Readers Respond
Last week we ran an editorial by Jim Milliot, PW’s editorial director, headlined “Standing Up to President Trump.” In it, he argued that “book publishing’s mission—to provide Americans with credible, vital information, and to tell the stories that reflect the diversity that is the strength of our nation—is invaluable” and that PW will support it. The editorial was shared widely on social media and generated plenty of commentary on our own site, both positive and critical:
“Admitting a bias, and then claiming such a noble mission as ‘to tell the stories that reflect the diversity that is the strength of our nation’ seems, on its face, at least contradictory, if not disengenuous. Trump did not get elected by ghosts, but by citizens who believe their voices have been unheard or ignored. That’s where the power that you are standing up to comes from. Not from a single man. Maybe it would be wiser to listen than to shout ‘Resist!’ You might even sell more books. Just a thought.”
—Alton Fletcher
“Sometimes, truth is a matter of perspective... [for both] liberals [and] conservatives. On the other hand, labeling falsehoods ‘alternative truths’ doesn’t turn a lie into a fact. While there is no question that Trump has many admirers who believe in what he says, his alternative truths can only lead this nation to greater divisiveness. As the publishing industry enters the age of Trump, we have to determine for ourselves whether we wish to legitimize these alternative truths spewed out by his spin doctors, enablers, and... the man himself.” —Rudy Shur, Square One Publishers
From the Newsletters
The 11 most anticipated book-to-film adaptations of 2017, including The Dark Tower, The Glass Castle, and Fifty Shades Darker.
Want to know what the big children’s and young adult books are going to be this fall? Check out our sneak peeks!
The self-publishing year in preview.
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The most read review on publishersweekly.com last week was Lotus Blue by Cat Sparks (Talos).
Podcasts
PW senior writer Andrew Albanese reports from a meeting of trade publishing media in Paris, offering a look at the state of the global book business and why politics is making for a murky 2017.
George Rohac, founder of management company Organized Havoc, which handles business planning for comics creators and projects of nerd culture at large, gives his perspective on career planning, crowdfunding, the future of webcomics, and more.
Donna Freitas discusses her new book, The Happiness Effect: How Social Media Is Driving a Generation to Appear Perfect at Any Cost (Oxford Univ.). And PW bookselling and international editor Ed Nawotka reports on the ABA’s Winter Institute, which ran January 27–30 in Minneapolis.
Blogs
A children’s bookseller on the role a bookstore can play in these tumultuous times.
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