Volume 261
Issue 11
03/17/2014
Bestseller Stat Shot
True Detective, HBO’s grim bayou noir buddy epic, wrapped up its inaugural season last week without resolving one of the central mysteries of the plot: who is the Yellow King? This question cropped up repeatedly in the first eight episodes, and it also turned many bookish viewers into amateur detectives themselves. The show, it turned out, was loaded with references to the work of pioneering macabre fiction writer Robert W. Chambers—specifically, his novel The King in Yellow. The book, which was written in the late 19th century, is in the public domain, and you can download a copy for free, or buy one of any number of newly packaged digital reissues (such as The King in Yellow and Other Stories Featured on ‘True Detective,’ recently priced at $2.51). According to Nielsen BookScan, which tracks about 80% of print book sales in the country, sales of the many print editions of The King in Yellow have seen a modest increase, as well. So far this year, the various print editions of Chambers’s books have sold a combined 1,367 copies. Not earth-shattering, but that’s more copies moved than in the last three years combined. The most popular print edition? A paperback available through CreateSpace.
From the Newsletters
Donald G. Sheehy and Mark Richardson, the editors of a four-volume collection of Robert Frost’s letters (Harvard/Belknap), pick the 10 best Frost poems.
The latest on YA author Scott Westerfeld, who has a YA novel out this fall and a potential TV adaptation of his Uglies series in the works.
The delicate art of pricing a self-published e-book.
The controversy surrounding American religion scholar Wendy Doniger spreads to a second book.
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PW Jobzone, the publishing industry’s leading job-listing site.
The most-read review on publishersweekly.com last week was The One by Kiera Cass (HarperTeen).
PW Radio
Hosts Rose Fox and Mark Rotella talk with Helen Oyeyemi, author of the novel Boy, Snow, Bird (Riverhead). Plus, PW reviews editor Jessamine Chan talks about the season’s standout true crime titles.
Blogs
What’s the best bad book you’ve ever read?
For cool stuff from the PW archives and all sorts of nifty book-world ephemera, go to our Tumblr.
Podcasts
Laura Overdeck discusses her new children’s book, Bedtime Math 2: This Time It’s Personal (Feiwel and Friends), and explains why humor is an important tool to help kids engage with math.
Listen to this and other podcasts here or on iTunes.
Authors
Mona Simpson talks about her new novel, Casebook (Knopf), and the unique friendship story at its core. Oh, and spying, too.
How Zoe Fishman, a 13-year-publishing veteran, hit out as a novelist. Her third novel, Driving Lessons (HarperCollins), publishes next month.
Events
Why do some cookbooks thrive in traditional channels while others take off in specialty markets or nonbook chains? Find out during our March 21 webcast, hosted by PW senior editor Mark Rotella and featuring panelists from Taunton Press and Robert Rose Inc.
How has the rise of digital publishing impacted romance books featuring queer and trans characters? Representatives of Harlequin’s Carina imprint and independent presses MLR and Riptide Publishing will discuss this and much more during our March 28 live webcast. Register now—it’s free!
