For a special issue August 24 about Halloween books and retailing, Shelf Awareness is seeking information from publishers about their four or five (please, no more) most important current and backlist Halloween titles and from booksellers about Halloween trends, how they merchandise and promote for Halloween, big Halloween titles, and more. Please send information to news@shelf-awareness.com. Thank you!
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| Reverie Books' current location | |
Reverie Books in South Austin, Tex., is fundraising to expand by opening a second South Austin location, called Reverie Books (Way South). The larger storefront will feature a venue space and coffee/wine bar. The current location at the Crockett Center in South Austin on Menchaca Road will remain open. To help close its fundraising gap, Reverie has launched an Indiegogo campaign, with a goal of $30,000 to "make" the fundraiser (with almost $6,000 raised so far) and $75,000 stretch goal to stay out of debt.
Owner Thais Perkins left her career in nonprofit environmental sciences to open Reverie Books in late 2021, "with a mission to create the kind of neighborhood bookstore where readers could discover their next favorite book, where kids could grow up surrounded by stories, where queer people, BIPOC people, artists, writers, and all neighbors could feel welcome. A place where community mattered more than capitalism, as evidenced by the dedication of all marketing dollars to nonprofit givebacks and their banned book giveaway program," she said.
Over the past five years, Reverie has outgrown its small space in Crockett Center. "We are constantly forced to choose between carrying more books, creating more community space, or simply having enough room for people to browse comfortably, let alone host author events in the Texas heat," Perkins said. "We'd like to have more than one intern at a time! And we'd like room to sit down!" With this second location, Reverie Books aims to:
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| (photo: Ranok Publishing) | |
A Russian bombing attack on August 1 hit an automated publishing distribution center in Ukraine, "destroying approximately eight million books, continuing a campaign of 'deliberate' assault on the country's book industry," the Bookseller reported. Two Russian drones hit a RNK-Ranok Publishing warehouse outside of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city.
RNK-Ranok CEO Victor Kruglov said: "Two jet-powered drones struck the same location. This means it was a deliberately planned attack to destroy textbooks and Ukrainian books." In addition to education and children's specialist RNK-Ranok's own stock, the attack affected other publishers distributed by the company. The warehouse was also used by KnyhoLand, one of Ukraine's biggest book chains, to process customer orders.
"Our Ukrainian publishing colleagues have consistently been targeted during this terrible war waged by Russia," said Gvantsa Jobava, president of the International Publishers Association. 'They are bravely fighting to keep Ukrainian culture alive, to keep Ukrainian children learning. The international publishing community must keep finding ways to support our Ukrainian colleagues and all those publishers continuing their work in war time."
Jessica Sänger, chair of the IPA's Freedom to Publish Committee, added: "These attacks on Ukrainian books are part of a despicable attempt to erase Ukrainian culture. We cannot stop the wars but we can support our colleagues in war zones and find ways to keep them publishing the books that their communities need."
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The Book Trade Charity has named Andrew Franklin, founder of Profile Books, as president, and Meryl Halls, managing director of the Booksellers Association of the U.K. & Ireland, as chair, the Bookseller reported. The organization supports people across the book trade and their families through grants, housing and practical help when it is most needed.
Franklin, who succeeds Isobel Dixon, said: "The Book Trade Charity has a remarkable history, but its purpose remains urgent. Behind every book, every bookseller and every publisher are people, and sometimes those people need a helping hand when times are tough. I am honored to become president and to have the opportunity to support the charity on the eve of its 190th year. I hope to help broaden its reach, deepen its connections, and make the case across the trade for the financial support it needs. I am very much looking forward to working with Meryl, the board and the team at the charity to help it fulfill its full potential."
Halls, who takes over as chair from Ian Chapman, commented: "I am delighted to be taking on the role of chair of the Book Trade Charity. It is a privilege to support a charity that does so much to help people across our trade when they need it most. I look forward to working with the board, staff team and supporters to build on the excellent foundations laid by Ian and Isobel. This small charity punches well above its weight and during these challenging times our mission is more vital than ever."
Vic Perry, CEO of the Book Trade Charity, said: "We are enormously grateful to Ian and Isobel for everything they have done for the Book Trade Charity.... Their combined contribution has greatly strengthened the charity at an important time, and I'm thrilled that they have both agreed to become ambassadors for the charity, working to raise profile and funds for our work. It is incredible to be welcoming Meryl and Andrew to the Book Trade Charity and I'm thoroughly excited about this next chapter--I know that together we can achieve so much."
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From the Australian Booksellers Association newsletter: "And in what must surely be one of the bookshop stories of the year.... Fiction and Friction, the indie romance bookshop in Murray Bridge, S.A., found itself making headlines after owner Natalie was forced to ask teenagers to stop using the shop couches for intimate encounters. The story was picked up by the Advertiser (subscription) and even made its way onto the Today show."
Pamela MacColl, longtime head of publicity and external communications at Beacon Press, is retiring from the publisher after 27 years, effective at the end of August. She began her career at Scribner's when the publishing company was still located above the famed bookstore on Fifth Avenue. From there she went to New American Library and then to Random House, working with the long-time publicity director Carol Schneider and publicizing books by authors such as comedian Jonathan Winters, political activist Tom Hayden, and Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder.
MacColl joined Beacon Press in 1999, working with New York publishing alums Helene Atwan and Tom Hallock. She significantly increased coverage in major outlets, from book review and op-ed pages to broadcast media across the country, Beacon said. She worked with some of the press's key authors, including Marian Wright Edelman, Michael Patrick MacDonald, Robert Moses, Anita Hill, Lani Guiner, Cornel West, Mary Oliver, Octavia Butler, Bill Ayers, Rashid Khalidi, Reverand Dr. William Barber, Jeanne Theoharis, Judy Heumann, Danielle Ofri, and Ralph Eubanks. She has also played a vital role in stewarding works connected to the legacy of Dr. Viktor Frankl, and his foundational book, Man's Search for Meaning.
In recent years, Pamela has led her team through profound changes in the publishing and media industries. From shifts in technology and distribution to evolving reader expectations and market realities, she remained steadfast in her commitment to books, authors, and the social justice mission that has long defined Beacon Press.
Beacon Press director Gayatri Patnaik said, "Pam embodies the perfect blend of being a razor-sharp reader and a powerhouse publicist. Like a terrier with a bone, she would latch onto a book and vigorously shake out every ounce of media coverage to be had. Year after year, it was an absolute thrill to watch her channel that tenacity into championing Beacon Press's values, often transforming the trajectory of the authors she represented."
Beacon Press associate publisher Sanj Kharbanda said, "Pam's passion and determination meant that Beacon's books and authors were always championed with energy, creativity, and unwavering commitment, no matter how challenging the media landscape became. She always gave more than 100%, inspiring those around her to do the same. I am grateful to Pam for being a wonderful mentor, a trusted guide, and for helping me become a better publishing colleague. Her impact will be felt for years to come."
Eight : Twenty Eight, a Christian bookstore, opened earlier this summer in Mitchell, S.Dak., the Mitchell Republic reported.
Located at 613 N. Main St., Eight : Twenty Eight sells Bibles, Christian books, apparel, children's toys, and gifts, and has an espresso bar. Owner Kalli Mimmack left a 14-year career in healthcare to start the bookstore and named it after the Bible verse Romans 8:28. Mimmack hopes the bookstore becomes a hub for hosting church groups and Bible study sessions.
Mimmack told the Mitchell Republic the store has been well-received since opening, with strong sales, especially of "Bible in a Year" reading guides, and community members stopping by to introduce themselves. "I'm feeling pretty lucky to do this every day," Mimmack said.
Per the Mitchell Republic, the town had been without a bookstore since the Reader's Den closed in 2021.
Martha Rivers Ingram, longtime chairman of Ingram Industries and "Nashville's First Lady of the Arts," died last Thursday at age 90. She was a businesswoman, fierce supporter of the arts and education, philanthropist, and civic leader. Among many survivors is John Ingram, chairman of Ingram Industries and Ingram Content Group.
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| Martha Ingram | |
A native of Charleston, S.C., Ingram received a bachelor's degree in history at Vassar College, then worked with her father at WCSC Inc., radio and television stations in Charleston, and was a deejay for a classical music program on WCSC-FM.
In 1958, she married E. Bronson Ingram, and they moved to Nashville three years later. When he died in 1995, she became chairman of Ingram Industries and was on the board of directors of several public companies, including Baxter International, Ingram Micro, Regions Financial Corporation, and Weyerhaeuser Company. In 1995, she was elected to the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust, and served as the Chairman of the Board of Trust from 1999 until 2011. She also was a trustee of Vassar College, Ashley Hall, and the Harpeth Hall School. In 1992, Governor Ned McWherter appointed Ingram to chair the Tennessee Bicentennial Commission, which commemorated the state's admission to the United States.
Ingram was a lifelong supporter of the arts. She was the board chair of the Advent Theater, Nashville's first professional repertory company, and helped develop the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and helped establish the Tennessee Repertory Theater (now Nashville Repertory Theatre). She served on the boards of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, Nashville Ballet, Nashville Opera, Nashville Symphony, Frist Center for the Visual Arts, and the Spoleto Festival U.S.A. in Charleston. She was instrumental in the building of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville and the Gaillard Center in Charleston. She served as KeyBoard Chairperson of Blair School of Music. The Martha Rivers Ingram Center for the Performing Arts at the Blair School is named after her.
Ingram received numerous honors: President Richard Nixon appointed her to the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts for the John F. Kennedy Center; she has a star on the Music City Walk of Fame; and Belmont University presented her with the Applause Award. The State Hermitage Museum and the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts presented her with the Gold Medal in the Arts Award for her lifetime achievements supporting the arts. She has been honored with the Order of the Palmetto from South Carolina, and she was inducted into the Junior Achievement National Business Hall of Fame. She received the Joe Kraft Humanitarian Award; De Tocqueville Award; and the AJLI Mary Harriman Community Leadership Award. In 2005, Ingram received an honorary degree from the Baker School of Business at the Citadel.
Several significant sites bear her name: the Martha Rivers Ingram Garden Courtyard at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center; a bronze statue of her in front of Ingram Commons on the Vanderbilt campus; the Martha Rivers Ingram Art Center at Ashley Hall; and the Martha Rivers and E. Bronson Ingram Library addition at Vassar College.
Visitation with the family is scheduled for August 13, 4-7 p.m., at St. George's Episcopal Church, 4715 Harding Pike, Nashville. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on August 14, at St. George's Episcopal Church. A private graveside service will be held for the family after the funeral service. Pallbearers will be her grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to any of Ingram's favorite arts groups or Vanderbilt University.
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The Book Industry Study Group is marking its 50th anniversary this year with a Book Publishing Next Forum and Anniversary Celebration on September 16 at the New York Historical (formerly the New-York Historical Society). As a prelude, BISG has been holding regional parties to celebrate the anniversary. One BISG@50 Meet-Up took place recently at Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tenn. Pictured, from left: Jenna Phillips (Vanderbilt University Press), Thomas Minkus (Veristage), Hannah Johnson (Veristage), Heather Cass (Ingram), Janice Butler (Ingram), Tom Clarkson (Cumberland Systems Group), Rebecca Burgoyne (The United Methodist Publishing House, and daughter of Tom Clarkson), Liz Hunter (Ingram), Maria Baker (Macmillan), and, in front, fifth-grader and avid reader Ava Freedman, great-granddaughter of Tom Clarkson.
"Our booksellers went to New Voices New Rooms 2026 hosted by @naibabooksellers and @siba_books this past week," Park Books, with stores in Severna Park, Annapolis, and Sykesville, Md., posted on Instagram. "They learned so much from their fellow booksellers! We can't wait to see them put those things into action in the store. They obviously also had to goof around a little bit too."
"Buster's watching over the store on this beautiful #caturday.... Come say hi before he tucks in for a nap," Split Rock Books in Cold Spring, N.Y., noted on Instagram.
Ines Walenta has joined MVB, which in the U.S. operates Pubnet, Pubeasy, and Publishing Perspectives, and will head the marketing & communications division, succeeding Ines Roth, who has left the company. Most recently, Walenta built and led the marketing department at Chargemaker, a charging infrastructure provider. Previously, she worked as a marketing specialist at the European headquarters of the international automotive supplier Nemak, as well as at various agencies in Frankfurt, including as account director at the communications and branding agency Damm & Bierbaum.
Pumpkin and Beetle: Super Secret Garden by Jannie Ho (Holiday House).
Today:
Today: Sissy Goff and David Thomas, authors of Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience (Baker Publishing, $24.99, 9780764245329).
Good Morning America: Caroline Chambers, author What to Cook When You Don't Feel Like Cooking: Make It Fast (Union Square & Co., $35, 9781454963264).
The View repeat: J.D. Vance, author of Communion: Finding My Way Back to Faith (Harper, $35, 9780063575011).
Tamron Hall repeat: Priscilla Presley, co-author of Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis (Grand Central, $32, 9780306836480).
Tomorrow:
Today: Omi Hopper, author of Cooking con Omi: A Love Letter to Puerto Rican Home Cooking (Ten Speed Press, $32.99, 9780593837689).
Tamron Hall repeat: Faith Roberson, author of What Stays and What Goes: Organize with Intention and Create Space for Grace (Scribner, $28, 9781668011744).
Late Night with Seth Meyers repeat: Sabrina Rudin, author of Healthy with a Side of Happy: 100 Plant-Based Recipes to Feed Your Family (Union Square & Co., $35, 9781454956587).
Casting is now complete for Nina Raine's (Consent, Tribes, Tiger Country) two-part adaptation of George Eliot's classic novel Middlemarch, Playbill reported. Directed by Jeremy Herrin, the Royal Shakespeare Company production will play the RSC's Swan Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon. Part 1 begins performances October 2 and Part 2 on October 10. The limited engagement will continue through January 16, 2027, with opening performances October 28.
The company will be led by Nia Towle as Dorothea Brooke, with Amanda Root as George Eliot and Mrs. Cadwallader, John Hodgkinson as Mr. Bulstrode and Borthrop Trumbull, Rory Alexander as Will Ladislaw, and Andrew Richardson as Tertius Lydgate. The cast also includes Lizzie Annis, Gunnar Cauthery, Ian Drysdale, Dave Fishley, Peter Forbes, Ebenezer Gyau, Penny Layden, Emma McDonald, and Anita Reynolds.
"George Eliot's Middlemarch is an entertaining story full of great humanity, wisdom, and wit," Herrin said. "Nina Raine has distilled this epic beloved novel into a very beautiful play in two parts, which has attracted a great ensemble and creative team to the Swan. I can't wait to explore its many pertinent themes: family, marriage, love, purpose, religion, morality, and more. Theatre is a great form for a story that luxuriates in how we are all essentially connected."
Semifinalists have been chosen for the 2025 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Awards, which recognize "excellence in thoroughbred sport literature" and are sponsored by Castleton Lyons farm. Finalists will be announced later this month and the winner will be celebrated at a ceremony on November 4. The semifinalists:
The Racetracks of America: From the Pre-Civil War Days to the 21st Century edited by Brien Bouyea
Pryor Knowledge: Horse Racing, Love, and Slavery in the Antebellum South by M.B. Gibson
Death of a Racehorse: An American Story by Katie Bo Lillis
When Montana Outraced the East: The Reign of Western Thoroughbreds 1886-1900 by Catharine Melin-Moser
Reinventing the American Thoroughbred: The Arabian Adventures of Alexander Keene Richards by Gary A. O'Dell
Racing's Return from the Brink: The Incredible Comeback of Old Rosebud and American Horse Racing by James C. Nicholson.
An honorable mention went to The Greatest Racehorse? Man o' War and the Judgment of History by Mark Shrager.
Music Against the Night by Yiyun Li (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $29 hardcover, 352p., 9780374613051, October 13, 2026)
What happens when two gifted musicians who are wrong for each other get married? In the first volume of what is being billed as the Nocturne trilogy, Yiyun Li presents one such couple by exploring the formative years of the Irish composer John Field (1782-1837), who "would become a footnote in the life of Frédéric Chopin," and the French pianist Adelaide Percheron (1790-1869). These musicians would later marry and have, according to history, a spectacularly unhappy union, in large part due to Field's drinking and infidelities, and Percheron's resentment at her husband's unfaithfulness and her comparative lack of recognition as an artist. This fine work explores their early individual experiences and, one assumes, sets up the tragedy of the marriage to come.
Li's surprising trip into Romantic-era storytelling spans the years before their marriage and shifts perspectives throughout. She starts with Field, born in Dublin, a prodigy who heard from everyone that he was destined to become the next Mozart; his musician grandfather told him early on that "there's gold to be made from music," adding that musicians are "better than any king in Christendom." The story then follows Field through his musical and emotional maturation, from his lessons with Tommaso Giordani, an Italian composer and teacher, to his initial successful concerts and eventual passage to London, where he trains with Muzio Clementi, who encourages him to never stop selling himself if he wants a career.
Percheron, meanwhile, was born in French India and orphaned at age three; her mother died shortly after childbirth, and her father was subsequently killed during the Siege of Pondicherry. Being an ambitious woman in the late 18th and early 19th centuries is hard enough--her governess tells the budding pianist, "It's not a girl's job to be Mozart, or Handel, or Bach"--but also working against her is her Pondicherry birth. The denizens of Paris look down upon her when she travels there in 1804 to pursue her passion for the pianoforte; a maid disparagingly refers to "primitives," and Percheron makes the painful discovery that she "was not considered French by most people she met."
A Pulitzer Prize winner for Things in Nature Merely Grow, her gut-wrenchingly poetic memoir about the suicides of her two teenage sons, Li relies more heavily on backstory and research in this novel than her other works. Nonetheless, readers fascinated by stories of musicians' early years and the forces that shape them will appreciate the music she makes with this delicate and heartfelt work. --Michael Magras, freelance book reviewer
Shelf Talker: Yiyun Li's Music Against the Night tells the story of the formative years of two musicians who will one day marry: John Field, the celebrated Irish composer, and Adelaide Percheron, a French pianist.
