Book News, In Brief

Bad news, good points...via The LATimes: Book publishers are bullish on the economy -- as a subject, that is. As the stock market gyrates, authors' proposals flourish. But will their financial advice be relevant by the time a book's in print?

According to Financial News Online, Borders has hired JP Morgan Chase and Merrill Lynch to 'advise them on strategic alternatives' as they 'struggle to shore up their capital base amid the widespread tightening of credit.' (That's press release for: This is The Beginning of the End.)

The Beat has posted a link to a recent study in Gender and Reading Habits. The study re-affirms the usual (boys read less than girls, except where superhero comics are concerned), but does so in an enlightened manner. Do make a point to check out the Beat's link to the piece, though, where great lines such as, "Valenti marshals as much statistical evidence as she can and talks to librarians to explore the topic, which shows that for teen boys, books are as great a marketing wasteland as superhero comics have been for adult women" abound.