Uganda, where a book can cost a month’s salary – In Uganda, a book can cost the equivalent of a week’s worth of food (more than $40 or almost £30), complicating attempts to “stop reading being regarded as a purely middle-class luxury,” especially for children, whose literacy is key to future economic ... more >
The rise of a new era in the monetization of digital content – This piece takes on the dilemma of how providers of digital content can get “paid” for that content, and how consumers can protect privacy and be fairly treated in the exchange. S. Brian Mukherjee argues that providers are ... more >
Publishers, writers rally against N.L. book tax – Newfoundland and Labrador (N.L.) has become the first and only Canadian province to institute a book tax – 10 percent a book, as compared to the 5 percent GST. Insisting that “books are not luxury items,” writers and publishers are also pointing out ... more >
Book publishing is a resilient business: Kobo CEO – An interview with Kobo’s CEO Michael Tambyln, who argues that “every year [the publishing industry] finds a new driver for growth,” and this year it is the dynamic between print and digital books. Despite the digital slowdown, Tambyln notes the continuing growth ... more >
$115 million verdict in Hulk Hogan sex-tape lawsuit could wipe out Gawker – In a stunning victory, Hulk Hogan, aka Terry Bollea, won more than he sued Gawker for — $115 million (he sued for $100 million). And that doesn’t count punitive damages the jury will be considering this week. All for ... more >
Women’s literary prizes are ‘problematic’ says Lionel Shriver – Orange Prize (now called the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction) winner Lionel Shriver criticized women’s literary prizes, called International Women’s Day “creepy,” and dismissed the idea of a Year of Publishing Women in 2018. Her critique goes back to the debate over ... more >