Friday, April 19, 2013

First Edition - a week in books with Katie Allen


FIRST EDITION
A week in books with Katie Allen
|
|
|
|
BOOK TALK
» The big numbers
London Book Fair may be done but things are just beginning for some of the authors signed up this week (or at least announced this week). Transworld snapped up Red Notice, which went to best bids on day two, Simon & Schuster signed a memoir from the son of murder victim Rachel Nickell in a six-figure deal and more six-figures went for debut Matthew Thomas for Fourth Estate. While HC hasn't signed up Adele—yet.
» Twenty's plenty
Booksellers have hailed the 2013 Granta Best of Young British Novelists list, with one pointing out that it reflects how much publishers' horizons have broadened from the stereotype of the industry as "parochial, middle-class, white or London-centric". Author Philip Hensher in the Spectator has added a more mixed commentary, writing: "Though it contains a good number of excellent novelists, there are some very poor ones here, too"
» Six of the best
Hilary Mantel (today also shortlisted for the Walter Scott prize for historical fiction) is among the heavyweight shortlist for the Women's Prize for Fiction, including previous winners Zadie Smith and Kate Atkinson. Blogger and Green Carnation Prize-founder Simon Savidge is set to offer a male reader's view of the list on We Love This Book.
» In the media this weekend

» Saturday: Guests on ITV1’s “Jonathan Ross Show” at 9.30 p.m. include Saoirse Ronan, star of The Host, adapted from Stephenie Meyer’s novel (Little, Brown).

» Sunday: On BBC Radio 3 at 12 p.m., “Private Passions” features the musical favourites of Bosnian author Aleksandar Hemon. His The Book of My Lives is from Picador.

At 6.30 pm on BBC Radio 3 is “Words and Music” with actors Gemma Arterton and Rufus Sewell reading excerpts from Shakespeare, D H Lawrence, Martin Amis and Lewis Carroll.

The new “Review Show” is broadcast on BBC4 at 8 p.m., with topics up for debate including Julian Barnes’ Levels of Life (Cape).

» Tuesday: World Book Night takes place tonight, with events across the country including the flagship event in Liverpool with Jasper Fforde, Philippa Gregory, Jackie Kay, Patrick Ness and Jeanette Winterson among the authors taking part. Book Aid International is hosting an event at Canada Water Library including James Mayhew, author of Katie’s Picture Show (Orchard) drawing and then auctioning one of his illustrations.

» Wednesday: University College London is hosting "UCL Explores: The Critical Heritage of Sherlock Holmes" from today until June. BBC1's "Sherlock" is debated as part of the seminar series Complex TV.
ON VIEW
» In the media this week
Lost, Stolen or Shredded
Rick Gekoski
Profile Books 25th April £14.99 hb/e-book

Newspapers: Irish Times extract, Mail on Sunday lead review, Guardian, Scotsman, Times, Sunday Times, Independent Book of a Lifetime, FT Weekend Magazine, Times Literary Supplement

Magazines: Spectator, Literary Review, Saga, Time Out

Online: bookoxygen.com, thebookbag.co.uk, Guardian Books podcast

Author events: Words on Monday; Hay; Edinburgh; Cheltenham

Broadcast:  BBC Radio 4 “Start the Week” (29th April); BBC Radio 3 “Night Waves” (17th April)
40th anniversary of Abacus Books 

Press: Financial Times Magazine extract (30th March), Guardian Review serial (6th April), Sunday Times extract (31st March), Shortlist (tbc), Creative Review + online

Marketing: Foyles competition to win full set (April), Stylist/Emerald Street to give away three sets plus an e-reader loaded with the books (early May), Twitter

Online: www.theartsdesk.com
» Most reviewed 12.04.13-14.04.13

1. Americanah Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Fourth Estate 11th April £20 hb 9780007306220)

2. Levels of Life Julian Barnes (Jonathan Cape 4th April £10.99 hb 9780224098151)

3. Saul Bellow’s Heart Greg Bellow (Bloomsbury 11th April £20 hb 9781408835487)

4. The British Dream David Goodhart (Atlantic 1st April £20 hb 9781843548058)

5. Lost, Stolen or Shredded Rick Gekoski (Profile 18th April £14.99 hb 9781846684913)

6. C S Lewis Alister McGrath (Hodder 11th April £14.99 hb 9781444745559)

7. The Last Man in Russia Oliver Bullough (Allen Lane 4th April £20 hb 9781846143731)

8. The Diversity Illusion Ed West (Gibson Square 1st April £14.99 hb 9781908096050)

9. Small Wars, Faraway Places Michael Burleigh (Macmillan 11th April £25 hb 9780230752320)

10. Kurt Vonnegut: Letters Dan Wakefield (Vintage 4th April £25 hb 9780099582939)

CHARTS
» The accelerators

Philip Stone, charts editor: James Duigan's appearance on QVC last week talking about his Clean & Lean diet sent sales of his Cookbook and Warrior Workout soaring. The two titles top the Accelerators chart this week, ahead of two official Life in the United Kingdom publications: the handbook and a Practice Questions and Answers guide for those wishing to become British citizens or requiring indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

In the week her new novel, Americanah (Fourth Estate) was released, sales of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun soared 125% week on week. It takes fourth position in this week's list.

Meanwhile, following the release of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" in the UK last week, sales of the Movie Guide soared 114% in the UK. It takes eighth position in the chart.
Pos
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Growth
415%   
306%
301%
135%
125%
122%
115%
114%
107%
106%
Title
Clean & Lean Diet Cookbook
Clean & Lean Warrior Workout
Life in the UK: Practice Q&As
Life in the United Kingdom
Half of a Yellow Sun
The Medicinal Chef
Strengths Finder 2.0
The Hobbit: Movie Guide
Wave
Heartbreak Hotel
Author
Duigan, James
Duigan, James
Mitchell, Michael
Wales, Jenny
Ngozi Adichie, C
Pinnock, Dale
Rath, Tom
Sibley, Brian
Deraniyagala, Sonali
Moggach, Deborah
 
Imprint
Kyle
Kyle
TSO
TSO
HPerennial
Quadrille
Gallup
HC
Virago
Chatto
OUT NEXT WEEK
Wrecked
Charlotte Roche
Fourth Estate 25th April £12.99 hb 9780007478767

A Delicate Truth
John le Carré
Viking 25th April £18.99 hb 9780670922796

John Whaite Bakes
John Whaite
Headline 25th April £20 hb 9780755365098

The Accidental Apprentice
Vikas Swarup
S&S 25th April £12.99 hb 9781471113154





 
Katie Allen
Katie Allen is The
Bookseller's web editor

No comments: