Book News, In Brief

Analysts predict that Amazon is approaching an e-book price hike. If the crystal balls are correct, the now normal $9.99 price tag is gonna be raised to $12.50 -- a.k.a. the price of your average trade paperback.


The New Yorker has a new entry for Stuff White People Like: Being able to break into the publishing industry because their rich parents will support them while they work as unpaid interns. While it's weird (and sorta hypocritical) that the publishing world's penchant for wealthy, White privilege is being taken to task in one of the world's wealthiest, Whitest magazines, at least it's finally being taken to task.


You know that expression, 'Those who can't do, teach'? That sh*t must be a yoga mantra in the Hollywood hills. First there's TV starlet Jennifer Love Hewitt. Less than a year after calling off her engagement to Scottish actor, Ross McCall, Hewitt is writing a dating advice book. Then there's 2007's Dad of the Year, Alec Baldwin. Less than two years after he attained internet infamy by repeatedly calling his 11 year old daughter a pig, Baldwin is publishing a parenting book. What's next, a Michael Bay book on subtlety? A Bret Michaels book on dignity?


The first part is cliche, the second part, a miracle: A mom in NC bought her kids some used comic books at their local library fundraiser. One of the books, Batman Confidential #18, contained a scene involving Batgirl and Catwoman wrestling naked (save their masks!) in "Gotham City's Hedonist Society." Okay, so that's pretty much par for the course, right? But here's where it gets good. Instead of calling the police or her priest or -- heaven forbid -- FOX News, mom called the library and asked them to screen the books they're selling to kids a little more carefully. Yes, you read that right. There was no book burning, no grandstanding, and no lawsuit seeking mental damages. There was just a reasonable response from a rightfully concerned parent. Like I said, a miracle.
(Thanks to Journalista! for the tip.)