Authors Want Boom Lowered on Book Pirates

Author nears deal to offer 22 bestsellers for Kindle, other readers

(NEWSER) - One of publishing's last major holdouts has decided it's time to kill his opposition to e-books, reports the Wall Street Journal. John Grisham is close to finalizing a deal that would make all of his 22 bestsellers—including new legal thriller The Associate—available for Amazon's Kindle reader and all other e-book formats. More»

Google Editions expected by end of year

(NEWSER) - Google's long-delayed venture into digital book sales has cleared the final few hurdles and execs say Google Editions will be up and running before the end of the year. The service, unlike competitors, won't be tied to an online bookstore or a particular device, and many expect it will upend the e-book market, the Wall Street Journal reports. Google hasn't revealed how many partners it has in the venture, although independent booksellers are expected to play a major role. More»

Going Rogue likely to continue trend of hits from right-wing figures

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin’s memoir is expected sell so well that it will singlehandedly boost the fortunes of the ailing book business. The book is already topping preorder lists, and publisher Harper plans an extensive slate of promotional appearances to make full use the former Alaska governor's drawing power. "They may feel one way or another about her, but they will want to read about her," says a Borders exec. More»

Miracle device rumored to have social networking and go for less than Kindle

(NEWSER) - Barnes & Noble’s entry into the e-reader market, supposed to be under wraps until next week, has been ferreted out, and it’s got something no one else has. Rumors predicted color e-ink—not true—but the device has “got something almost better,” Kit Eaton writes: two screens. The gadget has a regular, non-backlit e-ink screen like the Kindle, but below it—voila!—a full width touchscreen LCD display reminiscent of the iPhone. More»

(NEWSER) - Nicholson Baker wanted to like the Kindle, honest. But when he unwrapped it and began to see what all the fuss was about, he "tussled with a sense of anti-climax," the prolific author writes in the New Yorker. Things never improved. He slams the e-reader for having a "greenish, sickly gray" screen, cruddy images, and limited selection of books. Amazon "is very good at selling things," he writes. "It isn’t so good, to date anyway, at making things." More»