Penguin Random House Delays Reopening, Inaugural Duende-Word BIPOC Bookseller Awards, and More

by Staff
8.4.20

Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—publishing reports, literary dispatches, academic announcements, and more—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today’s stories.

Penguin Random House has announced it will not reopen its New York City office “until sometime next year.” In a letter to staff, CEO Madeline Macintosh wrote, “The current state of virus risk means that it would not be comfortable or responsible to come back together in our office spaces anytime soon.” In addition to Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster and Macmillan have also confirmed they will not return to their offices in any meaningful capacity before 2021. (Publishers Weekly)

The winners of the inaugural Duende-Word BIPOC Bookseller Awards have been announced. Serena Morales of Books Are Magic won the prize for activism, Rosaura “Chawa” Magaña of Palabras Bilingual Bookstore won for innovation, and Hannah Oliver Depp of Loyalty Bookstores won for leadership. Founded by Duende District and The Word, the awards intend to “celebrate and uplift” independent booksellers of color. (Publishers Weekly)

More than two years ago, several book industry associations came together to establish the Book Industry Health Insurance Partnership, with the goal to determine how to provide healthcare coverage to their members. After an extended research and evaluation phase, eleven associations, including the American Booksellers Association and the Authors Guild, have chosen to partner with Lighthouse Insurance Group. (Shelf Awareness)

James Silberman, an esteemed editor who worked with notable writers such as James Baldwin and Marilyn French, died on July 26 at age ninety-three. (New York Times)

“When you write a poem that succeeds, you are not the same person after writing it that you were before.” Ellen Bass, the author of Indigo, reflects on the essence of poetry. (BOMB)

“We must actually make it new, ‘it’ being nothing less than the country, our attitudes, our priorities, our governance, our vision.” Hermione Hoby searches for new language to weather the pandemic. (Paris Review Daily)

The Millions highlights notable books releasing today, including Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents and Akwaeke Emezi’s The Death of Vivek Oji

The staff at Public Books share the titles on their nightstands.