Daily Book News

DAILY SUMMARY:

PRH’s profits fell 4.7% while Callaway Arts & Entertainment filed for Chapter 11, joining Albert Whitman’s ongoing reorganisation. More cheerfully, the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction has its six-book shortlist — Arundhati Roy’s memoir among the contenders — and Han Kang is adding another award to her collection. At 92, Gloria Steinem has a new memoir deal. On the indie front, Authors Equity’s deal to publish the Substack founder’s memoir raises sharp questions about who, exactly, is disrupting whom.

Publishing Industry News

PRH Profits Fell 4.7% in 2025

Penguin Random House’s operating profit fell 4.7% to €704 million in 2025, though total revenue rose 1.3% to €5 billion. Parent company Bertelsmann attributed the profit decline to growth-related expenses in the US core business and unfavourable exchange rate effects.

Callaway Arts & Entertainment Files for Bankruptcy

Callaway Arts & Entertainment, the publisher and entertainment company founded in 1980 by Nicholas Callaway, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the Southern District of New York. Among its largest creditors is its distributor Hachette, to which it owes $1.7 million.

Albert Whitman Files New Reorganization Plan

Albert Whitman, a children’s publisher that filed for bankruptcy nearly two years ago, has submitted a new reorganization plan that would pay authors and illustrators approximately half of what they are owed over five years. The company owes unsecured creditors about $2 million in total.

Federal Judge Denies Motion to Dismiss DoDEA Book Removal Case

A federal judge has rejected an effort to dismiss a First Amendment complaint against five Department of Defense Education Activity schools, which removed 596 library books in response to White House executive orders. Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles denied the motion, allowing the lawsuit to proceed.

Women’s Prize for Nonfiction 2026 Shortlist Announced

The Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction 2026 has unveiled its six-book shortlist, featuring a memoir by Arundhati Roy among the selected titles. The announcement marks another stage in one of the publishing world’s most-watched prize seasons.

Gloria Steinem, 92, to Publish New Memoir An Unexpected Life

Gloria Steinem, aged 92, will publish a new memoir titled An Unexpected Life. The book deal signals the legendary feminist author and activist’s continued engagement with public life and literary culture.

Bakers Lane Acquires Jones’s “Swimming Backwards”

Bakers Lane Books has acquired world rights to the novel Swimming Backwards by Helen Jones, a work that was previously shortlisted for an award. The acquisition is a notable international rights deal for the Australian independent publisher.

APA and Melbourne University Launch Second Publishing Workforce Survey

The Australian Publishers Association has launched its second Australian Publishing Industry Workforce Survey on Diversity and Inclusion, conducted in partnership with Melbourne University. The survey aims to produce updated data on representation and inclusion across the Australian publishing sector.

Publishing Perspectives Talks with Simon & Schuster CEO Greg Greeley

Publishing Perspectives has published an extended interview with Simon & Schuster CEO Greg Greeley, offering a window into the major trade publisher’s current priorities and strategic direction.

ABA 2026 Conference Program Announced

The Australian Booksellers Association has released the program for its 2026 annual conference, scheduled to run from 13 to 15 June. The conference is a key gathering point for the Australian book trade.

Newcastle Writers Festival Opens This Week

The Newcastle Writers Festival runs from 27 to 29 March, with an opening night event featuring a London-based Australian author. The festival is one of Australia’s significant annual literary gatherings.

Licensing Hotline: March 26, 2026

Publishers Weekly’s Licensing Hotline for 26 March 2026 covers the latest children’s book licensing and rights deal announcements from across the market.

China’s Children’s Market Swings Toward Science and Nature

Science and nature titles now account for nearly 29% of China’s children’s book market, representing a notable shift in consumer preferences. Phoenix Publishing is targeting rights acquisitions at Bologna 2026, with the sector benefiting from the country’s environmental policy focus.

Thai Publishing Sector Projects Resilient Growth Amidst Global Uncertainty

Thailand’s publishing industry body Pubat is forecasting 5–8% growth for the book sector in 2026, despite ongoing uncertainty from regional conflicts. The Bangkok International Book Fair is expected to draw 1.5 million visitors this year.

Turkey: Tudem Publishing Group Launches International Picture Book Competition

Turkish publisher Tudem Publishing Group has launched the Silva Award, an international competition for picture book creators targeting children aged 3–6. The prize offers a €2,000 award and a publishing contract to the winning creator.

When “Cease and Desist” Means “Cease and Think Twice”

A commentary from The New Publishing Standard examines how vague or broad legal threats can function as a form of prior restraint, silencing criticism of publishers before it reaches the public domain. The piece raises timely questions about power dynamics in the industry and the chilling effect of unspecific cease and desist notices.

Love, Distance, Return: Arundhati Roy’s Memoir on the Women’s Prize Shortlist

Arundhati Roy’s memoir has been shortlisted for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction, bringing significant attention to the celebrated author’s work in personal nonfiction. The shortlisting adds to the growing international recognition of Roy beyond her acclaimed fiction writing.

Self-Publishing & Independent Publishing News

Authors Equity to Publish Substack Founder’s Memoir; Patreon CEO Attacks AI Fair Use Claims

Authors Equity has acquired the memoir of Substack founder Hamish McKenzie, raising interesting questions about the evolving relationship between traditional publishing models and subscription-based creator platforms — and whether high-profile authors using Substack for serial fiction signals a broader shift. In separate news, Patreon’s CEO has attacked the AI industry’s claim that training on creative works constitutes fair use, adding another voice to the heated debate over creator compensation in the age of generative AI.

Audiobook News

The Two Roberts by Damian Barr — Audiobook of the Week

The Two Roberts by Damian Barr has been named Audiobook of the Week, receiving praise as an evocative portrayal of love and lost dreams set against bohemian London.

Notable Book News & Book Reviews

Han Kang Among National Book Critics Circle Award Winners

South Korean Nobel laureate Han Kang is among the winners at this year’s National Book Critics Circle Awards, with her latest novel recognized by the distinguished US panel. A memoir by one of India’s best-known novelists is also among the honoured titles.

Sleep Tight, Disgusting Blob Wins Waterstones Children’s Book Prize

Sleep Tight, Disgusting Blob by Huw Aaron has won the 2026 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, one of the UK’s most prominent annual awards for children’s literature.

Two Novels Named Joint Winners of Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize

Ghost Driver by Nell Osborne and Figures Crossing the Field Towards the Group by Rebecca Gransden have been named joint winners of the Queen Mary Small Press Fiction Prize, described as “effortlessly hip.” The prize recognizes outstanding fiction published by independent and small presses.

Muskism Review — How Elon Musk Is Reshaping the World

Muskism by Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff, a political book examining how Elon Musk is reshaping global systems, has received a prominent review in the politics books section. The book takes a critical analytical approach to one of the era’s most consequential figures.

Permanence by Sophie Mackintosh — Book of the Day

Sophie Mackintosh’s novel Permanence has been named Book of the Day, described as a high-concept adultery fable. Mackintosh continues to receive strong critical recognition for her distinctive literary fiction.

Is the U.S. Constitution Doomed to Fail?

A new book by historian Mark Peterson argues that the US Constitution is rooted in ideals of expansion and conquest ill suited to the nation today. The New York Times review examines Peterson’s provocative challenge to assumptions about the founding document’s enduring fitness.

The Shortest History of Ireland by James Hawes: Unorthodox, Accessible, Deeply Impressive

The Shortest History of Ireland by James Hawes is reviewed as unorthodox, accessible and deeply impressive, despite narrative choices that may not suit all readers. The reviewer notes Hawes has packed considerable knowledge and understanding into a concise work.

How Flowers Revolutionised the World Through a Riot of Colour and Scent

A new book by naturalist David George Haskell explores how flowering plants shaped ecosystems, including their connection to rainfall in rainforests and their surprising challenge to some Darwinian ideas. The work is covered as a significant piece of popular science writing with literary qualities.

Books At One €100,000 Community Fund Returns

The Books At One €100,000 community fund has returned for a new cycle of funding, providing substantial financial support to books and reading initiatives across Ireland.

Partridge Boswell Wins UK National Poetry Competition

Partridge Boswell has won the UK’s National Poetry Competition, one of the most prestigious annual poetry prizes in the country.

Bookshop.org Survey Points to New Color E-Reader in Development

Bookshop.org appears to be developing a new Color Reader e-reader featuring a vibrant paperlike color display and enhanced storage capacity, suggesting the indie bookstore platform may be entering the e-reader hardware market. The device is described as designed for immersive reading with a next-generation screen.

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