publishing

Progress Digitizing the Johnson Publishing Archive, a Vast Resource in African American History

Kara Olidge of the Getty Research Institute says making millions of images from the publishing company behind Ebony and Jet magazines accessible will help people to learn about Black history even if state legislatures restrict teaching it in schools. 

Pushed to Soften Discussion of Racism, Author Pulls out of Scholastic Deal

Maggie Tokuda-Hall wrote the story of her grandparents meeting in a WWII-era internment camp, but it wasn't a commercial success. When Scholastic offered to license the work for classrooms, they asked for the unacceptable: downplaying the severity of anti-Japanese racism. 

Consolidated Cultural Elites and the New York Times Book Review

by David A. Bell

Historians shouldn't be alarmed by the number of historians on the Times's list of the best nonfiction titles of 2022. They should be alarmed by how big publishing houses seem to have an inside track to the platform. 

The Non-Existent "Cancellation" of Norman Mailer

"Indeed, the junior staffers I’ve spoken to at Penguin Random House laughed off the insinuation that any of them had the power to kill a book."

Reagan's Go-To Magazine Has Gone Full MAGA – What it Means for Conservatism

"The renaissance of the magazine provides the perfect capsule summary of the conservative movement’s long downward journey from pages to pixels."

Conservative Publishers See Gold Rush in "CRT" Controversy

"As the national conversation about racism has become a ferocious battle, conservative publishers see gold in titles catering to the backlash."

Are Campus Bookstores Undermining Student Learning?

by Elizabeth Stice

Today’s undergraduates are increasingly being cornered into ongoing financial commitments for everything, while they never take possession of anything. Rejecting digital book programs run by campus bookstores outsourced to third parties could help reverse this trend.

On Popular History: Rebecca Traister

by Alexis Coe

Historian Alexis Coe interviews writer and essayist Rebecca Traister on the historical research informing her work and the links between popular and academic audiences for historical knowledge. 

Larry Flynt, Who Built a Porn Empire With Hustler, Dies at 78

"Mr. Flynt’s interpretation was simpler. 'If the First Amendment will protect a scumbag like me,' he said, 'then it will protect all of you. Because I’m the worst'."

Graduate School is a Foreign Country

by Susan Ferber

"Collaboration—that didn’t seem to be a skill much prized in grad school."

Josh Hawley's Cancelled Book Contract Is Not "Orwellian"

by Claire Potter

The author has broadly defended free speech as a value. Josh Hawley's complaints about his cancelled book contract don't fit the bill.

Billion-Dollar Book Companies Are Ripping Off Public Schools

Although they tout the advantages of learning technology, major publishers exploit copyright law and licensing agreements to force school districts to pay $27 per student per year for temporary access to digital copies of books like "The Diary of Anne Frank." 

50 Years On, the Feminist Press Is Radical and Relevant

A look back at the ongoing work of the Feminist Press and the legacy of founder Florence Howe, who saved the work of many women authors from obscurity and helped support the emerging study of literature by women. 

Florence Howe, ‘Mother of Women’s Studies,’ Dies at 91

Florence Howe faced difficulty in teaching in the early days of Women's Studies: a lack of materials. She started a press that changed that. 

Celebrating 50 Years of Essence as a Black Women’s Archive

by Jacinta R. Saffold

"For the last 50 years, Essence Magazine has consistently found innovative approaches to archiving Black women’s lives by immortalizing our intellect, literature, and culture on glossy pages," writes Jacinta R. Saffold.

‘A Conflicted Cultural Force’: What It’s Like to Be Black in Publishing

When historian Kerri K. Greenidge was trying to publish her book on William Trotter, publishers responded with "who was going to read a book about a Black man that nobody had ever heard about?"

For Publishers, Books on Race and Racism Have Been a Surprising Success

In the last few weeks, books from authors the likes of Ibram X. Kendi, Annette Gordon-Reed, and David W. Blight have seen surges in sales. But in the current moment, how much do sales say about social and political influence?

Carolyn Reidy, President and CEO of Simon & Schuster, Dies at 71

Carolyn Reidy helped bring the writings of historians including David Blight and David McCullough to a wide readership.  

Naomi Wolf’s Book “Outrages” Sparks Debate Over Whether Publishers Should Take Responsibility for the Accuracy of Their Books

by Alexandra Alter

Naomi Wolf’s book “Outrages” was postponed after questions emerged about her research.

Stanford community outraged at SU Press defunding, over 1,000 sign petitions

Leaders from Stanford Libraries and the Press are now in discussions about how to “develop a sustainable business model” supported by its revenue, modest philanthropy and general funds allocation.