Bestseller Stat Shot
This year’s batch of Oscar-nominated films leans more heavily than usual on books as source material (see “Books Starring in Oscar Films” on p. 10). We’ve often checked in on the impact a film release has on a book’s sales, and an Oscar win in a big category definitely provides a sales bump (though an Oscar for sound editing, not so much). Here’s a look at last year’s Oscar-related books, and how much print sales changed the week after the awards.
Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen (which The Theory of Everything was based on)
Best Actor
107%
Alan Turing: The Enigma
Best Screenplay for The Imitation Game
17%
Still Alice
Best Actress
19%
American Sniper
Sound Editing
–7%
From the Newsletters
Writers to Watch: nine writers with spring fiction debuts you don’t want to miss.
The story behind the forthcoming Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts I & II (Scholastic/Levine), a published version of the play set to debut in London this summer.
Introducing PW’s new Religion Bestseller lists. We’re publishing monthly lists for religion fiction and nonfiction, and the inaugural lists are heavy with titles related to the movie War Room.
Get every day’s publishing news delivered to your inbox. Among last week’s highlights: Mary Ann Naples’s move to Disney, St. Mark’s Bookshop’s dramatic near closing, the announcement of Bruce Springsteen’s forthcoming autobiography, and more.
We’re giving away copies of all 12 self-published books that earned a PW starred review in 2015.
The most-read review on publishersweekly.com last week was The Revenant (Carroll & Graf).
Blogs
Need a break? Visit our Tumblr for a quick hit of fun book-world ephemera.
Tips from authors and illustrators on how to write and revise picture books.
Podcasts
PW senior writer Andrew Albanese discusses the effect higher e-book prices may be having in both retail sales and the library sector.
Matthew Quick discusses his latest book for teens, Every Exquisite Thing (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), and the power behind the idea that just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you have to do it.
Author and editor Lee Eisenberg discusses his new book, The Point Is (Hachette/Twelve), and the search for a meaningful life. PW features editor Carolyn Juris goes in depth on our spring travel feature (see p. 22), which celebrates 100 years of America’s National Parks Service.
PW Star Watch 2016 Is Open for Nominations
We’re looking for the next generation of publishing-industry leaders. Do you work with someone who is going to make a big impact on the business? Nominate them for PW Star Watch, or you can nominate yourself. A panel of judges including members of PW, the Frankfurt Book Fair, and noted industry leaders will pick 50 up-and-coming stars and select five top honorees and a Superstar who will get an all-expense-paid trip to the 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair. Find out more.
