"I am a huge fan of indie bookstores. There are too many to name, but just a few of my favorite ones in Philadelphia (where I live) include Head House Books, A Novel Idea, Harriett's Bookshop, The Head & The Hand. (And for the record, my favorite bookshop in the southern Adirondacks is Northshire Bookstore, in Saratoga Springs!) For a time, before I got a tenure-track job at Temple University, I taught low-cost community writing workshops out of indie bookstores in the Philadelphia area, and I developed great relationships with many of the proprietors and employees at them. We're still in touch today.

"I am so grateful to the many, many booksellers who read and recommended The God of the Woods for the Indie Next List in July. When I got the news that it was the #1 pick on the list, I almost passed out. I can think of no greater honor!"

Jamie Pelletier is the new owner of Bogan Books in Fort Kent, Maine. The Bangor Daily News reported that Pelletier, who had worked at the store for about two years, bought the business from former owner Heidi Carter with a $50,000 loan from the Fort Kent Revolving Loan Fund. 

Carter, who founded the shop in 2018, said she was looking for a change in her career while also doing something that would benefit the community, noting that when she travels, "I seek out independent bookstores. I always find that it tends to be a cultural hub for those communities, and a creative space."

In 2022, Carter took on a part-time position at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, and eventually began working as the school's executive director of marketing and brand management, which made running her bookshop a challenge. "At first, I tried to do both," she said. "But it just did not work well."

She did not want Fort Kent to lose the bookshop, so she put it up for sale. "It had been well over a year," she said. "We had some really great interest. Some good people stepped forward, but for whatever reason it never worked out."

When Carter announced that the store might close, Pelletier said the sadness in the shop was palpable: "Everyone was coming in with long faces. They didn't want to see it closed."

Pelletier made a business plan and brought it to Fort Kent town manager Suzie Paradis, the Bangor Daily News wrote, adding that they "discussed different ways in which Pelletier could purchase the business." An emergency Town Council meeting was called. Carter attended the meeting and spoke about why Pelletier would be an ideal candidate to take over the store. Following her presentation, the council approved giving Pelletier a $50,000 loan to purchase the business.

"I started crying," Pelletier said. "She saw something in me, and the town manager saw something in me. And it actually worked out. I cried a lot. I laughed a lot. And I'm super, super happy that I can continue what [Carter] created."

Paradis added: "Bookstores serve as a vital hub in communities. If we can offer access to literature, we foster a love for reading. Small retail stores in our community play a crucial role in sustaining our local economy, creating jobs, and preserving the unique character of our town."

Imprint Bookstore and Writers' Workshop, Port Townsend, Wash., is for sale.

The store wrote in part: "Have you ever dreamed of owning a charming bookstore in a beautiful seaport town? Well, here is your opportunity to take the reins of a successful business that has been operating in Port Townsend for nearly 50 years! Centrally located in historic downtown, The Imprint Bookstore & Writers' Workshop has been serving locals and tourists alike with a well-curated selection of new books, creative writing workshops & engaging, one-of-a-kind events. With a strong online presence and exciting potential for growth, this business is primed and ready for its next chapter." For more information, contact Sophie Elan via e-mail.

Owners Samantha Ladwig and Thom Nienow bought Imprint in 2019.

River Arts and Books, a nonprofit bookstore and literary space, has opened in Roscoe, Mont., the Billings Gazette reported.

Director and co-founder Caroline Joan Peixoto officially opened River Arts on Friday, July 5. The nonprofit resides in a historic building that was once Roscoe's post office. The building has three rooms, with the first containing the bookstore. At opening, Peixoto had an inventory of around 2,000 books, with new and used titles available.

The building's second room is an event and community space that has already been used for meetings and performances, with Peixoto planning to add yoga classes, author talks, and other gatherings to the mix. The third room, which is still being worked on, will be used for a writing retreat that Peixoto expects to be operational next year.

The Gazette noted that Roscoe is a tiny town, with only 16 residents as of the 2020 census. There is only one other business, the Grizzly Bar, which is open seasonally. Peixoto said there's nothing like River Arts and Books in the area, and she hopes to provide a space for writers, artists, and community members to connect with each other and with nature.

To help open River Arts and Books, Peixoto raised nearly $35,000 through First Friday events, fundraising parties, and more. "It's been really encouraging, especially in a place like this," Peixoto told the Gazette. "When you dip your toe out there, you hope people won't think you're crazy."

The German book industry "is holding its own in an overall difficult economic climate," according to figures released by the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (the German book trade association). Book sales in Germany rose by 2.8% in 2023 compared to the previous year, and the book market had a 1.2% sales increase in the first half of 2024.

The industry generated total sales of €9.71 billion (about $10.5 billion) compared to €9.44 billion (about $10.2 billion) in 2022. Physical bookstore sales rose 2.6% over the previous year to €4.05 billion (about $4.4 billion), giving the retail book trade (excluding e-commerce) a 41.8% share of total industry sales. The online book trade, about half of which is attributable to Internet sales from physical bookstores, rose by 5.5%, to €2.40 billion (about $2.6 billion), in 2023 after a decline in 2022. Online sales accounted for 24.8% of the overall market. 

About 25 million people purchased books in 2023, which is down 2.8% from the previous year, but there is a positive trend among the young target group. The number of buyers among 10- to 15-year-olds increased by 3.9% from 2022 to 2023, by 2.6% from 2021 to 2022 and by 13.1% from 2020 to 2021. Spending by and for readers up to the age of 19 has risen by 32% within five years, by 65% among 13- to 15-year-olds and by 77% among 16- to 19-year-olds.

For the first six months of 2024, German central sales channels posted a 1.2% increase in turnover compared to the same period in 2023, though this number reflects the fact that sales are down 1.6% while prices paid by buyers jumped 2.8%. 

Peter Kraus vom Cleff, managing director of the Börsenverein, commented: "Despite the overall positive outcome, the general economic situation is still putting book retailers, publishing houses and industry logistics under pressure. The book trade, much like the entire retail trade, is experiencing a weakening consumer climate. Sales are falling overall and the number of consumers is continuing to decrease. Fewer people are coming into the cities to shop and consequently the footfall in stores is lower than in in the past. There is also noticeable caution in the production of new titles, with publishing houses planning their programme more conservatively due to ongoing crises."

Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, chairwoman of the Börsenverein, added: "Overall, the book market is doing well despite difficult economic times. Books are still relevant and in demand--as a compass in a complex world, a basis for forming one's own opinion and as a creative pastime. While the older target group used to be considered a safe bet for the book market, young readers are currently boosting the book industry."

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Meryl Halls

U.K. booksellers have called on the new Labour government to review "unfair" rates that "cripple small businesses," the Bookseller reported.

Meryl Halls, managing director of the Booksellers Association, said the BA was looking forward to working with the new Labour government "on a range of improvements for high streets and the business landscape promised in its manifesto." She added that she hoped to work with the other book trade bodies "in engaging with Labour ministers and officials to continue conversations on the issues of particular importance to books and culture, such as copyright and AI.... More than anything, we look forward to working in a functioning political system after a long period of uncertainty and distraction."

Waterstones COO Kate Skipper said: "We look to the new government to prioritize further reform to the deeply flawed business rates system to allow town and city centers to thrive." 

Sam Taylor, co-founder of Max Minerva's bookshop in Bristol, told the Bookseller: "I hope we see investment in public and school libraries, more focus on arts and creativity in schools, and a recognition of the importance of the creative industries to our economy.... As for bookselling, I'd like to see business rates to be reviewed; they cripple small businesses and contribute to the hollowing out of high streets--how independent bookshops pay more per square foot than Amazon warehouses is baffling."

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Michael Gordon-Smith with his successor, Patrizia Di Biase-Dyson

Australian Publishers Association CEO Michael Gordon-Smith has retired after 11 years in the role and a career in the creative industries spanning more than 40 years. The board confirmed that current APA chief of staff Patrizia Di Biase-Dyson has been promoted to the role of CEO. The APA noted that Di Biase-Dyson "is an experienced book industry professional with a successful track record in independent publishing, and a great champion of access initiatives like the Open Book Internship program."

APA President Julie Burland, CEO of Penguin Random House Australia and New Zealand, said: "Our sincere congratulations to Michael on all that he has achieved for the industry over the last decade. His continuous dedication and leadership has ensured that the Association is well-placed to tackle the industry changes ahead. With strong partnerships established, the APA can collaborate to ensure a more diverse, accessible and sustainable industry.'

Di Biase-Dyson commented: "My profound thanks to Michael and the board for their support of me and the brilliant team. Together we are clear in our ambition--highlight the exceptional value of educational publishers to teachers and learners, impress the urgent societal need to attract new readers, tackle the copyright risks Generative AI poses, and increase supply chain efficiency so that books can compete in the ever-evolving market. There's a lot to be done, but we are continuing with this work from a position of real strength." --Robert Gray

Barnes & Noble College will manage the bookstore on the campus of St. Cloud State University, in St. Cloud, Minn. St. Cloud Live reported that the university made the decision in the wake of an expiring contract with Follett, which ran the bookstore for more than 10 years. B&N will also oversee the spirit shop.

Director of business services Kyle Welch noted that the school went through a state-mandated RFP process that included presentations from three vendors to faculty, staff and students. "Why we went with Barnes & Noble compared to others is we felt that it was best for the students; they do have the largest inventory of physical and digital course materials so that provided the best supply for the students," Welch noted. "They also have a price match program and very convenient options for picking up any physical items that they might need."

The first annual Gold Coast Book Fair took place the weekend of June 28-30 in Oyster Bay, N.Y. The fair--a collaboration between Theodore's Books, the Oyster Bay Main Street Association, and Long Island University--drew 3,000 attendees and hosted more than 70 regional and national authors.

The fair featured keynote speaker Erik Larson (The Demon of Unrest) in conversation with former Congressman Steve Israel, owner of Theodore's Books; and headlining novelist Alice McDermott (Absolution) in conversation with Susan Isaacs. The fair also included author panels for adults and children, book signings, a vendor marketplace, and a street fair.

The fair closed with a conversation with (pictured, from right) Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, historian Alexis Coe, and Steve Israel about the role that libraries and librarians play in ensuring our democracy’s freedom of speech, and why libraries are important to the future of American civic life. 

“It was truly amazing to see the very first Gold Coast Book Fair come to life and enjoyed by so many interested readers, families, Long Islanders, and so many others,” said Israel. "I look forward to making this an annual event.”

Changing Hands, Tempe and Phoenix, Ariz., has won the Readers' Pick for Best Bookseller from Phoenix magazine as part of its 2024 Best of the Valley awards. The store said that the award "means the world to us, especially as we celebrate our 50th year in business."

The store won another Best of the Valley Award, one that led it to say, "Be sure to visit our Phoenix location to powder your nose and snap a fantastic selfie." The Phoenix magazine citation reads:

"Best Mirror. Women's Room at Changing Hands Bookstore.

"If you've been in the women's restroom at the Phoenix location of this legendary indie bookstore, you know. That is one flattering mirror! For years, it was tilted at just the right angle to take 20 pounds off your hips. Recently someone hung the mirror on the wall, but even without the tilt, we're looking pretty good."

"Books this way. Construction that way." At Loganberry Books, Shaker Heights, Ohio, bookseller Devon invoked the poetic spirit of Robert Frost ("Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,/ I took the one less traveled by/ And that had made all the difference") for the shop's sidewalk chalkboard message. 

Nicole Valdez has joined Abrams as director of marketing, Abrams ComicArts. Valdez was previously senior manager of publicity at Simon & Schuster.

Friendly Fire: A Fractured Memoir by Paul Rousseau (Harper Horizon).

Today:
Fresh Air: Richard Behar, author of Madoff: The Final Word (Avid Reader Press/S&S, $35, 9781476726892).

Tomorrow:
Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Jake Tapper, author of All the Demons Are Here: A Thriller (Back Bay, $19.99, 9780316424486).

Carolyn Huynh's 2022 debut novel, The Fortunes of Jaded Women, is being adapted as a TV series. Deadline reported that Universal International Studios-owned Heyday Television, in partnership with Universal Television, acquired the rights in what has been called a "highly competitive situation."

Heyday founder David Heyman partnered with Alan Yang (Loot, Master of None, Parks and Recreation, The Good Place) to option the book, which Huynh and Bekah Brunstetter will adapt.

"I'm thrilled and 'fortunate' to be working on the adaptation of my debut, The Fortunes of Jaded Women, alongside Heyday Television, Universal International Studios, the illustrious Bekah Brunstetter, with Alan Yang's thoughtful producing," said Huynh. "I can't think of a better home to bring these Vietnamese women to life and pay respectful homage to Little Saigon and Orange County."
 
"The Fortunes of Jaded Women is a fresh, funny, singular book overflowing with imagination and messy, relatable family drama," Yang noted. "I love how it shines such a unique spotlight on Vietnam and the Vietnamese diaspora. Together with Carolyn, Bekah and David, I look forward to bringing these winning, flawed, human characters to television."

L'età fragile (The Brittle Age) by Donatella Di Pietrantonio has won the 2024 Strega Prize, Italy's most prestigious literary award, given to the best work of prose fiction written in Italian by an author of any nationality.

In June 2025, Europa Editions will publish The Brittle Age in the U.S. in a translation by Ann Goldstein. The publisher described the book this way: "In the 1990s, deep in the Maiella mountains of Central Italy, a brutal crime shattered the peace of the local community. Two young women were murdered, a third left for dead. Lucia was twenty years old back then, and the only survivor. Now Lucia is a physiotherapist, separating from her husband, her daughter Amanda studying in Milan.

"When the pandemic forces Amanda to return to the family's home near Pescara, Lucia's memories are reawakened, and with them the impact of past trauma. Inspired by true events, The Brittle Age is a tale of individual resilience, and a commentary on the indelible impact of historical events on personal lives and the broader community."

Europa Editions has published two other books by Di Pietrantonio: A Girl Returned and A Sister's Story.

photo: Kim Richards

Pallavi Sharma Dixit holds a BA and an MA (history) from the University of Pennsylvania and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She has been the recipient of grants and fellowships from the Jerome Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and others. Her debut novel, Edison (Third State Books, June 4, 2024), won the Asian American Writers' Workshop's Pages in Progress Prize, and is an entertaining masala film in the guise of literary fiction. She has taught creative writing at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, where she lives with her husband, two children, and their dog.

Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:

Brimming with song, dance, action, comedy, villains, star-crossed love, and cameos by stars, Edison is a Bollywood-inspired ode to the Indian community in New Jersey.

On your nightstand now:

I'm almost done with The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride, which I'm absolutely loving. I am in awe of its combination of history, mystery, and humor used in telling the story of these beautiful characters. It's such an entertaining read you almost don't realize the sad truths it lays bare. I loved McBride's Deacon King Kong for similar reasons, and I have his short story collection, Five-Carat Soul, already on my nightstand to read next. Also on my nightstand is Cheiro's Guide to the Hand, the now-classic manual of palmistry. I've always been interested in the subject and may work it into my next book in a more serious way than I have in Edison (in which a character pretends to be able to read palms).

Favorite book when you were a child:

I loved Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell as a child. I'm guessing I would find it problematic now, but at the time I was so taken by the idea of this young woman being alone on an island for 18 years. Maybe it was because I'm a big fan of taking time for myself to recenter and replenish and that story seemed to me, at the time, to be about some serious "me time."

Your top five authors:

I don't have a favorite author, simply because I jump around a lot with what I read, rather than diving deep into an author's entire oeuvre. I'd love to be able to do both, but I would have to become a much faster reader. But I do have favorite books. I am just enchanted by Gabriel García Márquez's Love in the Time of Cholera, more so with every read. The language, the mood, the obsession, the meditation on the passage of time--it just ravages me every time. I love White Teeth by Zadie Smith, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon, and The Russian Debutante's Handbook by Gary Shteyngart, all of which are riotously funny and tell stories of specific communities. The poetry collection Dog Songs by Mary Oliver is a new favorite, because of the way it so perfectly and economically captures the joy and heartbreak of having a dog in one's life.

Book you've faked reading:

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami. It's just so long! I've loved every Murakami book I've read, and I know I'll love this one too, but I'm intimidated by its length. I'm sure I've been in conversations in which I've pretended to have read it, simply because I'm embarrassed that I haven't!

Book you're an evangelist for:

I know The Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen doesn't need a boost from me, having won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, but I don't personally know anyone who has read it. I always recommend it as a smart, funny, and unexpected book about a little-known corner of history. I even contributed it as a white elephant gift for my book club's annual holiday exchange. No one tried to steal it away.

Book you've bought for the cover:

The cover of Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart, with the little boy lying next to his mother, his hand cradling her head as they look into each other's eyes, just destroyed me. I knew the story involved this little boy's devotion to his troubled yet loving mother and it made me think of my own babies and how heartbreaking it would be for them to take care of me and carry this burden. I bought the book for its cover and loved it for everything that was inside.

Book you hid from your parents:

I think I hid Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume, because the title and cover made me think it would be racy.

Book that changed your life:

Jhumpa Lahiri's first book, the story collection Interpreter of Maladies. Before that, I didn't know Indian American girls were allowed to choose writing as a profession. It's such a beautiful book and, when I first read it in 1999, I had no idea how masterful it was. She made it look so easy.

Favorite line from a book:

In The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon there's this phrase used to describe how the main character, Sammy, looks in the morning: "…the hairless cheek of innocence itself…" Though the sentence goes on to describe the shadow that grows on his face throughout the day, the phrase just stuck in my mind as a sweet way to describe a much younger boy and I think of it so often when I look at my son.

Five books you'll never part with:

My biggest indulgence is buying books. I can't read a book unless I own it. So, there aren't just five books I can't part with; I can't part with any of them! It's a problem. But I suppose I'm doing a great job of supporting writers and local bookstores?

Book you most want to read again for the first time:

My Brilliant Friend (and the others in the Neapolitan Quartet) by Elena Ferrante. What a ravishing reading experience that was. I couldn't wait for my kids to go to bed so I could tear through those books. There's so much going on in them related to issues of class struggle, patriarchy, violence, and oppression, all set in a vividly painted, impoverished, post-World War II neighborhood. Yet, they are also the story of an intense and complicated female friendship that is impossible to put down.

Three favorite recent books by women of color:

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, about the horror and legacy of slavery and its ongoing repercussions, is eye-opening and perfect. A really necessary book. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin is a fun yet heartbreaking story of friendship and love in the context of the gaming world, which I learned a lot from. And most recently, I enjoyed Independence by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, which offers a new vantage point on the Partition of India, told through the story of three sisters.

The Fan Brothers--Terry and Eric, joined again by youngest brother, Devin--bring back one of the "Perfect Pets" from their award-winning The Barnabus Project (2020) in the maybe-even-better companion title, Barnaby Unboxed. Both picture books stand solidly alone but pairing them can provide utmost satisfaction.

Barnaby is a genetically engineered "half mouse and half elephant, with just a dash of flamingo." When Barnabus glimpsed Barnaby ensconced in a box during his great escape in The Barnabus Project, Barnaby was already marked "perfect" and ready for purchase. One day, Barnaby is chosen by a pleading "little voice": "Can we take him home? PLEASE?" and the "bigger voice" responds by paying $59.99. The little girl waits until returning home to unbox Barnaby in front of a camera "so her father could record the special moment." Their relationship commences with an "I love you" and includes funny costume dress-up and learning "marvelous tricks." The pair are constant companions, performing chores, appreciating clouds, reading books, taking walks together.

Alas, Barnaby's life changes forever when the girl becomes obsessed with the new "Rainbow Barnaby" on TV. Her father's "no" brings relief to Barnaby, but the girl quickly loses interest in her (formerly) perfect pet. While she longs for Rainbow Barnaby, her father takes Barnaby for a walk, giving Barnaby the chance to run away--not forever, "just long enough for people to miss him." Unable to get home alone, though, he bonds with other lost ("or forgotten") pets, makes new friends, and survives. By the time the little girl finally finds him, Barnaby hardly remembers her. Can the girl regain his trust?

The story is a poignant delight that also seamlessly incorporates striking lessons about pets, responsibility, and furever commitment. The Fan brothers' extraordinary art--rendered in graphite and colored digitally--overflows with imagination and whimsy. Their brilliant control of perspective is an invitation to share the same point of view, accomplished with illustrations featuring the girl's or Barnaby's back, allowing the reader to share the same gaze. Particular wink-wink mirth awaits Barnabus loyalists: two spreads are almost exactly duplicated here, but with clever updates. In one such spread, the street where the Perfect Pets shop sits has since lost the Coffee Palace and the Barber Shop due to "some rather extraordinary events that occurred there." The endpapers suggest additional genetically engineered perfect pets under development. Audiences should be so lucky for more, more, more. --Terry Hong

Shelf Talker: The fabulous Fan brothers present more perfect pets in this imaginative companion to their award-winning picture book, The Barnabus Project.