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Penguin Canada Takes Home Four Canadian Booksellers Awards

Penguin Group (Canada) followed up its 2008 Publisher of the Year win with four CBA Libris Awards from the Canadian Booksellers’ Association in 2009, including two awards for Joseph Boyden, who is published in the U.S. by Viking/Penguin.

• Marketing Achievement of the Year, for “Extraordinary Canadians,” biographies that re-imagine Canada’s most influential historical figures from the fresh new perspective of bestselling writers such as Joseph Boyden, Douglas Coupland and Vincent Lam;
• Sales Representative of the Year, to Adrienne Kerr, Penguin Canada Sales representative for Southwest Ontario;
• and a double win for Joseph Boyden, whose critically acclaimed Through Black Spruce (published in the US by Viking) won the Fiction Book of the Year Award, and whose outstanding literary work, contribution to Canadian culture, and support to the bookselling industry translated into an Author of the Year Award.

Boyden’s biography of Métis leaders Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont will be published as part of Penguin Canada’s Extraordinary Canadians series in March 2010. The series is also the subject of an upcoming 12-part documentary television series on OMNI and The Biography Channel; news on author events and upcoming titles can be found here.

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Greg Mortenson Honored by National Education Association

On July 2nd, the National Education Association (NEA) will honor Viking/Penguin author Greg Mortenson with the Mary Hatwood Futrell Award, a special Human and Civil Rights Award, at the NEA’s annual meeting in San Diego, California. The NEA Human and Civil Rights Awards program honors individuals and organizations that promote peace and advance social and economic justice for all people. The Mary Hatwood Futrell Award is given to a nominee whose activities make a significant impact on education and on the achievement of equal opportunity for women and girls.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Three Cups of Tea has also received Pakistan’s highest civil award, Sitara-e-Pakistan (“The Star of Pakistan”) for his efforts to promote education and literacy and is also a nominee for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. Concerning Three Cups of Tea, NEA President Dennis Van Roekel stated, “Every student in America’s public schools should receive a copy to learn firsthand what one person can truly do to make a difference in the world.”

Explore the reading group guide for Three Cups of Tea.
 

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Penguin Books Online Digest, 6/12 - 6/19, 2009

VIDEO

VIDEO - Fifty is the New Fifty, by Suzanne Braun Levine. (Viking)

VIDEO- What I Thought I Knew, by Alice Eve Cohen. (Viking) 

FEATURE

FEATURE- Building a Home with My Husband, by Rachel Simon. (Dutton)

FEATURE- And Then There's This, by Bill Wasik. (Viking) 

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Penguin Group (USA) launches its own network of online programming with three channels featuring nine series of book entertainment for adults, young adults and children.

 The Online Network, to Be Called "From the Publisher's Office," Will Feature Several Episodic Online Series, Including "YA Central," "Project Paranormal," "Penguin Storytime" and "Tarcher Talks" and Audio Series Such as "Penguin Classics on Air," "Penguin Business Thought Leaders" and "A Cup of Poetry"

New York, New York, June 16, 2009 ... Penguin Group (USA) is launching today its own online network called "From the Publisher's Office," with three channels featuring nine series of book entertainment for adults, young adults and children, it was announced by Penguin Group (USA) President Susan Petersen Kennedy.  The network will feature several episodic online series, including "YA Central," "Project Paranormal," "Penguin Storytime" and "Tarcher Talks," and audio series such as "Penguin Classics On Air," "Penguin Business Thought Leaders" and "A Cup of Poetry."  All of the programming is original and customized for a wide range of audiences, and new episodes will be produced each publishing season. The network is now live on the Penguin Group (USA) website at www.penguin.com/thepublishersoffice

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The New York Times Bestseller Highlights for the Week of June 14th

Five new Penguin Group (USA) titles debut on The New York Times bestseller list for the week of June 14th: on the trade paperback fiction list, The Likeness by Tana French (Penguin) is #13, while The Beach House by Jane Green (Plume) is #16; on the mass market fiction list, The Front by Patricia Cornwell (Berkley) appears at #13, while Blood Noir by Laurell K. Hamilton (Jove) hits at #19. Finally, My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor (Plume) is #5 on the paperback nonfiction list.

Here are more New York Times bestseller highlights:

On the hardcover fiction list, Wicked Prey by John Sandford (Putnam) is #3 in its third week; Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (Ace) is #6 in its fourth week; The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Amy Einhorn Books/ Putnam) is #11 in its ninth week; and The Sign by Raymond Khoury (Dutton) is #14 in its second week.

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Penguin Group (USA) Generates Big Buzz at BEA 2009 

Expanding on last week's Spotlight coverage, Penguin Group (USA) had a strong presence at BookExpo America 2009, held this past weekend at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. The Penguin Group (USA) BEA booth, which included blow-ups promoting many of the house's big fall titles, was constantly buzzing with activity, as booksellers, librarians and members of the press flowed through and lingered.  On Friday morning, lines wrapped around the Penguin booth to get a signed galley of Level 26 from Dutton author Anthony Zuiker while a powerful and chilling video preview of his "digi-novel" played on a 50-inch plasma TV screen. Friday afternoon, Three Cups of Tea author Greg Mortenson (pictured here with Viking publisher Paul Slovak) drew a huge crowd and signed adult and young readers editions for an endless line of BEA attendees.  Other galley giveaways in the Penguin booth included the highly anticipated Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby (Riverhead), Lev Grossman's The Magicians (Viking) and Jonathan Tropper's This is Where I Leave You (Dutton) - which got a double-dose of attention as Dutton Senior Editor Ben Sevier touted the title at the BEA Editors Buzz Forum, then the author participated in the Authors of the Editors Buzz Forum reading and discussion. Riverhead author Steven Johnson, Viking author Lev Grossman and Penguin Editor-in-Chief/Associate Publisher Stephen Morrison also were part of fascinating BEA panels on Friday.

The high-profile Saturday BEA Book & Author Luncheon was very much a Penguin Group affair. The lunch began with Penguin Group (USA) sales rep Tom Benton receiving the Publishers Weekly Sales Rep of the Year Award, with his family, Penguin colleagues, and more than 600 booksellers, librarians, media and publishing professionals applauding this well-deserved honor. Luncheon Master of Ceremonies Ken Auletta gave a sneak preview of this upcoming Penguin Press book, Googled: The End of the World as We Know It, then Dan Pink talked about the stories behind his next Riverhead book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Truly Motivates Us. And while Mary Karr concentrated mostly on her upcoming HarperCollins book, Lit, she also referenced two of her acclaimed backlist titles, The Liars Club and Cherry, both of which Penguin publishes.

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The New York Times Bestseller Highlights for the Week of June 7th 

 (View this week's bestseller lists for fiction, nonfiction, and young readers on Penguin.com)

Two new Penguin Group (USA) titles debut on The New York Times bestseller list for the week of June 7th: The Sign by Raymond Khoury (Dutton) hits at #9 on the hardcover fiction list; and Chasing the Bear by Robert B. Parker (Philomel) appears at #10 on the children's chapter books list. In addition, Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen (Speak) hits #1 in its second week on the children's paperback list.

Here are more New York Times bestseller highlights:

On the hardcover fiction list, Wicked Prey by John Sandford (Putnam) is #2 in its second week; Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris (Ace) is #4 in its third week; and The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Amy Einhorn Books/ Putnam) is #11 in its eighth week.

On the hardcover nonfiction list, The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow (Gotham) is #4 in its fifth week.

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BookExpo America 2009 is being held this weekend at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City and Penguin Group (USA) once again has a strong presence at the event. Yesterday, The AAP Librarian's Dinner was packed with librarians from all across the country and featured Kathryn Stockett, author of the debut Putnam novel, The Help, and five other authors talking about their favorite "librarian stories" and how libraries helped shape their careers as writers. The Editors Buzz Forum, an SRO event, featured Dutton Senior Editor, Ben Sevier and five other editors talking about the stories behind their "buzz books." Ben had the room enthralled speaking about Jonathan Tropper's upcoming Dutton novel, This Is Where I Leave You. In addition, Viking/Penguin's Greg Mortenson was featured at an off-site event at the 92nd St. Y.

Among the many Penguin authors who will do autographings this weekend, is Dutton's Anthony Zuiker, who is currently in the Penguin booth signing copies of his upcoming "digi-novel" Level 26: The Dark Chronicles to a large crowd that has turned out, while a chilling and exciting sample reel of corresponding motion picture footage plays on a plasma screen.

Other highlights include the Saturday luncheon, which will feature Dan Pink, author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Truly Motivates Us (Riverhead Books); and Mary Karr, author of The Liars Club, which Penguin publishes. Ken Auletta, author of Googled: The End of the World as We Know It (The Penguin Press), will be the Master of Ceremonies. Penguin Group (USA) sales rep Tom Benton will be attending to accept his Publishers Weekly Sales Rep of the Year Award. In addition, Penguin Young Readers' Tomie de Paola, author of Strega Nona's Harvest will be featured in tomorrow's CBC Breakfast, and Penguin Young Readers Group author Mike Lupica, nationally syndicated sports columnist, will participate in the "The ABC Not a Dinner and (Mostly) Silent Auction" event in Brooklyn tonight.

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New York, May 28, 2009  --   A Passion for Design will, for the first time, share Barbra Streisand's exquisite taste and style in a beautiful book format.  She is already an icon known and appreciated by millions for her acting, singing and directorial accomplishments. Now, at last, readers will get a view of her fabulous collections and her amazing sense of design.

Viking is pleased to announce that A Passion for Design by Barbra Streisand has been acquired by Clare Ferraro, President of Viking.  Robert Barnett of Williams & Connolly negotiated the acquisition for world rights and first serial.  Viking will publish in the fall of 2010.   A Passion for Design will be edited by Rick Kot, executive editor at Viking.

The book will focus on the architecture and building of her newest home, the dream house and refuge Ms. Streisand says she has longed for since the days when she shared a small Brooklyn apartment with her mother, brother and grandparents. A Passion for Design will be the culmination and reflection of Barbra's love of American architecture from 1790-1904.   It will contain many of her own photographs of rooms she has decorated, furniture and art she has collected, and flowers and vegetables she grows in her glorious gardens.   

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James King, author of Bill Warrington's Last Chance, has won the second annual contest in search of next popular novel and will receive a publishing contract worth $25,000 from Penguin Group (USA)

James King, an Ohio native and current resident of Wilton, Conn., has been a corporate communications specialist for the past 20 years, but dreamt of becoming a fiction writer since the age of six. In 2006, with the support and encouragement of his wife and two children, King decided to pursue his dream.  He entered the Master of Arts program in creative writing at Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., and when he completed his degree in May 2008, he had written most of what would become the novel Bill Warrington's Last Chance.

In Bill Warrington's Last Chance, the title character tries to reestablish ties with his estranged children after he is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. After several attempts at a reunion fail, he decides to kidnap his 15-year-old granddaughter, April, so that his children will be forced to talk to each other - and to him-as they attempt to "rescue" April.