“Borders Group Inc … the second-largest U.S. bookseller, will accept books from publisher HarperStudio on a nonreturnable basis, departing from a decades-old publishing tradition, the Wall Street Journal reported. Industry practice dating from the 1930s allowed retailers to return unsold titles to publishers for full credit and without incurring shipping costs, the newspaper said.”
Tag: 12.16.08
Public Pans Bollywood’s Haste To Dramatize Attacks
“Bollywood may be famed for its relentless energy, but its rush to dramatise the terrorist attacks in Mumbai last month has caused public outcry. In the days after the strikes, in which more than 170 died, 18 film titles on the theme of ‘Terror at the Taj’ were registered with the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association.”
National Lampoon Chief Charged With Securities Fraud
“The chief executive of Los Angeles entertainment firm National Lampoon Inc., best known for the comedy and parody films produced under its brand name, was charged Monday with securities fraud in an alleged scheme to artificially boost the company’s stock price. … He and the company also were named in a civil suit filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission.”
When Beethoven Wrote Long, Technology Had To Follow
“The Ninth Symphony runs over an hour, even when performed at breakneck tempo. In the era of LP records, it generally took three sides — and hence had to be coupled with one of Beethoven’s shorter symphonies, like the Eighth, to complete a two-disc set.” With the switch to CDs, the race to fit all of the Ninth on one disc began — or so the story goes.
Has The Newbery Medal Lost Sight Of Young Readers?
“The Newbery Medal has been the gold standard in children’s literature for more than eight decades. … Now the literary world is debating the Newbery’s value, asking whether the books that have won recently are so complicated and inaccessible to most children that they are effectively turning off kids to reading.”
Jasper Johns Cakes, $1 Million Cookies At MOCA Bake Sale
“With financial turmoil at L.A.’s celebrated Museum of Contemporary Art on many minds, artists David Weiner and Angie Lee decided to help out by hosting a bake sale. That’s what community organizers in America do to raise funds for good works, right? … The bake sale is timed to precede a planned meeting of MOCA’s board of trustees, where the fiscal crisis is Topic A.”
Notes From Proust, Coffee Stains And All
“Marcel Proust’s letters to his housekeeper will go on sale today at Sotheby’s in Paris. The author of ‘In Search of Lost Time’ sent letters, postcards and telegrams to Celeste Albaret, who worked for him for almost nine years.”
Holiday Discounts: De Kooning, Giacometti, Basquiat …
“Asher Edelman, the corporate raider turned art dealer, has dressed the windows of his Manhattan gallery in the spirit of the times: ‘Holiday Super Sale,’ one sign says. ‘Totally Insane!’ reads another. ‘No Kidding!’ entices the third. ‘All dealers are offering discounts now,’ said Edelman. ‘I am just being open about it.'”
Money, From Ticket-Buyers & Investors, Dries Up On B’way
“The ripple effects of the recession and Wall Street’s slide have now fully engulfed the New York theater: highly successful shows are closing early, Off Broadway hits can’t find money to move into empty houses, audience attendance is down (and during the holidays, no less)…. [E]ven the best Broadway press agent cannot spin the fact that New York theater appears to be entering one of its darkest periods….”
Edinburgh Fringe Bailout Likely To Top £500K
“The financial bail-out for the Edinburgh Fringe in the wake of last year’s box-office disaster is likely to be more than £500,000, The Scotsman has learned. Sources say the £250,000 rescue package revealed last week will almost certainly have to be doubled to stave off meltdown over the next few months. … Meanwhile, the Fringe is facing claims that theatre groups will shun the festival this year, because of delays by performers receiving payments for shows.”