Bestseller Stat Shot
Last week we wrote about the surprise success of Christina Baker Kline’s Orphan Train (Morrow). It’s the author’s fifth novel, and her first bestseller, thanks to a change in format and subject matter, and a key retailer promotion. The book is at #4 on our trade paper list, with 11,608 print units sold (a 26% increase for the week)—bringing the title’s year-to-date print sales to 89,489. But where in the country is the book finding its biggest audience?
From the Newsletters
Susan Shillinglaw, author of On Reading ‘The Grapes of Wrath’ (Penguin), picks the 13 best John Steinbeck books.
After dominating bestseller lists and opening big at the box office, what’s next for Divergent? Summer camp, courtesy of Anderson’s Bookshops in Naperville, Ill.
Twelve great baseball comics, just in time for the start of the season.
The most-read review on publishersweekly.com last week was The World According to Bob: The Further Adventures of One Man and his Street-Wise Cat (St. Martin’s/Dunne).
Blogs
Some recent highlights from the Publishers Weekly Tumblr: an Emile Zola advertisement in PW from 1888, 10 of the most bizarre books ever written, Jane Austen’s novels ranked, and a tiny kitten on books.
Are we rushing kids out of picture books?
Authors
John H. McWhorter answers for his critique of popular theories about language in his new book, The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language (Oxford Univ.).
Podcasts
Michael Fry discusses his middle-grade novelThe Odd Squad: King Karl (Disney-Hyperion).
Bestselling author Ted Dekker discusses his newest project, Water Walker (Outlaw Studios).
PW senior news editor Calvin Reid interviews Alex Simmons, founder of Kids Comic Con and creator of Black Jack, an African-American retro pulp hero who will star in a new series of self-published comics.
This week, PW senior writer Andrew Albanese discusses the highlights of the recent OnCopyright Conference.
Listen to these and more here.
Events
Going to be at the London Book Fair? Swing by the PW booth, located at EC 1 G470.
Download the PW app and follow along with free access to the PW Show Daily during London Book Fair.
Mireille Guiliano discusses her new book, French Women Don’t Get Facelifts (Grand Central). And PW senior reviews editor Peter Cannon provides an inside look at the politics of Sherlock Holmes fandom.
