It’s TLA week! We’ve been bumping into librarians all week long. It’s been a blast. Here’s what’s been going on elsewhere in the world:
~All huff and no puff? Amazon had said it would close its distribution center in Irving this week amid debate over whether or not the online retailer is responsible for paying the estimated $269 million it would owe the state of Texas if it collected sales tax, but the Statesman reports that Irving is up and running, and interviewing to fill open positions.
~Texas isn’t the only state dealing with Amazon sales tax issue. The debate is hitting a high pitch in South Carolina, where the online retailer is looking to open up a distribution center.
~Zakariya Rashid Hassan al-Ashiri, a blogger in Bahrain, died under mysterious circumstances while in police custody, and The Committee to Protect Journalists is calling for an investigation.
~The American Library Association announced their Top Ten Most Frequently Challeneged Books of 2010.
~An excerpt of what James Frey hopes will be his next controversial book (a novel about Jesus Christ) was posted in Vice magazine.
~Zadie Smith fought hard, but lost the battle to save her local library.
~A translating snafu has led an Italian publisher to yank copies of a Catholic Church book implying the Vatican endorses contraception.
~Almost 3,000 pieces of writing by Walt Whitman – literally in his handwriting – have been discovered in the National Archives.
~Beverly Cleary turned 95!
Deals
~Lisa See signed a two book deal with Random House. One of those books will be a sequel to Shanghai Girls.
~They’re calling it iSteve: a biography of Apple exec Steve Jobs is slated for a 2012 release.
~John Lennon’s letters to be published by Little, Brown.
~Steven Spielberg will direct and Tony Kushner will write the screenplay for the film adaptation of Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals. Daniel Day Lewis and Sally Field will star as Abe and Mary Todd.
~Tom Hanks signed on for the film adaptation of David Mitchell’s The Cloud Atlas.
~Tobey Macguire was cast in the film adaptation of Yann Martel’s bestelling novel, Life of Pi.
~Peter Jackson gave a behind-the-scenes look at the set of The Hobbit in a video on his facebook page.
Awards
~The shortlist of finalists for the Orange Prize for Fiction were announced. (Emma Donohue, Nicole Krauss, Téa Obreht….glad we don’t have to pick.)
~10 novels have been shortlisted for the International IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award, including Galore by Michael Crummey (a staff favorite – we’re keeping our fingers crossed for you, Michael!)
~The Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance announced finalists for its 2011 SIBA Book Award.
~David Gerard, author of the novel God’s Acres, won the Oklahoma Book Award for fiction.
Cute
~A British author proposes to his girlfriend in his debut novel. (Spoiler alert: she says yes.)
Today’s the day David Foster Wallace’s The Pale King would have gone on sale if Amazon hadn’t jumped the gun. We’ll be at the Harry Ransom Center tonight. What are you doing?
BookPeople 