News & Notes is a weekly Saturday post featuring book- and publishing-related news, links to interesting articles and opinion pieces, giveaways on this and other blogs, and other cool stuff.
I’m covering two weeks of News & Notes this week, since I missed last week. I’ll try not to make it too long!
Books & Ebooks in the News:
- 900 authors took out a full-page New York Times ad against Amazon. The ad asks readers to pressure the online retailer to settle its dispute with Hachette. (GalleyCat)
- Copyright Changes Hit Canada Hard, particularly the education exemption. (Publishers Weekly)
- Hachette calls off Perseus acquisition (GalleyCat)
- Indie bookstore sales fell 7.9% in the first half of 2014 (Publishers Weekly)
- B&N and Google team up to offer same-day delivery in select markets. The move is clearly in response to Amazon’s similar service. (New York Times)
- Maxine Hong Kingston and Julia Alverez were awarded the National Medal of Arts on July 28. The two writers were among a number of artists to receive this years’ medals. (Press release)
Worth Reading/Listening to:
- Ursula K. LeGuin talks to Michael Cunningham about genre, gender, and broadening fiction. (Electric Lit) (and there’s a link to buy an ebook of The Lathe of Heaven for only $3.99, if you’re interested!)
- Reading comprehension is better in print than digital, according to a Norwegian study of 10th graders reported in ScienceNordic. (Arnfinn Christensen)
Literary Losses:
- L. A. Meyer, author of the “Bloody Jack” YA series featuring Jacky Faber, died July 29, 2014, at the age of 71. The 12th (and final) Bloody Jack story will be published next month. (Obituary: Publishers Weekly)
Bookish and Movie Announcements:
- Frozen writer/director Jennifer Lee to adapt A Wrinkle in Time for Disney. Here’s hoping she does a better job than the last adaptation.
- George R. R. Martin’s children’s story, The Ice Dragon, is being republished with pictures by fantasy artist Luis Royo. (The Telegraph)
- David Suchet says goodbye after 25 years as Poirot (USA Today)
- Marissa Meyer posted Lunar Chronicles character stats on her blog for use by fanartists (and, I suppose, fanfic authors, though she doesn’t mention it.)
- Christopher Walken will play King Louie in Disney’s live-action Jungle Book. And Bill Murray will voice Baloo the bear. (GalleyCat)
- Penguin’s controversial new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory cover is stirring up all kinds of reactions, from praise to hatred. (Personally, I think it’s bizarrely unrelated to the book. Yes, Dahl is dark. But the sexualized doll/child on the cover? Just plain weird.)
Bookish Quotes:
That’s it for this week!
I’m always on the lookout for interesting articles, lists, and links for News & Notes, so please let me know if you see (or write!) anything that might be good for this feature. You can leave me a comment or send me an email — my address is on the About/Review Policy/Contact page.
Bea
Walken as King Loie? I hadn’t heard that but it’s got awesome written all over it.
And that cover for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Just no. Yes, the book is weird, but that cover in no way reflects the actual story.
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
And with Andy Serkis directing, I think the live-action (CGI) Jungle Book is going to be really good.
Rita_h
I read about the authors taking out a page against Amazon. I understand Amazon wanting to keep e-book prices lower, but this is getting out of hand. I agree that they shouldn’t block the sale of books.
I have A Wrinkle in Time on my Classics Club list. I hope that if there is an adaptation made that they do a great job on this.
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
I’m getting tired of the whole Amazon/Hachette thing, too. I think both companies are trying to play hardball. And I’m with you on A Wrinkle in Time. The last adaptation was just meh, and there were some places that just made me scratch my head. I want it done RIGHT!
Stephanie Shepherd
That Charlie and the Chocolate Factory cover is truly bizarre! Is that supposed to be Veruca Salt?
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
That’s what some people think, but Penguin doesn’t say so outright. I think they’re trying to make the book appealing to adults, but seriously, that cover is just so wrong.
Berls
Yes – that cover is just weird. I don’t even get how the two go together. I seriously thought it was something Barbie related when I first glanced at it.
How cool about Christopher Walken – I’ve loved him since I saw him in Puss n’ Boots as a kid, so this should be good 🙂
I’m going to have to check out this character profiles Marissa Meyer put out, since I’m addicted to her series and am currently in that phase where you’ll eat up anything to make you forget there are months between now and the next book LOL
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
I know that stage well! I’m in the same place with Patrick Rothfuss.
Kathy Arguelles
I agree, that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory cover is wrong. It’s creepy!! And I can’t imagine Christopher Walken as King Louie. Maybe he would be a better Bagheera or Shere Khan. You found some interesting articles!! I went to see Marissa Meyer’s post but I didn’t read it since I saw her spoiler warning (I have to still read Scarlett and Cress). Thanks for stopping by my blog and have a great week!!
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
I don’t know; I think Walken could pull it off. He can be pretty funny as well as scary. But I guess we’ll see! And Bill Murray should be funny as the voice of Baloo.
Yeah, I wouldn’t read the character specs until you’ve read Scarlet and Cress. (Seriously, you’ve got to read them – they’re both wonderful!)
Jan
I don’t understand the Roald Dahl cover either. Very strange. I’m going to be very sorry to see the end of David Suchet’s Hercule Poirot.
Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard
I know — but I’m proud of him for refusing to do any non-Christie Poirot movies. He’s been as faithful as he could be to the character and the canon. Luckily, I still have a number to watch!