books

cityfile · 10/22/09 03:43PM

• The New York Times Co. reported a $35.6 million loss for the third quarter as ad revenue plunged 30 percent. But it was better than what Wall Street analysts were predicting, so the stock shot up 22 percent today. [NYT]
New York magazine's chief says there are no plans to sell the magazine following last week's death of owner Bruce Wasserstein. [AdAge]
Newsday plans to charge $5 a week to access to its website. [NYT, [E&P]
Fortune is cutting back on the number of issues it publishes. And Time Inc., Fortune's publisher, is planning another round of job cuts. [WSJ]
• On the same day Sarah Palin's memoir is published, the Nation will release Going Rouge, an identical-looking book that mocks the ex-governor. [Politico]
• As if losing billions of family money wasn't enough of a punishment, France says it plans to put Warner Music chief Edgar Bronfman Jr. on trial for insider trading in connection with the 2000 merger of Vivendi and Seagram. [NYP]

Fashionistas Are All Foodies at Heart

cityfile · 10/21/09 02:00PM

Why did the Council of Fashion Designers of America just publish a cookbook? Because "food and fashion both start with an 'f,'" explains Diane von Furstenberg, adding that "all designers love to cook," which may very well be true but fails to explain why these designers haven't been sharing their creations with the stick-thin models that appear in their fashion shows up until now.

All Those Business Books, Recapped

cityfile · 10/21/09 08:55AM

Perhaps you've noticed that there are about 48 books about the financial crisis that have magically appeared on bookstore shelves in the last few weeks? (And there are a bunch more to come, don't you worry.) Naturally, you can't possibly be expected to read all of them. (Let's face it. You'll be lucky if you make it through any of them, especially since several of the tomes clock in at 500 pages or more.) Fortunately, Moe Tkacik has summed them all up in a tidy 2,200 words, which means you might just sound like you know what you're talking about the next time the financial meltdown comes up in conversation. [Daily Intel]

Computer Beats Humans at Formulaic Crap

Hamilton Nolan · 10/19/09 12:20PM

In your malicious Monday media column: computers replace sportswriters (finally), rumored layoffs at W mag and Lucky, a new way for death to save the media, and the salvation of publishing arrives.

Discrimination Suit or Publicity Stunt?

cityfile · 10/19/09 12:03PM

Did you hear about the $1 billion lawsuit filed against Greenhouse last week because the club allegedly denied entrance to a group of black partygoers? It turns out the crowd had turned up at the Soho club to attend a book party for Teri Woods, "a pioneer of the enormously successful urban or hip-hop fiction genre," and the author of the newly-released novel, Alibi.

Ivanka Trump, Multi-Tasker Extraordinaire

cityfile · 10/15/09 02:54PM

Ivanka Trump is no longer just a real estate executive, jewelry designer, proponent of "fresh-tasting, healthy" microwaveable meals, and real estate heiress about to settle down with a real estate heir. She's now a published author, too! Ivanka's motivational book, The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life, is now here (with a blurb by her almost-boss Anna Wintour, no less), and last night she celebrated its publication with a party at—where else?—Trump Tower. Naturally, all the Trumps turned out for the fête. But while papa Trump wasn't necessarily in tip-top shape (he's "put on a bit of weight around the middle," reports David Patrick Columbia), Ivanka was "radiant and remarkably composed," reports Vanity Fair, even though she's getting married in a mere 10 days. Her advice to other women who might have to juggle a wedding merging two billionaire families while also promoting a soon-to-be bestseller at the same time: "Be relaxed, try to enjoy the moment, and remember: it's just a great party!" [VF, NYSD]

The New Zagat Survey Reiterates the Obvious, Mostly

cityfile · 10/07/09 10:00AM

You're not going to believe this, but according to the new edition of the Zagat guide, which officially comes out today, "New Yorkers are eating fewer restaurant meals than a year ago, and when they do, they're skimping on appetizers, desserts and alcohol." Crazy, huh? In other shocking news, the survey reports that people are "finding better deals" when they go out to eat and are having an easier time getting reservations.

Amazon's Very Big, Very Small Kindle Expansion

Andrew Belonsky · 10/07/09 05:01AM

Amazon's a modern day Don Quixote. The company will expand its Kindle service across the globe, but won't look past the device's book-related origins. No touchscreen here. And, thus, no competition for Apple's forthcoming tablet. Silly Jeff Bezos! [Reuters]

Twitter-Phobic Martha Stewart Fears Wrath of Snoop Dogg

Ryan Tate · 10/06/09 05:14PM

Heavens knows what they would think if Stewart just transmitted their intimate off-camera comments to the entire world. The likes of Snoop Dogg might not trust her with their deepest secrets anymore. No, better to keep the Martha Stewart Twitter an occult bible of hellish fire pits opening on the surface of the Earth. Douglas can keep hawking TwitterWit, his printed collection of amusing tweets; Stewart seems more likely to buy — or publish — something along the lines of TwitterWoe.