kindle e-book reader in the US.The lightweight, slim, hand-held device uses an updated version of the ‘electronic ink' screen first seen on the...

Bestsellers this week 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Former rugby league player Andrew Johns' autobiography The Two of Me has hit the charts this week with a bang. It comes second after Matthew Reilly's Six Sacred Stones in the...

Forthcoming events 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Trade events coming up over the next week, as shown on our events calendar, include: Australian Copyright Council - Law and Practice Symposium, Sydney 22 - 23 NovemberThe Annual Wellington...

RiP Ira Levin 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Ira Levin, the author of many successful novels including Rosemary’s Baby and The Stepford Wives, has died in Manhattan aged 78.

In brief 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Rivers and Siems leave Phoenix to found Teaching SolutionsHaving sold their shares in Phoenix Education to their partner David Stewart, Barney Rivers and Ruth Siems have now founded a new...

Johnston steps down as chair of the Big Book Club 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Stephanie Johnston of Wakefield Press, founding chair of the South Australian Big Book Club, announced her resignation from the position at the Club's AGM last week. ‘I'll remain on the...

‘Strong growth’ for Murdoch Books in Australia 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Murdoch Books has enjoyed ‘strong growth' over the financial year to June, according to CEO Juliet Rogers. Rogers said this was ‘despite challenges in [the company's] international markets due to...

HarperCollins launches large-print list in Australia 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
HarperCollins has announced it will launch a new large print imprint in January next year. The imprint, HarperLuxe, is intended to ‘provide a more comfortable reading experience.' Featuring a 14-point...

Human Rights awards shortlist announced 

Tuesday, 20 November 2007
The shortlisted titles for this year's Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commision's Human Rights Awards arts nonfiction category have been announced. The shortlisted titles are: Acting From the Heart: Australian...

Attenborough leaves S&S 

Sunday, 18 November 2007
Simon & Schuster Australia MD Jon Attenborough has announced his resignation.Attenborough has headed S&S in Australia since 1987. 'I have decided that it is the right time,' he said in...

Readers Feast announces Crime and Justice festival 

Tuesday, 13 November 2007
Melbourne CBD bookseller Reader's Feast has announced ambitious plans for a major Crime and Justice literary festival, to be held in Melbourne next July.At a launch earlier today at the...