In April, The New York Times wrote a piece tracking the progress of a baby AI which learned from "reading" only Jane Austin Novels. The article states, "(AI's) are trained by going through mountains of internet text. In just an hour of training on a laptop, a language model can go from generating random characters to a very crude approximation of language." The article goes on … [Read more...] about Authors sign open letter to AI CEOs
Bookselling News
Utah Schools Bans the Bible for Elementary and Middle-School Students
Imagine sending your kids to schools for their positive growth and a good morale/ethical code but exposing them to offensive and indecent content. That's precisely what has been a concern for Utah parents lately. While several books were banned for their obscene and unseemly contents earlier, this time, the victim was the Bible.After the passing of House Bill 374 last year, … [Read more...] about Utah Schools Bans the Bible for Elementary and Middle-School Students
KKR Likely to Sell Audiobook Publisher RBmedia
As per recent sources, KKR, the leading global investment company, is preparing to sell its portfolio company and audiobook publisher RBmedia. The price for the sales is likely to be $2 billion. KKR is known for offering diverse services like alternative asset management, insurance, and capital market solutions. They are renowned for generating high returns through a … [Read more...] about KKR Likely to Sell Audiobook Publisher RBmedia
A Bookstore in the Airport: Story of Renaissance Books
Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport has a 43-year-old used bookstore. It's a hub for bibliophiles who need more of the library and books. The bookstore serves as a great pass time for early loiterers at the airport. Of course, e-books are an option, but even Gen Z prefers printed books over e-books. So, that justifies the trend. "Not something I see in many … [Read more...] about A Bookstore in the Airport: Story of Renaissance Books
Book Bans: Truly a Book Ban or Just Curation in Action?
Responding to the backlash against book banning in the USA, many groups are surfacing, claiming that they aren’t asking to ban any book. Instead, they want to ban schoolbooks with themes centered on race, sexual orientation, history, and gender. At the same time, some groups are claiming that the so-called banned books aren’t banned at all. For instance, Jay Greene and Madison … [Read more...] about Book Bans: Truly a Book Ban or Just Curation in Action?
How much do authors actually make?
In order to make a career as a writer, a person needs to possess a pretty unique toolkit. Having a passion for the craft, a vast imagination and creative drive are all a good start. A writer also needs the ability to conduct research, switch perspectives, be mindful of personal biases, think critically, and communicate clearly, as well as practicing self discipline and … [Read more...] about How much do authors actually make?
Arrested Z-Library members opt for US lawyers, case to begin soon
Z-Library is an online digital library that offers a vast collection of free e-books, articles, and academic journals across various genres and fields. It provides users with access to millions of books, documents, and other materials that are available for free download without any registration or subscription fees.However, most of the materials available on Z-Library are … [Read more...] about Arrested Z-Library members opt for US lawyers, case to begin soon
“Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret,” Movie Reminds Us Why the Book is Still Banned
After decades, the book that was previously banned, "Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret," can now be seen in theatres from April 2023."Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret" is a beloved novel by Judy Blume. The book explores the excitement and confusion of adolescence through the eyes of its young protagonist. It was banned in certain parts of the United States as it … [Read more...] about “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret,” Movie Reminds Us Why the Book is Still Banned
Gen Z Prefers Print Books, Not E-Books
Gen Z is phone-obsessed, so it's easy to believe that they might prefer e-books over paperback books. But this is not true. Surveys show that Gen Z, people born between 1997 and 2015, are ditching e-books for print books.Total sales of books in the UK and the US have increased dramatically over the past couple of years. McKinsey reports that book sales in the US reached a … [Read more...] about Gen Z Prefers Print Books, Not E-Books
The big store that feels like a little shop; how Book Curation sets B&N apart
Barnes & Noble (B&N) is over 150 years old, so it's understandable that it has had many different leaders and taken a variety of different directions over the decades. Not too long ago B&N was more like a huge box-store than bookshop. The entire first floor of New York’s Union Square store used to be taken up with many items- none of them books. A shopper needed to … [Read more...] about The big store that feels like a little shop; how Book Curation sets B&N apart
How Bookshop.org succeeds in the age of Amazon
During the pandemic, numerous companies closed. Very few people succeeded in doing so. You may already be aware of Peloton and Zoom, but you can also add Bookshop.org to that list. This website was established in January 2020 with the intention of assisting independent booksellers in becoming e-commerce competitors. This examination of the business and its founder successfully … [Read more...] about How Bookshop.org succeeds in the age of Amazon
The Book Depository online store is closing at the end of April
Amazon has announced they are shuttering the Book Depository at the end of April. The UK bookselling business has been around since 2004 and was initially launched by former Amazon employees. Due to their success in selling physical books online and not wanting to compete, Amazon acquired them in 2011. This closure is due to cost savings measures by Amazon in their hardware and … [Read more...] about The Book Depository online store is closing at the end of April
Kate Beaton’s Graphic Novel ‘Ducks’ Wins ‘Canada Reads’
2023's Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) battle of the best books, "Canada Reads" has just wrapped up, and for the first time a graphic narrative has been crowned the winner. Ducks a graphic memoir about a young woman working in Alberta's oil sands, written by Kate Beaton, was championed by Jeopardy super-star Mattea Roach.The annual national book battle began over 20 … [Read more...] about Kate Beaton’s Graphic Novel ‘Ducks’ Wins ‘Canada Reads’