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Penguin Group (USA) Tops 2008 Publishers Weekly Bestseller Lists

Publishers Weekly recently announced its 2008 bestseller list leaders and Penguin Group (USA) was recognized for its outstanding number of bestsellers.

In an overview essay, PW’s Daisy Maryles wrote: “On the paperback side, Penguin USA had the most impressive performance—32.5% of all paperback slots, a gain of more than 8% in just one year ... In 2008, Penguin had five of the 13 longest-running trade paperback bestsellers (Eat, Pray, Love, Three Cups of Tea, The Kite Runner, A New Earth and The Friday Night Knitting Club), with a total of 205 weeks on the 2008 charts; that adds up to 27% of all available slots on the weekly trade paper lists. Two of its titles—Eat, Pray, Love and Three Cups of Tea— were the only two books last year on the charts every week in 2008.”

Individual Penguin Group (USA) imprints also topped the 2008 PW bestseller charts, with Putnam the runaway adult hardcover leader – with 32 bestsellers, nearly 60 percent more than its closest competitor. In mass market, Berkley topped that list with 22, with two other PGI mass market imprints, Jove (17) and Signet (16), in the top five. Penguin was #1 on the trade paperback list with five.

Congratulations to everyone involved with this stellar bestseller performance!

Two Books from Penguin Group (USA) are Finalists for Edgar Awards
 

Paper Towns by John Green (Dutton Children’s Books) and China Lake by Meg Gardiner (NAL Obsidian) have been named finalists for 2009 Edgar Awards.

Paper Towns is nominated in the Young Adult Mystery Category. In this newest book, Printz Medalist John Green returns with the trademark wit and emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of readers.

China Lake: An Evan Delaney Novel has been nominated in the Best Paperback Original category. Led by a fierce and sardonic female protagonist, China Lake is an intense, razor-sharp mystery set along the California coast. The first in a series of novels featuring Evan Delaney, China Lake introduced Meg Gardiner to appreciative mystery readers on both sides of the Atlantic, including Stephen King who praised Gardiner in one of his columns for Entertainment Weekly.

Sponsored by the Mystery Writers of America, the Edgar Allan Poe Awards are bestowed annually upon authors of distinguished work in various categories of the mystery genre. The Edgars are the most prestigious awards given in the mystery writing field and a nomination is considered to be a badge of excellence for both the author and the publisher.

This year, the Mystery Writers of America will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Edgar Allen Poe. The Edgar Awards will be presented at the MWA's 63rd Gala Banquet on April 30th at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. In addition to our two nominees, Putnam /Berkley’s own Sue Grafton will be one of the Grand Masters for this year’s event.

Listen to a podcast and watch a video with John Green as he discusses Paper Towns here.
 

ESPN to Air Exclusive Interview with Kirk Radomski, Author of the Embargoed Bases Loaded: The Inside Story of the Steroid Era in Baseball, by the Central Figure in the Mitchell Report

This Sunday, January 25th, the television exclusive of Kirk Radomski, author of Bases Loaded (Hudson Street Press), will air on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines.” This hour-long exclusive interview is the first Radomski will do about his book in advance of the book's release on Tuesday, January 27th. In addition to the broadcast, the interview will be replayed on ESPN & ESPN2 on “Sportscenter,” “First Take” and available on ESPN.com. There will also be a print exclusive interview with writer Mike Fish which will appear prior to the airing of “Outside the Lines” on Sunday. The central figure in the Mitchell report, Radomski was the main clubhouse supplier of performance-enhancing drugs to almost three hundred baseball players. In Bases Loaded, he recounts what baseball knew about the problem, his life since the report came out, and who took what. Stay tuned for lots more national media to come.
 

Ace Author Jeff Carlson Nominated for Phillip K. Dick Award

Jeff Carlson’s Plague War, has been nominated for the 2008 Philip K. Dick Award for distinguished science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States. The Philip K. Dick Award is sponsored by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society and Philip K. Dick Trust. The award is presented during a ceremony at the NorthWest Science Fiction Society’s annual convention, Norwescon. The 2009 convention will be held in Seattle, WA from April 9th-12th, 2009.

Carlson is an up-and-coming author in the science fiction genre. His first book, the post-apocalyptic survivalist thriller, Plague Year was published in 2008 and garnered a lot of attention from reviewers and readers alike. Plague War is the second book in the series.

For more information about the Phillip K. Dick Award, click here.

Also check out the trailer for Plague War here.
 

The Guerrilla Girls Win College Art Association’s “Distinguished Feminist Award”

The Guerrilla Girls, authors of the Penguin books Bitches, Bimbos, and Ballbreakers: The Guerrilla Girls' Illustrated Guide to Female Stereotypes and The Guerrilla Girls' Bedside Companion to the History of Western Art have been selected as winners of the 2009 Awards for Distinction by the College Art Association, in the Distinguished Feminist Award category.

The judges said: “In many ways the Guerrilla Girls, recipients of CAA’s inaugural Distinguished Feminist Award, embody the very spirit of the feminist art world: collaborative, proactive, and persistent. Since 1985, members of the group have harassed, entertained, shamed, and moved the art world with their direct campaigns that provide statistical information on the inequities of the art world. Their masked appearances and performances, as well as their public posters, have precisely and pertinently “called out” the art world on its practices and habitual behaviors, using humor and satire to expose gender bias, gender erasure, and gender-centric concepts of creativity and genius. The Guerrilla Girls also won CAA’s Frank Jewett Mather Award in 2004.”

The CAA awards, recognizing outstanding member achievements in the areas of art and art history, will be formally presented at the 97th Annual Conference of the College Art Association on February 25th at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Downtown Los Angeles.
 

Two-Part Miniseries of The Last Templar Debuts on NBC

The NBC television network will air a two-part, four-hour miniseries of Raymond Khoury’s New York Times bestselling novel The Last Templar (Signet) this weekend. Oscar-winner Mira Sorvino stars as Tess Chaykin, a Manhattan archeologist who is pulled into an international mystery when four horsemen, dressed as Templar knights, burst into a gala celebrating Vatican artifacts at the Metropolitan Museum. During the chaos they steal one specific treasure and vanish into the night. FBI Agent Sean Daley, played by Scott Foley (“The Unit,” “Felicity”), is also put on the case and together with Tess, sets off on an amazing adventure in hopes of finding the truth behind the Templar Knights' greatest secret.

“The Last Templar” runs on NBC (channel 4 in the NYC area) on January 25th and 26th at 9:00 pm. For more information about the film, click here. Current editions of the Signet paperback feature a burst on the cover with information about the movie.
 

NAL's YA Imprint, JAM, Makes First Appearance on the New York Times Bestseller List with Morganville Vampires

For the week of January 25th, Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampires series landed in the # 7 spot on the Children's Series list. The series, which is published in paperback by NAL's young adult imprint, JAM, follows Claire Danvers, a girl whose college town is overrun with vampires. To save her life, Claire must either join forces with the vampire hunters or form alliances with the undead—and pledge herself to the most powerful among them.

The fifth book in the series, Lord of Misrule, went on sale on January 6th, and the sixth book, Carpe Corpus, is scheduled to be published in June 2009.
 

Rave Reviews for Film Adapted by Riverhead’s Nick Hornby at the Sundance Film Festival

A movie written by Riverhead author Nick Hornby (pictured) generated big buzz and picked up a major Hollywood distributor at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, which ends this weekend. With a screenplay that Hornby adapted from an autobiographical essay by author Lynn Barber, An Education, quickly became one of Sundance’s hot tickets, receiving rapturous praise from film critics. Kennenth Turan from The Los Angeles Times raved, “Probably the jewel of all the festival's dramatic films, and sure to be one of the best films of the year.” And Salon’s critic Andrew O’Hehir declared, “There's no movie in this festival that's quite as ravishing, as witty, as well-acted or as satisfying overall as An Education.”

Starring British actress Carey Mulligan, whose performance drew comparisons to a young Audrey Hepburn, and Peter Sarsgaard, the movie follows a young girl in 1960’s England who falls in love with an older man. Directed by Lone Scherfig and produced by Nick’s wife Amanda Posey, An Education was quickly picked up for U.S. distribution by Sony Classics.

Hornby’s most recent novel Slam has been on The New York Times children’s paperback list for fifteen weeks and counting.
 

Five Skies Selected for “Reading Across Rhode Island”

Five Skies by Ron Carlson (Viking/Penguin) has been selected as the 2009 pick for the Reading Across Rhode Island program. The Rhode Island Center for the Book will promote Five Skies to all Rhode Islanders to read as the One Book, One State selection. A committee of 20 readers selected Five Skies, calling it a beautifully descriptive novel of friendship and redemption.”

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead); The Memory of Running by Ron Carlson (Penguin); and The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (Penguin) have all been previous selections of the Reading Across Rhode Island Program. For more information, click here.

Listen to a podcast with Ron Carlson and explore the Five Skies reading group guide.
 

Avery Author and Tennis Legend Monica Seles Elected to International Tennis Hall of Fame

Monica Seles, a nine-time Grand Slam champion, has just been inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Class of 2009. Her career highlights include 53 single hits and a bronze medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. She participated in the Australian Open, US Open, and French Open (where she was the youngest champion in history at 16 years old). She is tied for fifth on the all-time Grand Slam wins list with Serena Williams. She spent over three years as the #1 women’s player in the world. Tennis magazine lists Monica as the 13th greatest tennis player of all time (men and women).

Avery is publishing Monica’s revealing memoir about her remarkable journey through fame, tragedy, and self-discovery. Getting A Grip (on sale in April) chronicles her rise to fame at such a young age, her brutal attack by a deranged fan, her issues with weight and depression, death of a loved one, and everything between losing and getting back control of her life. By sharing her own narrative, Monica hopes to motivate other people to take control of their own lives and their own happiness.

Great media is already being lined up for this highly anticipated book. Starting in April, Monica will be interviewed on ABC’s “20/20” and “Good Morning America.” She will also appear in Vogue, Readers Digest, First for Women, Self Magazine, Lifestyle Magazine, with much more to come.
 

Penguin Author Kaya McLaren Hits the Road for Her Book Tour...On Skateboard!

Penguin author Kaya McLaren enjoyed herself as she skateboarded to and from event to event to promote her novels Church of the Dog and On the Divinity of Second Chances (on-sale 4/28) at the Pulpwood Queen Weekend Author Extravaganza 2009 Great Big Ball of Hair Ball. Pictured here in the gown she designed herself with tights decorated with copy from her novels, Kaya was the life of the party!
 

The New York Times Bestseller Highlights for the Week of January 25th

The New York Times Bestseller Highlights for the Week of February 1st

Two new debuts for Penguin Group (USA) for the week of February 1st: Mounting Fears by Stuart Woods (G. P. Putnam's Sons) is #4 on the hardcover fiction list and The Piano Teacher by Janice Y.K. Lee (Viking) is #11, also on the hardcover fiction list.

Here are more New York Times bestseller highlights:

On the hardcover fiction list, Black Ops by W.E.B. Griffin (G. P. Putnam’s Sons) is #3 in its third week; Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell (G. P. Putnam’s Sons) is #6 in its seventh week week, and From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris (Ace) is #12 in its fourth week.

On the hardcover nonfiction list, Why We Suck by Denis Leary (Viking) is #6 in its ninth week; and The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson (The Penguin Press) is #10 in its sixth week.

On the trade paperback fiction list, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead) is #5 in its eighth week; People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (Penguin) is #6 in its third week; The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz (Riverhead) is #10 in its 20th week; World Without End by Ken Follett (NAL) is #17 in its fifteenth week; and The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs (Berkley) is #18 in its 48th week.

On the mass market paperback list, Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (Ace) is #7 in its nineteenth week; The Pagan Stone by Nora Roberts (Jove) is #8 in its eighth week; The Shooters by W.E.B. Griffin (Jove) is #10 in its third week; Star Bright by Catherine Anderson (Signet) is #11 in its second week; Betrayal by John Lescroart (Signet) is #13 in its third week; Murder Game by Christine Feehan (Jove) is #15 in its third week; T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton (Berkley) is #17 in its eighth week; Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (Ace) is #18 in its eighteenth week; and Club Dead by Charlaine Harris (Ace) is #20 in its fourteenth week.

On the paperback nonfiction list, Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (Penguin) is #4 in its 103rd week; Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (Penguin) is #10 in its 104th week; and The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan (Penguin) is #12 in its 70th week.

On the advice, how-to, and miscellaneous paperback list, A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle (Plume) is #9 in its 49th week.

In the young readers sector, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher (Razorbill) is #5 in its thirteenth week on the children’s chapter books list. On the children’s paperback books list, Barack Obama by Roberta Edwards, illustrated by Ken Call (Grosset & Dunlap) is #3 in its 21st week; Barack Obama: United States President by Roberta Edwards, illustrated by Ken Call (Grosset & Dunlap) is #4 in its second week; and Slam by Nick Hornby (Riverhead) is #8 in its fifteenth week. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (Razorbill) is #9 on the children’s series list in its fifth week.
 

New This Week

Wired for War by P.W. Singer (The Penguin Press, on sale now)

An amazing revolution is taking place on the battlefield, starting to change not just how wars are fought, but also the politics, economics, laws, and ethics that surround war itself. This upheaval is already afoot—remote-controlled drones take out terrorists in Afghanistan, while the number of unmanned systems on the ground in Iraq has gone from zero to 12,000 over the last five years. But it is only the start. Military officers quietly acknowledge that new prototypes will soon make human fighter pilots obsolete, while the Pentagon researches tiny robots the size of flies to carry out reconnaissance work now handled by elite Special Forces troops.

In Wired for War, P.W. Singer takes the reader on a journey to meet the myriad players in this strange new world of technology and war: odd-ball roboticists working in latter-day “skunk works” in the midst of suburbia; military pilots flying combat mission from their office cubicles outside Las Vegas; the Iraqi insurgents who are their targets; journalists trying to figure out just how to cover robots at war; and human rights activists wrestling with what is right and wrong in a world where our wars are increasingly being handed over to machines.

Packed with cutting-edge research and rare interviews with everyone from four star Army generals and Middle East leaders to reclusive science fiction authors, Wired for War seamlessly weaves in pop culture and illuminating anecdotes to create a book that is both highly readable and accessible. In laying out where technology is taking us to next, Wired for War is as fascinating as it is frightening.

Upcoming media includes an interview on “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross airing 1/22; Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” on 1/29; and reviews in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times Book Review, Military Review, Financial Times, Foreign Policy, and Quarterly Journal of Military History, among others.

Lords of Finance by Liaquat Ahamed (The Penguin Press, on sale now)

As economic turmoil and financial instability dominate headlines today, and many of us wonder how severe this crisis may become, the Great Depression and the year 1929 remain the benchmark for true financial mayhem. It is commonly believed that the Great Depression resulted from a confluence of events beyond any one person’s or government’s control. In Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World, Liaquat Ahamed offers a bold, insightful new analysis of the world economic collapse of the late 1920s and reveals that it was, in fact, the decisions taken by a small number of central bankers that were the primary cause of the economic meltdown, the effects of which set the stage for WWII and reverberated for decades to follow.

In Lords of Finance, Ahamed introduces the “World’s Most Exclusive Club,” comprising the men in charge of the four principal central banks of the world; four once prominent names that have largely been lost to history. In the 1920s, very much like today, the actions of central bankers were a major center of focus, and the story of the relationship between these four men, as well as their respective countries, allows us to better understand the role of individual decisions in global finance markets. As engrossing as it is relevant, this is the remarkable story of the men behind the financial policies that led to the Great Depression ?and stands as a powerful reminder of the potential fragility and instability of the world’s economic system.

Already having received rave reviews in the likes of The New York Times, Financial Times, and the Economist, Lords of Finance is also assigned for review in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, New Yorker, Boston Globe, and Seattle Times, among others. A national publicity campaign includes numerous national and local radio interviews and coverage on C-Span’s Book TV.

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, on sale now)

Drawing comparisons to Chocolat or, as in a recent review in the Los Angeles Times, to Isak Dinesen’s Babette’s Feast, The School of Essential Ingredients is an exquisitely written debut that explores the sensuous powers of food on the lives of a diverse cast of characters. The book traces the story of eight women and men from very different walks of life as they gather for a weekly cooking class at a local restaurant. Brought together by the power of food and companionship, the lives of the characters mingle and intertwine, united by the revealing nature of what can be created in the kitchen. Publishers Weekly praised Erica’s ability to “seduce the senses.” The novel has been named a February 2009 Indie Next Pick. Over the next few weeks, Erica Bauermeister is scheduled to appear at bookstores in Seattle, Los Angeles and Portland.

Click here for an interview with Erica Bauermeister.

Three Cups of Tea Young Reader’s Edition by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin (Dial HC and Puffin PB) and Listen to the Wind by Greg Mortenson and Susan L. Roth (Dial) (on sale now)

Greg Mortenson’s Three Cups of Tea (Viking/ Penguin) has become a worldwide phenomenon and bestselling sensation (with over 100 weeks on the New York Times best seller list), that is changing public consciousness, foreign policy, and is opening people’s hearts and minds.

Now Mortenson extends his remarkable humanitarian campaign to an audience that has a huge potential to change the world: young readers. On January 22nd, Penguin Young Readers Group published two new titles: Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Journey to Change the World… One Child at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, adapted by Sarah Thomson (Puffin; Chapter Book; Ages 8 and up) and Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three (Dial; Picture Book; Ages 6-8)

With a foreword from Jane Goodall, the young reader’s edition includes an exclusive Q&A with Greg’s twelve-year-old daughter, Amira Mortenson, who has traveled with her father as an advocate for the Pennies for Peace program for children. It also includes brand-new photos and maps.

Mortenson kicked off a 12-city tour on January 22nd with appearances on the "Today" show and the CBS Evening News, and an event at the Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Center. Major confirmed media includes: Good Housekeeping (feature), People, TIME for Kids, “The Tavis Smiley Show,” NPR’s “All Things Considered,” Family Circle, AARP, Junior Scholastic, The Miami Herald, The Chicago Tribune, and more.

Visit our Three Cups of Tea feature page to discover videos, a teacher’s guide, Q&A and more.

Expect to Win by Carla Harris (Hudson Street Press, on sale now)

Carla Harris is a Wall Street veteran. She executed the IPOs for UPS, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and Redback, as well as the $3.2 billion common stock transaction for Immunex, one of the largest biotech common stock offerings in U.S. history. In Expect to Win, one of Wall Street’s most powerful and lauded women shares her strategies for long-term success in any career. It is a must-read for anyone seeking battle-tested tools to triumph over common career challenges and to achieve maximum success in any field.

Carla will be on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” next Tuesday, January 27th, for a live 30 minute interview. Essence magazine will feature the book in their February Issue (on-stands now), and Pink magazine will feature it in their February/March Issue.

What Every American Should Know About the Middle East by Melissa Rossi (Plume, on sale now)

Geo-political journalist Melissa Rossi's What Every American Should Know about The Middle East, the latest in her What Every American Should Know series, gives a timely primer on one of the most complex and important regions of the world. As the region's current crisis unfolds before us daily, Rossi provides clear analysis of the issues behind them, delving into each country's history, politics, economy and religions.

Rossi's line-up of national appearances so far include Air America's "Ring of Fire", Fox News Radio's "Mancow Muller", the syndicated "Russ Parr Program", as well as a 20-city radio satellite tour to stations across the country. In addition, Rossi's razor sharp political commentary is one of the newest additions to the blog team at HuffingtonPost.com. Upcoming, Rossi will appear on Air America's "Thom Hartmann Show" on 1/29 and WNYC's "Leonard Lopate Show" (NPR) on 1/23.

New Next Week

Why Evolution Is True by Jerry Coyne (Viking, 1/26)

In time for the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth comes Jerry Coyne’s Why Evolution Is True. It has already received a starred review in PW, as well as outstanding reviews in Library Journal as well as the Boston Globe. Wired Magazine called it “…one of the best single-volume introductions to evolutionary theory ever”. Reviews from Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, Discover Magazine and others to come with its on sale date.

Pictures at a Revolution by Mark Harris (Penguin, 1/27)

Pictures at a Revolution, which follows five movies nominated for Best Picture in the cultural watershed year of 1967 from their origination through the creative process, swept the major year-end best-of lists in hardcover, including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Salon.com, Entertainment Weekly, Newsday and the Booklist “Top of the List” for 2008.

Now available for the first time in paperback, Pictures at a Revolution shares not only an inside look at a crucial time in film history, but also a new perspective on the cultural revolution of the 1960s and critical look at the Oscars. With unprecedented access to the actors, directors, screenwriters, producers, and executives whose movies defined the era, as well as a wealth of previously unexplored archival material, Harris delivers a never-before-seen account of the formation of the movies that revolutionized Hollywood.

Unpolished Gem by Alice Pung (Plume, 1/27)

After Alice Pung’s family fled to Australia from the killing fields of Cambodia, her father chose Alice as her name because he thought their new country was a Wonderland. In this lyrical, bittersweet debut memoir—already an award-winning bestseller when it was published in Australia—Alice grows up straddling two worlds, East and West, her insular family and the Australia outside.

Unpolished Gem was featured in USA Today’s memoir roundup this week, saying “revelations about her painful adolescence and bouts with depression are brutally honest and recounted with superlative narrative skills.” The book also received glowing reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, and a starred review from Kirkus.

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