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Books Kinokuniya wins recreational retailer award 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Sydney bookstore Books Kinokuniya was named Australian American Express Best Recreational Retailer last Tuesday at the 2007 National Rewards for Excellence Awards.Store manager Steve Jones told WBN: ‘We are about...

Petterson picks up IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Norwegian author Per Petterson has won this year's IMPAC Dublin Literary Award for his novel Out Stealing Horses (Vintage), described as ‘a poignant and moving tale of a changing perspective...

Locus Awards announced 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
The readers of American sci-fi and fantasy publication Locus Magazine have cast their votes in this year's Locus Awards. Best science fiction novel went to Rainbows End (Vernor Vinge, Tor), best fantasy novel...

Audies announced 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
The winners of the 2007 Audies--the ‘Oscars of the audiobook industry'--were announced on 4 June at a gala ceremony hosted by Jim Dale, the narrator of the US editions of the Harry...

Bestsellers this week 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Crime thrillers, supernatural thrillers and straight-down-the-line thrillers feature in this week's highest new entries chart. Maverick detective Harry Bosch is back in Michael Connelly's The Overlook, the adventures of vampire slayer Anita...

RiP Merv Storey 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Former bookseller Elaine Storey writes: ‘It is with great sadness that I inform the book trade that Merv Storey died in hospital on 9 June at the age of 90.Merv...

RiP Richard Rorty 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
American philosopher and writer Richard Rorty, whose large body of work includes the study of philosophy Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature (Princeton University Press) and collection of essays Consequences...

‘Meanjin’ board sacked 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
With the exception of chairwoman Kate Darian-Smith, the board of the literary magazine Meanjin has reportedly been dismissed by Melbourne University vice-chancellor Glyn Davis. The move comes after the board's...

Borders’ strategic review ‘progressing’ 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Borders has announced that its ‘review of strategic alternatives' for its Australia and New Zealand business is ‘progressing as planned', with KPMG Corporate Finance preparing an information memorandum that is...

APA hits the road for series of forums 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
The Australian Publishers Association (APA) has announced it will hold twice-yearly, state-based forums ‘where issues and ideas can be canvassed.' ‘We welcome not just the APA delegate [from each member company] but...

Foley goes into Orbit 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Hachette Livre Australia publisher Bernadette Foley has been appointed the Australian publisher for the Orbit science fiction list. The new position, which is in addition to Foley's current role, will...

APA launches DataPage 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
The Australian Publishers Association (APA) has launched a new ‘comprehensive title download service', DataPage. The service, which was launched on 18 June at the ABA conference in Melbourne, is part...

Defamation precedent raises eyebrows 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Media commentators fear a ruling by Australia's High Court that a restaurant review was defamatory has set an unwelcome precedent for reviewers in all fields. The 6-1 ruling found that...

‘Salvation Creek’ is booksellers’ choice 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Susan Duncan's Salvation Creek (Bantam) was announced as the winner of the 2007 Nielsen BookData Booksellers Choice Award at the Booksellers' Dinner held as a central social event of this year's...

Quote of the week 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
‘I've not yet met a bookseller who's cynical or who's lost their passion for books.'--Susan Duncan, on accepting the Booksellers Choice award for Salvation Creek at the ABA conference's Booksellers'...

ABA conference: trade day a hit 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
The ABA conference program included Monday's very well-attended trade display day, featuring over 70 publishers, distributors, non-book suppliers and service providers. There was a strong crowd all day, with conference delagates boosted by...

In brief 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Spielberg buys film rights to ‘The Unknown Terrorist'Steven Spielberg's Dreamworks Studio has reportedly paid ‘a massive sum' to secure the film rights to Richard Flanagan's novel The Unknown Terrorist (Picador).The...

‘Carpentaria’ wins Miles Franklin 

Tuesday, 19 June 2007
This year's Miles Franklin Literary Award has been won by Alexis Wright for her novel Carpentaria, published by Giramondo.The Miles Franklin is widely regarded as Australia's most prestigious literary prize,...

Stager is new ABA president 

Sunday, 17 June 2007
The AGM of the Australian Booksellers Association (ABA) was held on the opening day of the 83rd ABA conference.The committee of the ABA for 2007-08 is:president: Fiona Stager, Avid Reader...

TAFE bookseller fears closures 

Tuesday, 12 June 2007
The campus bookselling chain United Campus Bookshops fears several of its NSW TAFE bookshops with contracts currently under review by the NSW education department may be set to close at...

Around the world 

Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Among the stories added to our Around the World blog in the past week:Reuters on HP discountingCharkin 'borrows' Google computers at BEAEgmont and Bonnier merge in Denmark and SwedenPoet is...

Achebe wins Booker International 

Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Nigerian author Chinua Achebe has been announced as the second recipient of the Man Booker International Prize, worth £60,000 (A$135,000).Achebe is known as 'the father of modern African literature'. The...

Quotation of the week 

Tuesday, 12 June 2007
'There were lots of books we rejected--about personal female issues, the loss of a child, the break-up of a marriage, thinly veiled autobiographical things of no consequence...'Orange Prize judge Muriel...

Bestsellers this week 

Tuesday, 12 June 2007
There's nothing like a little murder and mayhem to while away the winter nights. Dead bodies, missing persons and battle-weary detectives characterise this week's top 10 with new entries from...

Temple and Robotham aim for dagger 

Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Peter Temple is the first Australian author to be shortlisted for the UK Crime Writers' Association's Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award (formerly know as the Gold Dagger).Temple's The Broken Shore (Text)...