Ann Patchett

It is the time of year when we are awash in “Best of” lists, and many worthy publications have put forth their recommendations for the best books of the year that is about to pass us by. A friend of mine professed herself overwhelmed by the lists, and asked me if I would curate them for her.  Here, for Julie and for the rest of you, is my “best of the best,” a list of books I think you should find a time and a place for in your busy schedule.

From Kodiak to Key West, Concord to Carlsbad, Grand Forks to Galveston, in 6,200 towns and cities across America, more than 25,000 World Book Night U.S. volunteers will go out and personally hand out a half million free books to new or light readers on one day: April 23, 2013.

Will eBook adoption Flatten out at 30%  of the Market? (Dear Author) Ann Patchett on books’ future: “I think we’ll be just fine.” (Palm Beach Post) Three e-reading tools I wish existed (Paid Content) German Book Retailers Team Up Against Amazon with New eReader (Reuters) The Three Most Important Lessons We Can Learn From B&N’s Nook [...]

The post Morning Links — Ann Patchett & German e-readers appeared first on TeleRead: News and views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics.

The Department of Justice’s ebook pricing settlement was approved last Thursday, and HarperCollins, one of the three settling publishers, has already entered into new contracts with ebook retailers – including Apple. The retailers can now set their own prices on HarperCollins titles. So what kinds of changes are we seeing? A roundup of select titles (the prices are correct as of Tuesday morning, but are subject to change).

In an effort to make ebook gift-giving more spontaneous and fun, Los Angeles-based startup Livrada is partnering with Target to sell gift cards for bestselling ebook titles like 50 Shades of Grey and Gone Girl in the chain’s 1,771 stores nationwide. The pilot program, which is initially available for Kindle and Nook and will be available on other platforms by the end of the year, launches on Sunday, July 15 with six books. Five are published by Random House: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, 44 Charles Street by Danielle Steel, Odd Thomas by

As the year draws to a close, critics honor best-seller Ann Patchett, newcomer Téa Obreht, and the late David Foster Wallace Téa Obreht's debut novel, "The Tiger's Wife," is among the year's best, and follows a young doctor as she delivers medicine to orphans, while also dealing with the news of her grandfather's death. Photo: www.barnesandnoble.com SEE ALL 10 PHOTOS 1. The Tiger's Wife (Random House, $15) Téa Obreht's debut novel is "unusual in content, wise beyond its author's years, and completely engrossing," said Maya Muir in the Portland Oregonian. Set in an unspecified Balkan country in the aftermath