Newsletter: April 2006

 
Spring is just about starting to make its presence felt here in the UK, and there's been something of a stretching and an awakening in terms of book news too. Here's a quick round-up...

Back at the beginning of March, hot on the heels of World Book Day, the UK's premier book trade event, the London Book Fair, welcomed exhibitors from 59 countries to its new venue in East London. Deals were done over rights and representations for all kinds of books from high profile fiction to educational and non-fiction material.

Also on the book trade front, news has just broken that the Competition Commission has given the provisional go-ahead for Waterstones' proposed £97 million takeover of fellow bookselling chain Ottakars. The Commission said it would 'not lead to any substantial lessening of competition' on the UK high street. The move had been opposed by many authors and publishers, who claimed that it would lead to less choice for book buyers, and thereby a worse deal for publishers and authors too. Authors including Philip Pullman, Tracy chevalier and Helen Dunmore have expressed their disappointment with the decision.

A rare edition of William Shakespeare's legendary 'First Folio' is to go on sale at auction house Sotheby's in July this year. The book, the first printed collection of Shakespeare's plays, has been held by Dr Williams' Library, a London theological institution, since 1716. The sale is to safeguard the library's financial future - the book is expected to fetch between £2.5 million and £3 million.

And finally, a couple of prizewinners from March, in case you missed them. Australian author Kate Grenville scooped the £30,000 Commonwealth Writers Prize for her book The Secret River. And at the annual British Book Awards, J.K. Rowling's latest boy wizard instalment, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was named Book of the Year.

Best wishes for April, and don't forget to keep sending in your reviews, recommendations and questions.

Susan Tranter
Reader in Residence

Back to main page