Latest news from The Bookseller

Big Five’s e-book sales stabilise This year we are witnessing the maturation of the e-book market. Digital sales growth has, of course, been one of the book trade’s overriding stories of the past few years. The dizzying boom and triple-digit growth of the e-book market abated in 2014, but there was still robust growth: in The Bookseller’s year-end review in January we showed that e-book volume sales for the Big Five groups rose 15.3%.

PRH integration to complete in next 12 months Penguin and Random House should complete their integration over the next 12 months, joint parent Pearson said today, with Pearson c.e.o John Fallon indicating that he was not planning an early sale if it's 47% holding in that business in the wake of its disposal of the Financial Times. Meanwhile, Pearson has reported group sales were up 1% to £2.2bn, while losses before tax increased to £115m in the last six months.

Man Booker Prize launches podcast The Man Booker Prize has launched a new podcast, hosted by "Radio 2 Book Club" producer Joe Haddow. The podcast will focus on the prize’s tagline – Fiction at its Finest – and “looks at the very best from the world of books”. There will be seven fortnightly episodes going out on alternate Friday mornings from today (24th July).

Amazon posts surprise profit for second quarter Amazon has returned to profit in the second quarter of the year, posting net profits of $92m (£59m) for the period ending 30th June. Net sales for the quarter increased 20% to $23bn (£15bn) in the second quarter, compared with $19bn (£12bn) in second quarter 2014. Excluding unfavourable exchange rates, sales were up 27%. Operating income was $464m (£300m), compared to a loss of $15m (£10m) last year.

Victoria Park Books closes to launch new venture Jo De Guia, owner of Victoria Park Books in Hackney, is closing her physical bookshop and will instead supply books at live events. The bookseller is going to sell books at events through Story Habit, a new initiative launched in partnership with LandSky, the organisers of the Town Hall Tales festival. De Guia, who owns her bookshop's building in Hackney, said the retail business had become “too overhead heavy to keep as a physical shop when it could be creating income”.

Oneworld to publish first Gloria Steinem book in 20 years Gloria Steinem’s first book for 20 years will be published by Oneworld this autumn. Publisher Juliet Mabey bought UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Australia, New Zealand and Canada, to My Life on the Road from Denise Cronin at Penguin Random House US. Steinem, co-founder of “Ms." magazine, tells a “story she has never told before” in her new book. Oneworld said the book is a “funny, moving, and profound account of her lifelong journey, listening to people and creating change”.

John Newman memoir to Quadrille Quadrille has acquired an illustrated memoir by singer-songwriter John Newman. Editor Romilly Morgan bought world rights to Revolve, which is Newman’s debut, from literary agent Clare Hulton. Revolve is a first-person account of Newman’s life and the process of recording his second album, also called “Revolve". The book will be released in October 2015 to coincide with the release of the album.

YALC proves a hit with trade and teens Authors, booksellers and publishers have praised this year’s Young Adult Literature Convention (YALC), organised by Book Trust, highlighting the “buzzing” atmosphere. Now in its second year, YALC took place over three days last week (17th–19th July) at London Olympia. Events included author signings, panel talks, agent events and workshops. Several children’s publishers—including Penguin Random House Children’s, Hot Key Books, Walker Books, David Fickling and Little Tiger—had stands at the event.

Life’s a Drag at Goldsboro Books A drag queen took up residency in Goldsboro Books window last night (23rd July) for the launch of Life’s a Drag by Janie Millman. Passers-by to the London bookshop in Cecil Court looked transfixed to see the eye-catching CookieMonStar [pictured] in the Goldsboro shop window to mark the release of the title, published by Accent Press.

Booksellers get free access to digital proofs Booksellers will get “quicker and wider access” to book proofs from across the publishing industry through a partnership with the Booksellers Association and NetGalley. UK booksellers will get access to digital proofs from over 50 publishers – including Bonnier, Hachette, HarperCollins, Penguin Random House and Pan Macmillan in the new deal. By entering their BA member ID to their NetGalley profiles, booksellers will receive a prominent BA logo badge that will allow publishers to identify them as BA members, and so approve requests quickly.

Charlie Hebdo argument leaves 'deep divisions' in literary world The authors who protested against Charlie Hebdo winning a PEN America award would not have supported the publication of The Satanic Verses if it was released today, author Salman Rushdie told L’Express magazine.

'Memoir of reinvention' to Picador Picador has acquired a “memoir of reinvention” by Camas Davis, who learnt to become a butcher after her personal and professional life crumbled. Editor Sophie Jonathan bought UK and Commonwealth rights in Killing It from Cullen Stanley at Janklow & Nesbit acting on behalf of Emma Parry. In Killing It Davis recounts how she travelled to France to learn to become a butcher, staying with a farming family and learning, at the hands of four charismatic brothers from Gascony, how they breed, rear, slaughter, butcher and sell all their meat.