Penguin Group (USA) Weekly Update - 10/29

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Dutton Acquires New Trilogy, The Century Trilogy, by #1 Bestselling Author Ken Follett

Ken Follett, who debuted in the #1 slot on The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly lists, as well in the top five on international bestseller lists for his already critically-acclaimed novel, World Without End, will write a new epic trilogy, The Century Trilogy. The news was announced last week by Leslie Gelbman, President of Mass Market Paperbacks, Penguin Group (USA), and Brian Tart, President and Publisher of Dutton. Paperback editions of the trilogy will be released by New American Library one year later after each hardcover edition.

As in his record-breaking international bestsellers, The Pillars of The Earth and World Without End, this new trilogy will focus on intense personal dramas set against the vast looming background of world-changing historical events, including the Great Depression, the rise of Adolf Hitler, the legendary battles of World War I and II, the development and deployment of the atomic bomb, the space race, and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The first book in the trilogy, which Dutton will publish in hardcover in 2010, will take place before and up to World War I. Book Two, set to be published in 2012, will encompass World War II, and Book Three, due out in 2014, will conclude during the Cold War.

Slam by Nick Hornby Debuts at #1 on The New York Times Bestseller List

Slam by Nick Hornby (G. P. Putnam's Sons) debuted at #1 on The New York Times bestseller list this week, the week of November 4th. The book has received glowing reviews and A-list media coverage including: Newsweek, People, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl!, NPR, USA Today, Reuters, Washington Post, and top regional outlets. Many top-tier publications are still to come including The New York Times Book Review, ESPN magazine, and The Atlantic. Hornby has had terrific events across the country while on his national tour, which wraps up this Sunday in Houston.

Six Penguin Group (USA) Books Chosen Among Best Books of 2007 by Hudson Booksellers, Including Book of the Year

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead) was chosen as Book of the Year by Hudson Booksellers, a brand unit of travel retailer Hudson Group, which announced its list of the Best Books published in 2007. Three other Penguin Group (USA) books were also selected among their top 2007 books rated in four categories — Fiction, Nonfiction, Business, and Children's — in the estimation of a panel consisting of the company's bookselling professionals as well as Airport General Managers: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (Riverhead) in best of fiction; The Assault on Reason by Al Gore (The Penguin Press) in the best of nonfiction, and Wikinomics by Don Tapscott and Anthony Williams (Portfolio) in the best business category. In addition, Hudson News also designated their favorite news and noteworthy books of the year. World Without End by Ken Follett (Dutton), and The Age of Turbulence by Alan Greenspan (The Penguin Press) were among this group. Hudson operates 66 full-service bookstores and sells books in over 400 Hudson News newsstands in airports and transportation terminals throughout North America.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter to be Made Into Lifetime Original Movie

Announced yesterday, film actors Dermot Mulroney ("My Best Friend's Wedding") and Emily Watson ("Breaking the Waves"), twice nominated for an Academy Award and nominated three times for a Golden Globe, have been cast in the highly anticipated Lifetime Original Movie event, "The Memory Keeper's Daughter," based on Kim Edwards' bestselling, critically acclaimed novel.

Named by USA Today as its "Book of the Year" for 2006, The Memory Keeper's Daughter has five million copies in print and has spent 70 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, holding the #1 spot for seven weeks. Production for the film begins this November, with DGA Award-winning and Emmy-nominated director Mick Jackson ("Live from Baghdad," "Tuesdays with Morrie") set to direct. "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" will premiere in March 2008 on Lifetime Television.

The New York Times Bestseller Highlights for the Week of October 21st

Slam by Nick Hornby (Putnam) debuts at #1 on the children's chapter book list.

Here are more bestseller highlights for the week of November 4th:

On the hardcover fiction list, World Without End by Ken Follett (Dutton) is at #3 in its second week; A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead) is at #5 in its 22nd week; Dark of the Moon by John Sandford (G. P. Putnam's Sons) is #6 in its third week; and Shoot Him If He Runs by Stuart Woods (G. P. Putnam's Sons) is at #12 in its fourth week.

On the hardcover nonfiction list, The Age of Turbulence by Alan Greenspan (Penguin Press holds at #4 in its fifth week.

On the trade paperback fiction list, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead) holds at #3 in its 137th week; and The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards (Penguin) is at #4 in its 70th week. On the mass-market paperback fiction list, The Mist by Stephen King (Signet) moves up to #13 in its second week; The Pillars of The Earth by Ken Follett (Signet) rises to #15 in its second week; and Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward (Signet) is at #16 in its fourth week.

On the paperback nonfiction list, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin) extends its run at #1 to 22 weeks in a row in its 39th overall week; Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin) holds at #4 in its 38th week; The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan (Penguin) stays at #7 in its eighth week; and This is Your Brain On Music by Daniel J. Levitin (Plume) moves up to #13 in its seventh week.

In the young readers sector, on the children's picture book list, Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett (Putnam) is at #2 in its fifth week; Llama Llama Mad at Mama written and illustrated by Anna Dewdney (Viking) rises to #4 in its fifth week; Toy Boat by Randall de Seve, illustrated by Loren Long (Philomel) moves up to #8 in its third week; and Cowboy and Octopus by Jon Scieszka illustrated by Lane Smith (Viking) is at #9 in its seventh week. On the children's paperback list, We're Off to Find the Witch's House by Mr. Kreib, illustrated by R.W. Alley (Puffin) rises to #6 in its fifth week. Finally, Redwall by Brian Jacques (Philomel, hardcover and paperback) holds at #5 in the children's series list in its 44th week, while Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner (Dutton/Puffin) returns to the list at #7 in its third week.

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