World War II Reading

Deal of the Week

Anne Hathaway Touts 'Liberation'
Just in time for the London Book Fair, Little, Brown UK scooped up world rights to Liberation, a thriller by Imogen Kealy (a pseudonym for screenwriter Darby Kealy and author Imogen Robertson), that will be adapted into a film based on Kealy’s script, produced by and starring Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway. Sphere will publish it in the U.K.; Grand Central will publish it in the U.S. Due in spring 2020, the novel, based on real events, follows WWII hero Nancy Wake, who trains with the Special Operations Executive in Britain after her husband is captured by the Gestapo. She then parachutes into France to search for him. Hathaway called Nancy Wake “larger than life in every way,” adding, “In a world that is hungry for more inclusive stories, it’s time for Nancy’s to be told.” The deal was negotiated by Broo Doherty at DHH Literary Agency on behalf of Robertson and Rachel Clements at Abner Stein on behalf of CAA for Darby Kealey. Sphere editorial director Ed Wood reports that Italian rights were sold in a high-five-figure-deal preempt six hours after submission. 

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This sounds like my kind of book and (possibly) movie; suitable for those who loved Code Name Verity!    I have read at least one of Imogen Robertson's historical mysteries so I think she can be trusted to do proper research on WWII.

Eat Pray Revenge

It is too funny that the husband Elizabeth Gilbert disdains (for what appears to be no good reason) in Eat Pray Love now has a book contract of his own in which he be revenged on his ex!

The New York Times says Gilbert’s ex-husband, Michael Cooper, has just signed a deal to write a book chronicling his side of the story of their divorce and his own “search for purpose” on a trip through the Middle East and other parts of the developing world.

It must have been very annoying to see her become a millionaire in the process of finding herself!

Bargain Hunting for Books

This NYT article about book bargain hunters points out that no industry undermined by its greatest partisans will thrive long. It's true - gone are the days when I happily spent $1,000/year on books (and I don't think that included my law books, which were certainly expensive) and who could love books more than I do?

I alternate between thinking I left publishing at the right time and wishing I were still at Wiley where I could do my job in my sleep - and some of my colleagues surely did. It was a great place in many ways but definitely one of those companies where 10% of the people (mostly sales and editorial) did 90% of the work. And don't even try to get something done on Fridays when quite a few individuals said they were working from home. This would have been more convincing if they ever responded to email. It always annoyed me that my ability to get my job done was negatively impacted by their laziness or desire to spend time with their kids.

My friend Charlotte was interviewed on NPR on the state of the industry.