Book News, In Brief

According to Publisher's Weekly, Barnes & Noble CEO Steve Riggio announced that he is looking for ways to end the traditional returns practice, and predicted that it could be possible to find a solution “in a year or two.” Riggio said B&N has always been open to finding alternate ways to deal with unsold books, calling the current practice “insane” and “expensive.” While Riggio's right that shipping 1/3 too many books to bookstores is wasteful, a no-returns policy has a wide range of negative effects that must also be taken into account. When a similar scheme was implemented in comic book stores, it resulted in the bland, no risk stocking patterns that the majority of comics shops now adhere to. Do we really want to risk that in bookstores, as well?

Damn you, PW, for beating me to this one, too. Michael Chabon (The Yiddish Policeman's Union) sits down with Reuters for a three page interview on his writing and writing habits.

Ah, here's one that PW hasn't snaked me on. Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting) tells The Guardian UK how to get furious - and survive.