M2 Best Books articles from September 2004

M2 Best Books archives from September 2004

WH Smith to introduce mobile phones and coffee shops to its stores.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Struggling UK high street bookseller WH Smith is set to add coffee shops and mobile phone outlets to its stores in a bid to attract new customers. Eight Virgin Mobile concession stands...

Blackwell's Bookshops signs deal with Caffe Nero.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK-based Blackwell's Bookshops has struck a deal with coffee shop chain Caffe Nero. The deal allows Caffe Nero to set up in four of the academic bookseller's shops including its flagship...

Australian authors embark on book tour in China.(Raimond Gaita and Sonya Hartnett)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Bestselling Australian authors Raimond Gaita and Sonya Hartnett have launched their books in China as part of a new initiative to promote Australian literature in China. Chinese editions...

Guardian First Book award longlist announced.(Matthew Hollis)(Rachel Cohen)(David Bezmogis)(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The longlist for the Guardian First Book award has been revealed. Four books of fiction, five non-fiction and one volume of poetry make up the list in contention for the GBP10,000 award...

Beijing International Book Fair opens.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The 11th Beijing International Book Fair has opened with exhibitors from 42 countries displaying over 10,000 books. Organisers are keen to introduce more public participation in an...

Scottish library borrowing declining rapidly.(Brief Article)
September 2, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The number of books being borrowed from Scottish libraries has fallen by 30% in the last ten years according to figures from the Scottish Executive. People in Scotland borrowed an...

BBC Audiobooks undergoes rebranding.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The BBC Audiobooks division has launched new packaging which it hopes will allow customers to easily identify the different genres in its range. BBC Audiobooks now has six different...

HarperPress pleased with Dyke extract experiment.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The unique deal signed by publisher HarperPress with the Mail on Sunday and The Observer newspapers that saw both print the same extract from Greg Dyke's new book is said to have brought the...

Booktrust drops Mail on Sunday as prize sponsor.(Brief Article)
September 3, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The UK Booktrust is looking for a new sponsor for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize after ending its relationship with the Mail on Sunday newspaper. Booktrust trustees made the...

Survey shows UK children don't like reading at home.(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD A new survey by the Prince of Wales Arts and Kids' Foundation has found that 50% of children don't read outside of school and that writing is their least favourite activity. The survey...

Library fire destroys irreplaceable books in Germany.(Brief Article)
September 6, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD A fire at one of Germany's most important libraries has destroyed tens of thousands of rare and irreplaceable books. The fire at Weimar's Duchess Anna Amalia Library started on 2...

Faber acquires two novels by playwright.
September 6, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Publisher Faber has acquired two books by debut novelist Kitty Fitzgerald in a deal with Patrick Walsh of Conville & Walsh. Fitzgerald made her name as a playwright and film-maker and is...

UK audiobook sales hit GBP70m.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Sales of audiobooks in the UK have risen by 6% in the past 12 months according to figures from the Spoken Word Publishers Association. Around GBP46m of the GBP70m generated by the sales...

Liverpool Reads 2004 launched.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD 'Holes', the bestselling book by Louis Sachar, has been chosen as the Liverpool Reads book for 2004. The Liverpool Reads scheme is a city-wide initiative which aims to encourage people...

Noddy to be launched in the US.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Enid Blyton's Noddy will be making his way to the US in 2005 after media firm Chorion agreed a distribution deal with US TV broadcaster PBS. PBS will show the 'Make Way for Noddy' series...

'Wolf Brother' selling as quickly as 'Harry Potter'.(Brief Article)
September 9, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD 'Wolf Brother', the heavily publicised new children's book from debut author Michelle Paver, is selling fast, according to bookseller Ottakar's. A spokesperson for the company said that...

Monica Lewinsky denies China book tour and huge interview fees claim.(Brief Article)
September 9, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Monica Lewinsky has denied reports that she is to embark on a book tour of China in support of her 1999 book 'Monica's Story' and is charging large sums for interviews there. The...

Random House picks up Audiobook of the Year.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Random House has won the Audiobook of the Year prize at the Spoken Word Awards, for Max Arthur's 'Forgotten Voices of the Great War'. The book picked up the same award at the British...

Richard & Judy launch competition to find new literary talent.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK-based television couple Richard & Judy, fresh from the success of their Book Club and Summer Read features, have announced another literary move with the start of the Richard & Judy...

Lynda Lee-Potter to write first novel.(Brief Article)
September 10, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Daily Mail columnist Lynda Lee-Potter has begun writing her first novel, aimed at the type of people who read her column. Lee-Potter will be represented by agent John Beaton who came into...

Barnes & Noble reveals publishing ambitions.(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD US bookstore chain Barnes & Noble has admitted that its publishing business has become the company's main initiative, describing sales of its classics titles as 'phenomenal'. Barnes &...

Doubleday claims damages from Newsweek over new Bush family biography.(Doubleday Books Shops)(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Publisher Doubleday has accused US magazine Newsweek of violating a pre-publication agreement over 'The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty' by Kitty Kelley. The controversial new...

Arrow acquires Melissa Hill novels.(Brief Article)
September 13, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Publisher Arrow has acquired two novels by bestselling Irish author Melissa Hill, with 'Not What You Think' to become a major lead title for 2005. 'Not What You Think' was first...

O'Reilly ships 'CSS Cookbook'.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Publisher O'Reilly has released a new book on cascading style sheets, the 'CSS Cookbook' by Christopher Schmitt. According to the publisher, the book contains a collection of CSS-based...

'Star of the Sea' claims Irish Post Literature Award 2004.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The Irish Post Literature Award 2004 has been won by Joseph O'Connor's 'Star of the Sea'. Established to honour the literary success of an Irish author based in Britain, previous winners...

Judy Blume to receive 2004 National Book Award in the US.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Children's author Judy Blume is to receive the National Book Foundation's 2004 National Book Award for contributions to American letters. The bestselling author of books such as 'Are You...

O'Reilly ships 'iMovie 4 & iDVD: The Missing Manual'.(Brief Article)
September 15, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD A new book dealing with iMovie and iDVD, 'iMovie 4 & iDVD: The Missing Manual', has been released by O'Reilly/Pogue Press. The price of the book has been set at USD24.95 and it...

Winner of the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award announced.(Richard Grant)(Brief Article)
September 16, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD 'Ghost Riders' by Richard Grant has won the GBP10,000 Thomas Cook Travel Book Awards. Grant was presented with his prize by television news correspondent Kate Adie at a ceremony at The...

US book sales fall in July 2004.(Brief Article)
September 16, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Figures from the US Census Bureau show that sales of books have dropped off during the summer months. Retail sales in general rose by 7.1% in July 2004 in the US but book sales fell by...

'The Da Vinci Code' banned in Lebanon.(Brief Article)
September 17, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD International bestseller 'The Da Vinci Code' by American author Dan Brown has been banned in Lebanon after it was accused of being offensive to Christians. Shop owners have been told to...

Borders' UK MD delivers plans for future.(managing director )(Brief Article)
September 17, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Book chain Borders' UK managing director Philip Downer has told delegates at the company's annual conference that books were still its key item. Downer announced Borders' intentions to...

Man Booker Prize shortlist announced.(Achmat Dangor, Sarah Hall, Alan Hollinghurst)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The shortlist for the 2004 Man Booker Prize has been announced by the chairman of the judges, Rt. Hon. Chris Smith MP. The six books chosen from the longlist of 22 are: Achmat Dangor,...

Saga Prize for Wit winner named.(Christopher Robbins )(Brief Article)
September 21, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The GBP20,000 Saga Prize for Wit has been won by Christopher Robbins for 'The Empress of Ireland'. The book, a memoir of Irish film director Brian Desmond Hurst, beat off competition...

REVIEW: Sports Speed.(George Dintiman and Bob Ward)(Book Review)
September 24, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD George Dintiman and Bob Ward have released the third edition of 'Sports Speed', an athlete training programme for both athletes and coaches no matter what sport they play. Dintiman and Ward...

O'Reilly ships "PayPal Hacks".(new book)(Brief Article)
September 24, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD Shannon Sofield, Dave Nielsen and Dave Burchell are the authors of the new "PayPal Hacks" released by publisher O'Reilly. The book explains that with PayPal, individuals can do business...

CWA Debut Dagger shortlist revealed.(Crime Writers Association)(Brief Article)
September 30, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD The shortlist for the Crime Writers Association's (CWA) Debut Dagger Award for as-yet unpublished writers has been announced. The award is judged on a 3,000-word submission that outlines...

Ottakar's reports 19% sales growth for first half of 2004.(Brief Article)
September 30, 2004... M2 BEST BOOKS-(C)2000-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD UK bookstore chain Ottakar's has announced an increase of 19% in overall sales for the 26 weeks ending 31 July 2004. The company drew sales worth GBP63.3m for the first half of 2004...