This Week in the December Publishing Coma:
Slate has, in my opinion, one of the very best end-of-the-year-best-of-books lists because they do something very simple: ask a bunch of people what their favorite book was and have them talk about it. You know. What we did on Wednesday.
Our favorite feline Galley Cat caught up with an AM New York article about how online popularity isn’t translating into mega book sales. You can let the kids out of the house, folks — a book based on this blog will not be roaming the streets.
This just in from the New York Times: popular online content translates into book sales!! Annnnnnd just so we’re clear: online popularity does not translate into book sales. Unless it does.
In e-book news: mobile novels are already big in Japan, and, naturally, the establishment is wringing its hands over the (alleged) trash the kids are reading. Hmmm… where have I heard that before?
And finally, for all of The Wire fans who chimed in yesterday, definitely definitely check out the New Yorker’s profile of David Simon, which is awesome and fascinating, and includes a hilarious story about how the actress who plays Snoop (who basically WAS Snoop in her past life) collared some guy who was selling bootlegged copies of The Wire and then called up David Simon on his cell to ask what she should do to him.
Have a great weekend!
ORION says
Thank goodness no one can predict with accuracy what will be popular- otherwise we would have no choice! LOL.
Jordyn says
Okay, because I was being a total dolt I missed the whole BEST BOOK PUBLISHED IN 2007 discussion. So I’m putting my pick in now. (And yes, I’m entirely biased because of being published in it.) RED: THE NEXT GENERATION OF AMERICAN WRITERS – TEENAGE GIRLS – ON WHAT FIRES UP THEIR LIVES TODAY. Yes, very long title. But very good book, edited by Amy Goldwasser. Smith has an article about it and some of the essays (mine included! Yay!) excerpted on the website… https://smithmag.net/memoirville/2007/12/12/excerpt-mascara-wands-are-instruments-of-war/
Now, besides THAT lovely book, I also am raving about Lauren Bernholt’s book TWO-WAY STREET, although I’m not entirely sure what year it was published in and I’m WAY TOO LAZY to get off my butt and go check. Seriously. I have the book on my bookshelf and I’m that lazy.
Laurel Amberdine says
I had to follow the link to figure out what a “mobile novel” was. Duh.
I was in Tokyo a few months ago, and I can see why mobile novels would be popular there. Everyone uses the trains constantly, and the first thing nearly every Japanese person does when they get on the train is pop open their cellphone.
But, it’s not socially acceptable to talk on the phone. And you only get so much email. (Okay, normal people — literary agents excepted!) So a novel to read would be nice.
As much as I love e-books and readers, I’m afraid mobile novels might be a Japan-only phenomenon. At least until we get some decent mass transit going in the USA.
Justin says
I had no idea “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” started out as online content. That’s really cool that it made the shift from web page to book page(s) so successfully.
xengab says
Jordyn:
HAVE to agree. I just finished reading RED. Some made me laugh and some made me cry. Not a badly written story amongst them.
Congrats on being published.
So Nathan should check this book out and tell us what he thinks.
I am sure he will not be dissapointed, some could be seen as future The Hills episodes!!
dernjg says
I’m still trying to figure out the AM New York article. It wants to make a point, but at the same time is countering its own point with details on Mergers & Acquisitions.
Also, we’re somewhat comparing peaches and canned peaches here. The NY Times article is looking at a book that reprints a comic exactly as it’s found online in a webcomic. I’m honestly not sure if the books are reprinting the blogs. It’s something I’ll look into later.