Jawbone Up

So a fitness isn't really reading related, but walking  is when I listen to podcasts and listen to audiobooks.

Anyhow, I love the Jawbone Up, and I have written aboutt my love for the up3 fitness bracelet on Suite.

Using They Say, I Say

I have been working on setting up my class for blackboard this year.  They Say I Say is our textbook.  I have learned how to download the instructor resources from Norton.

Wolf Hall - Tonys

I saw Wolf Hall on Broadway this weekend. Love.

They just won best costume.

Wolf Hall Review - Overview of the Series

If you are a fan of Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, you will want to watch "Wolf Hall" to see some moments from the book imagined into being...If you haven't read the books but are a fan of Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir, or "The Tudors", you will find "Wolf Hall" to be a vaguely compelling addition to the canon.

Read the full review on https://suite.io/6mjk2cg

Just maybe don't kill boys in the tower.

http://medievalaccommodation.com/medieval-britain/LMB%20Pages/Pages-a-d/too_many_bones_in_the_tower.htm

Michael Pietsch of Hatchette's response to Amazon customer email

Thank you for writing to me in response to Amazon’s email.  I appreciate that you care enough about books to take the time to write.  We usually don’t comment publicly while negotiating, but I’ve received a lot of requests for Hachette’s response to the issues raised by Amazon, and want to reply with a few facts.
·        Hachette sets prices for our books entirely on our own, not in collusion with anyone.
·        We set our ebook prices far below corresponding print book prices, reflecting savings in manufacturing and shipping.
·        More than 80% of the ebooks we publish are priced at $9.99 or lower.
·        Those few priced higher—most at $11.99 and $12.99—are less than half the price of their print versions.
·        Those higher priced ebooks will have lower prices soon, when the paperback version is published.
·        The invention of mass-market paperbacks was great for all because it was not intended to replace hardbacks but to create a new format available later, at a lower price.
As a publisher, we work to bring a variety of great books to readers, in a variety of formats and prices.  We know by experience that there is not one appropriate price for all ebooks, and that all ebooks do not belong in the same $9.99 box.  Unlike retailers, publishers invest heavily in individual books, often for years, before we see any revenue.  We invest in advances against royalties, editing, design, production, marketing, warehousing, shipping, piracy protection, and more.  We recoup these costs from sales of all the versions of the book that we publish—hardcover, paperback, large print, audio, and ebook.  While ebooks do not have the $2-$3 costs of manufacturing, warehousing, and shipping that print books have, their selling price carries a share of all our investments in the book.

This dispute started because Amazon is seeking a lot more profit and even more market share, at the expense of authors, bricks and mortar bookstores, and ourselves.  Both Hachette and Amazon are big businesses and neither should claim a monopoly on enlightenment, but we do believe in a book industry where talent is respected and choice continues to be offered to the reading public.

Once again, we call on Amazon to withdraw the sanctions against Hachette’s authors that they have unilaterally imposed, and restore their books to normal levels of availability.  We are negotiating in good faith.  These punitive actions are not necessary, nor what we would expect from a trusted business partner.
Thank you again and best wishes,
Michael Pietsch

Amazon's letter to Hatchette

Dear KDP Author,

Just ahead of World War II, there was a radical invention that shook the foundations of book publishing. It was the paperback book. This was a time when movie tickets cost 10 or 20 cents, and books cost $2.50. The new paperback cost 25 cents – it was ten times cheaper. Readers loved the paperback and millions of copies were sold in just the first year.

With it being so inexpensive and with so many more people able to afford to buy and read books, you would think the literary establishment of the day would have celebrated the invention of the paperback, yes? Nope. Instead, they dug in and circled the wagons. They believed low cost paperbacks would destroy literary culture and harm the industry (not to mention their own bank accounts). Many bookstores refused to stock them, and the early paperback publishers had to use unconventional methods of distribution – places like newsstands and drugstores. The famous author George Orwell came out publicly and said about the new paperback format, if “publishers had any sense, they would combine against them and suppress them.” Yes, George Orwell was suggesting collusion.

Well… history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.

Fast forward to today, and it’s the e-book’s turn to be opposed by the literary establishment. Amazon and Hachette – a big US publisher and part of a $10 billion media conglomerate – are in the middle of a business dispute about e-books. We want lower e-book prices. Hachette does not. Many e-books are being released at $14.99 and even $19.99. That is unjustifiably high for an e-book. With an e-book, there’s no printing, no over-printing, no need to forecast, no returns, no lost sales due to out of stock, no warehousing costs, no transportation costs, and there is no secondary market – e-books cannot be resold as used books. E-books can and should be less expensive.

Perhaps channeling Orwell’s decades old suggestion, Hachette has already been caught illegally colluding with its competitors to raise e-book prices. So far those parties have paid $166 million in penalties and restitution. Colluding with its competitors to raise prices wasn’t only illegal, it was also highly disrespectful to Hachette’s readers.

The fact is many established incumbents in the industry have taken the position that lower e-book prices will “devalue books” and hurt “Arts and Letters.” They’re wrong. Just as paperbacks did not destroy book culture despite being ten times cheaper, neither will e-books. On the contrary, paperbacks ended up rejuvenating the book industry and making it stronger. The same will happen with e-books.

Many inside the echo-chamber of the industry often draw the box too small. They think books only compete against books. But in reality, books compete against mobile games, television, movies, Facebook, blogs, free news sites and more. If we want a healthy reading culture, we have to work hard to be sure books actually are competitive against these other media types, and a big part of that is working hard to make books less expensive.

Moreover, e-books are highly price elastic. This means that when the price goes down, customers buy much more. We've quantified the price elasticity of e-books from repeated measurements across many titles. For every copy an e-book would sell at $14.99, it would sell 1.74 copies if priced at $9.99. So, for example, if customers would buy 100,000 copies of a particular e-book at $14.99, then customers would buy 174,000 copies of that same e-book at $9.99. Total revenue at $14.99 would be $1,499,000. Total revenue at $9.99 is $1,738,000. The important thing to note here is that the lower price is good for all parties involved: the customer is paying 33% less and the author is getting a royalty check 16% larger and being read by an audience that’s 74% larger. The pie is simply bigger.

But when a thing has been done a certain way for a long time, resisting change can be a reflexive instinct, and the powerful interests of the status quo are hard to move. It was never in George Orwell’s interest to suppress paperback books – he was wrong about that.

And despite what some would have you believe, authors are not united on this issue. When the Authors Guild recently wrote on this, they titled their post: “Amazon-Hachette Debate Yields Diverse Opinions Among Authors” (the comments to this post are worth a read).  A petition started by another group of authors and aimed at Hachette, titled “Stop Fighting Low Prices and Fair Wages,” garnered over 7,600 signatures.  And there are myriad articles and posts, by authors and readers alike, supporting us in our effort to keep prices low and build a healthy reading culture. Author David Gaughran’s recent interview is another piece worth reading.

We recognize that writers reasonably want to be left out of a dispute between large companies. Some have suggested that we “just talk.” We tried that. Hachette spent three months stonewalling and only grudgingly began to even acknowledge our concerns when we took action to reduce sales of their titles in our store. Since then Amazon has made three separate offers to Hachette to take authors out of the middle. We first suggested that we (Amazon and Hachette) jointly make author royalties whole during the term of the dispute. Then we suggested that authors receive 100% of all sales of their titles until this dispute is resolved. Then we suggested that we would return to normal business operations if Amazon and Hachette’s normal share of revenue went to a literacy charity. But Hachette, and their parent company Lagardere, have quickly and repeatedly dismissed these offers even though e-books represent 1% of their revenues and they could easily agree to do so. They believe they get leverage from keeping their authors in the middle.

We will never give up our fight for reasonable e-book prices. We know making books more affordable is good for book culture. We’d like your help. Please email Hachette and copy us.

Hachette CEO, Michael Pietsch: Michael.Pietsch@hbgusa.com

Copy us at: readers-united@amazon.com

Please consider including these points:

- We have noted your illegal collusion. Please stop working so hard to overcharge for ebooks. They can and should be less expensive.
- Lowering e-book prices will help – not hurt – the reading culture, just like paperbacks did.
- Stop using your authors as leverage and accept one of Amazon’s offers to take them out of the middle.
- Especially if you’re an author yourself: Remind them that authors are not united on this issue.

Thanks for your support.

The Amazon Books Team

P.S. You can also find this letter at www.readersunited.com

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/opinion/Kimberl-Williams-Crenshaw-My-Brothers-Keeper-Ignores-Young-Black-Women.html?_r=0&referrer=

Do you read 16 Kindle books a year?

If we say that the typical e-book best-seller costs $7.50, a customer would need to read more than 16 books per year to derive a greater value from Kindle Unlimited than buying the books individually.

http://time.com/3006110/amazon-kindle-unlimited-value/

Love this.

http://gawker.com/my-14-hour-search-for-the-end-of-tgi-fridays-endless-ap-1606122925/all

Good Kindle Free App of the Day for Kids

Pettesons Inventions Deluxe. 

Phil Hartman on News Radio ... Sounds like he is describing Stephen Colbert

"He's just arrogant and he'll say stupid things sometimes with utter conviction. That's the height of arrogance, I suppose, if you feel it doesn't matter what you say because in your world, you only speak the truth."

http://m.lvsun.com/news/1998/may/28/phil-hartman-interviewed-in-lv-two-weeks-before-de/

BN Summer Reading Program - Nook

EW YORK, NY – June 18, 2012 – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, today announced the NOOK Kids Summer Reading Program (www.nook.com/kids-summer-reading), a free in-store kids and teens summer reading offer for customers who purchase an award-winning NOOK Tablet at one of Barnes & Noble’s nearly 700 stores nationwide.  The NOOK Tablet Kids Summer Reading Program is available from June 18 through September 2 and includes three different free collections of select bestselling kids’ and teen eBooks designed to keep children reading and learning all summer long.This limited time offer applies to new purchases of both NOOK Tablet 16GB ($249) and NOOK Tablet 8GB ($199).
 
Each collection will be offered for a limited time and is divided into three age-appropriate groups:

• June 18 through July 15:  Summer Reading Collection for Ages 7-12
• July 16 through August 5:  Summer Reading Collection for Teens
• August 6 through September 2:  Picture books for young readers

“We are excited to bring together our award-winning NOOK Tablet and this fantastic free collection of bestselling titles so children can start building their summer reading library,” said Jim Hilt, Vice President of eBooks for Barnes & Noble. “With this offer, we will create lifetime readers by delivering great content into the hands of young readers through an engaging and interactive digital experience.”
 
The first collection of titles, available June 18 through July 15, is specially designed for readers ages seven through 12 and features the following perennial favorites and bestsellers by popular authors:

• Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
• The Amulet of Samarkand (Bartimaeus series No. 1) by Jonathan Stroud
• Disney after Dark (Kingdom Keepers series No. 1)  by Ridley Pearson
• Judy Moody & Stink: Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt by Megan McDonald
• The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
• Just Grace by Charise Mericle Harper

Once customers purchase their new NOOK Tablet, young readers can choose to enjoy one title or the entire collection of free summer reading eBooks, which can be instantly downloaded and added to their free digital locker via access codes they will receive at the time of their NOOK purchase.  For more information, ask a bookseller or go to: www.nook.com/kids-summer-reading.
 
With all NOOK products, customers can shop Barnes & Noble's expansive NOOK Store^™ of more than 2.5 million digital titles. In addition, Barnes & Noble offers always free in-store NOOK support for customers to set up and learn how to use their new device face-to-face with friendly neighborhood NOOKsellers^™.
 

Barnes and Noble Discount

ble Announces Special Savings on NOOK^® Devices Purchased with a MasterCard^® Card for a Limited Time

The Perfect Gift for Father’s Day and Graduation, Save $20 on NOOK Color^™ or NOOK Simple Touch^™

For a Limited Time NOOK Simple Touch Offered at $79, Our Lowest Price Ever

New York, New York – June 7, 2012 – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, today announced a special savings offer, just in time for Father’s Day and Graduation. Starting Thursday June 7, 2012, through Sunday June 17, 2012, customers will save $20 on a new NOOK Color or NOOK Simple Touch when they use their MasterCard card. During this amazing limited time offer, NOOK Color will be available for only $149 and NOOK Simple Touch is being offered at $79, our lowest price ever for both devices. This offer is available at all of Barnes & Noble’s nearly 700 stores nationwide and online at www.nook.com. In-store customers will receive the discount via a printable coupon, while online customers at www.nook.com will use a coupon code provided at time of purchase.

NOOK devices are the perfect choice for anyone who wants access to their favorite reads anywhere they go. The award-winning NOOK Color is the best value in the tablet market at only $169, but for a limited time it’s available for $149, our lowest price ever, when customers purchase with a MasterCard card during this offer. Featuring a stunning 7-inch VividView^™ Color touchscreen, NOOK Color is ideal for reading a wide variety of content including books, enhanced books, immersive children’s picture books, an expansive collection of interactive magazines, comics, newspapers and more. NOOK Color also offers the most-requested tablet features, including access to top video and music services, high-quality NOOK Apps^™, built-in e-mail, and an enhanced Web experience.

Customers seeking a simple,easy-to-use, dedicated reading experience will love NOOK Simple Touch – an ultra-light, portable 6-inch eReader with the most-advanced E Ink^® Pearl display and the longest-lasting battery life of up to 2 months on a single charge. This award-winning device is normally available for only $99, but for a limited time it will be $79, our lowest price ever, when purchased using a MasterCard card. With a simple tap, NOOK Simple Touch is intuitive and easy to navigate, shop and read. NOOK Simple Touch was also named the “Best e-ink reader” by CNET.

For those last-minute Father’s Day shoppers, Barnes & Noble.com is offering all customers free express and free expedited shipping of any NOOK device. The free express shipping is available from June 9 through June 12.  The free expedited shipping is available from June 12 through June 14. Both options will help to ensure delivery of a new NOOK in time for Father’s Day.

With all NOOK products, customers can shop Barnes & Noble's expansive NOOK Store^™ of more than 2.5 million digital titles. In addition, Barnes & Noble offers always free in-store NOOK support for customers to set up and learn how to use their new device face-to-face with friendly neighborhood NOOKsellers^™.

Barnes & Noble to Host New Hands-On Learning Event Series

Barnes & Noble to Host New Hands-On Learning Event Series

Activities Will Take Place in Expanded Toys & Games Department as Part of Annual Summer Reading Program, Imagination’s Destination

New York, NY– June 4, 2012 – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, today announced that stores nationwide will host a new Hands-On Learning event series, for children ages four and up, designed to help promote cognitive development, literacy, creativity, social skills and scientific thinking. The Hands-On Learning events will take place in June, July and August and mark the expansion of the company’s Summer Reading Program, “Imagination’s Destination,” to its Toys & Games Department.

Kicking off the program this month is a Lego® Building Event designed to help children develop fine motor skills, while having fun with ever-popular Lego micro bricks. Customers are encouraged to visit www.bn.com for more information on Hands-On Learning events at their neighborhood Barnes & Noble location.

“We are thrilled to provide children with fun, engaging activities that foster critical thinking skills and spatial relationships with our new Hands-On Learning events,” says Kathleen Campisano, Vice President, Toys & Games. “Through this exciting new program, Barnes & Noble is both the ultimate resource for families’ educational needs and a great destination for summer fun.”

The Barnes & Noble’s Toys & Games Department features 3,000-square-feet of play space incorporating interactive displays, creativity and learning through activities, scientific discoveries, and favorite children’s characters. Through unique strategic partnerships with world renowned toy and games manufacturers, Barnes & Noble has five interactive play areas – Building, Learning, Imagining, Creating and Playing – that offer children hands-on learning experiences in a fun, engaging and comfortable environment.


- Be of Good Cheer!

After Etan - A New Look Lisa Cohen's Book

A few years ago, I wrote a review about Lisa R. Cohen's masterful book,  After Etan, the story of Etan Patz's disappearance and the heroic efforts to bring justice to this sad case.  I wrote that, "One of the most remarkable portrayals of After Etan is that of the heroically devoted federal prosecutor, Stuart GraBois. By the time Grabois was involved in the Patz case, Cohen points out that, "Etan had been missing almost as long as he'd been living safely at home." What is extraordinary about Stuart Grabois is that he never stopped seeking answers. Cohen shows Grabois searching for justice across states, across countries, and across decades."

With the confession and arrest of Pedro Hernandez, I re-read After Etan. Did Mr. Grabois relentlessly pursue Jose A. Ramos (who was found responsible for the murder in a civil court)? Yes.  And although his primary goal was to gain a confession for Etan's murder, he was able to bring justice and peace to other families because he was willing to prosecute child molestation cases that other DA's ignored.  

If there is any gift to this long wait, it could be that - the hunt for Etan's abductor was so intense that other horrifying criminals were caught in the pursuit, that other children were made safe, that other families were able to get counseling and help.

Here is a video of an interview with Stuart GraBois, and a clip of Jose Ramos angrily talking about "how it starts" when he thinks the interviewer is about to touch him.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXs-rP1A-cs

Do I think Jose Ramos killed Etan?  Well, he does steadfastly deny it in the book, but he confessed to attempting to molest someone he was 90% sure was Etan that day.  Perhaps he harmed Etan and then Pedro Hernandez discovered the child and killed him, or perhaps Pedro Hernadez knew who killed Etan and didn't help him and is now acting out of guilt and hallucinations.  Perhaps Pedro Hernadez killed him and Jose molested another boy, who has yet to be vindicated.

Ordering Android Phones

Amazon Wireless is the place to be - Verizon's Google Nexus is $49!

Barnes & Noble Launches 16th Annual Summer Reading Program: Imagination's Destination

Special Promotion with New Scholastic “Discover More™” Series Allows Children to Further Explore Their Imaginations

NEW YORK, NY - May 22, 2012 - Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, today announced the launch of its 2012 Summer Reading program: Imagination's Destination.  Children in grades 1-6 can earn a free book just by reading eight books and turning in a completed reading journal sheet about the books they read. This year, Imagination’s Destination features the exciting new Scholastic Discover More series along with two special promotions to encourage young readers to explore their imaginations all summer long. Scholastic Discover More is an innovative new book series that makes learning a fun and immersive journey of discovery at a variety of reading levels, through vivid color photos and in-depth diagrams. Each title in the series comes with a free digital companion book which offers even more illuminating insight. Young explorers can download a digital sample of the Scholastic Discover More experience to read on Barnes and Noble’s award-winning NOOK Color™ or NOOK Tablet™.  From May 22 through July 9, participating families can take home a free 3-D Shark Poster, a $6.95 value, with the purchase of any Scholastic Discover More book. From July 9 through September 4, customers can take home a free Projector Flashlight of the Constellations, a $5.95 value, with the purchase of any Scholastic Discover More book.   The 3-D Shark Poster and the Projector Flashlight are available in stores while supplies last. “We’re proud to offer young readers even more creative ways to explore their imaginations through the dynamic power of books with our 16th annual Summer Reading program,” said Mary Amicucci, Vice President of Children's Books for Barnes & Noble, Inc.  “As the premier destination for the best summer reading experience, we are excited to help children continue to discover the bright world of reading over their summer vacations.” The free Summer Reading program kicks off in Barnes & Noble stores across the country May 22 and continues through September 4, 2012.  Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com) will feature the reading journal, summer reading kit, and book recommendations for summer reading fun at www.bn.com/summerreading. This year, the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading program includes seven fun activities for kids in our summer reading kit that can be downloaded from www.bn.com/summerreading. Find Your Favorites- Encourage children to identify their favorite authors and illustrators.  This is an important part of exploring the world of books.  Ask questions such as: What makes this author your favorite?  Can you always identify this person's art or writing style?  Is there a subject that you would like this person to explore? Fiction & Non-Fiction- Encourage children to explore different genres of literature.  It's important that they know the difference between fiction and non-fiction.  Ask children if adventure, biography, fantasy, mystery, sports and science books can be fiction, non-fiction or both. Playing Roles- Reading allows us to imagine ourselves in the roles played by other people.  These people can be historical figures or fictional characters.  Ask children to list five characters who have captured their imagination and describe ways in which they are similar and different from themselves. Realms of Imagination- Our imaginations shape our sense of what is possible.  Encourage children to plan their ideal summer vacation, mixing elements of real life with places they'd like to visit - maybe even a fictional destination from their favorite book. Face to Face with History- Learning about people, places, and events that changed the world we live in can be fun.  The Face to Face with History activity from Scholastic encourages kids to think about a famous person in history they would like to know more about and use research to answer questions about this person. Steps in Order- Kids get the chance to be the expert in this fun activity from Scholastic.  Steps in Order encourages kids to learn how to write instructions about how to do something of their choosing and the materials needed to do it.  Packed with Facts- Knowing how to use encyclopedias is an important part of learning for kids.  Scholastic’s Packed with Facts activity encourages kids to write an encyclopedia article about something that interests them.  The Reading Journal- Choose eight books to read over the summer.  Fill out your reading journal with the books your child has read and discuss who they would recommend each book to and why.  Once they've read eight books, bring the completed reading journal to any Barnes & Noble location to receive a free book. Everything you need to begin your journey to your imagination's destination with the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading program can be found online at www.bn.com/summerreading.

Nook Shipping Early

Barnes & Noble Now Shipping NOOK Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™ Ahead of Schedule

Pre-Orders Shipping Over the Next Week

Due to Strong Demand, Limited Quantities will be Available through Mother’s Day

Customers Encouraged to Pre-Order Hot-Selling New NOOK at www.nook.com and in Stores to Ensure Delivery for Mother’s Day

New York, New York – April 24, 2012 – Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the leading retailer of content, digital media and educational products, announced today that it began shipping the highly anticipated NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight ahead of schedule to customers who pre-ordered the device. NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight is the world’s first E Ink® Reader with patent-pending lighting technology that eliminates the number-one problem couples have in bed – having their sleep interrupted, or being prevented from falling asleep, when their partner reads with the light on. Due to very strong pre-order demand, the company recommends that customers who wish to gift the device for Mother’s Day pre-order now, as orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-serve basis.

“Our new, patent-pending GlowLight technology coupled with the most advanced E Ink display available make this product the most versatile, high-utility Reader ever and the only device of its kind,” said William Lynch, Chief Executive Officer of Barnes & Noble. “It’s like having two Readers in one, with our breakthrough GlowLight technology making the device as exceptional for reading in the darkest bedroom as on the brightest beach, and all at the amazing value of just $139.”

Said Lynch, “We thank our millions of NOOK customers and are pleased to deliver NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight earlier than committed to those who pre-ordered our newest NOOK. For those who would like to give NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight as a gift for Mother’s Day, we strongly recommend pre-ordering the device now in stores or online as we will have very limited quantities based on the larger-than-expected order volume we’ve received so far.”

NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight, introduced by Barnes & Noble less than two weeks ago, is the first and only Reader designed to let E Ink customers read in the dark and at the beach. With a soft, adjustable glow, GlowLight gives bedtime readers just the right amount of light for reading, without disturbing a sleepy spouse. The first and only Reader designed to let E Ink customers read in the dark is equally amazing at the beach, with a paper-like reading experience, even in the bright sun.

Like having two Readers in one, this revolutionary device is the first to combine the most advanced and fastest E Ink display with a precise infrared touchscreen, built-in anti-glare screen for reading in any lit environment, and an evenly distributed and adjustable light for reading in the dark. It is also the lightest NOOK ever, with a long-lasting battery for over one month of reading on a single charge, with the light on.

Beginning this week, customers visiting any of Barnes & Noble’s nearly 700 stores will be able to try NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight demonstration units. Barnes & Noble NOOKsellers™ will be on hand to demonstrate and answer questions about the newest member of the award-winning NOOK® portfolio, as well as set up devices and take pre-orders. Pre-orders will ship throughout the month and limited quantities of the device are expected to be available for sale in stores in early May.

Customers should visit www.NOOK.com or visit the NOOK Digital Shops™ and displays in one of Barnes & Noble’s nearly 700 bookstores for more information, or to order NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight.


- Be of Good Cheer!

Kindle Gets Bond...James Bond

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Ian Fleming Publications Ltd today announced that Amazon Publishing has acquired a ten-year license for North American rights to the entire list of James Bond books by Ian Fleming in print and ebook. Along with the iconic series, Fleming's two works of non-fiction, consisting of a collection of travel writings called Thrilling Cities (1963) and an expose of the illegal precious stones trade entitled The Diamond Smugglers (1957), are also included in the agreement. Jonny Geller, Managing Director at Curtis Brown, negotiated the agreement. All of the titles will be reissued by Amazon Publishing's Thomas & Mercer imprint beginning in summer 2012.

"We are excited to be using the opportunity of this re-license to introduce Ian Fleming's books to a broader audience in the USA, and we believe that Amazon Publishing has the ability to place the books back at the heart of the Bond brand, balancing traditional publishing routes with new technologies and new ways of reaching our readers," said Corinne Turner, Managing Director of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.

The agreement for the 14 classic James Bond titles includes the first James Bond book in the series, Casino Royale (1953)--which will celebrate 60 years of publication in 2013--as well as Live and Let Die (1954); Moonraker (1955); Diamonds Are Forever (1956); From Russia with Love (1957); Dr. No (1958); Goldfinger (1959); For your Eyes Only (1960); Thunderball (1961); The Spy Who Loved Me (1962); On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1963); You Only Live Twice (1964); The Man With The Golden Gun (1965) and Octopussy and the Living Daylights (1966). Since their first publication the books have sold over 100 million copies worldwide and have been the inspiration behind the world's longest-running film franchise. Following Fleming's death in 1964, Kingsley Amis wrote the next book in the Bond series, Colonel Sun, under the name of Robert Markham. Bond novels have since been written by John Gardner, Raymond Benson, Sebastian Faulks, and Jeffery Deaver.

"We are devoted fans of Fleming's Bond novels here at Amazon Publishing, and we're thrilled these books--already known across the world and across generations--will continue to flourish under our Thomas & Mercer imprint," says Philip Patrick, Director, Business Development, Rights and Licensing. "Amazon Publishing offers signature authors a new life for great backlist titles. Fleming is the perfect fit."

Geller says, "This deal heralds a new phase in Ian Fleming's publishing story. We are excited to be working with Amazon in North America to bring a new generation of readers to Ian Fleming's classic novels."

This agreement comes on the heels of the announcement last month by The Random House Group that the Bond backlist was returning to its publishing roots in the UK, with Vintage Books (sister imprint of Jonathan Cape, the original publisher of Casino Royale) acquiring a ten-year license for exclusive rights to the Bond novels in the English language with the exception of North America.

Notes to Editors:

About Amazon Publishing

Amazon Publishing is the publishing arm of Amazon.com. Amazon Publishing's West Coast Group includes imprints AmazonEncore, AmazonCrossing, Montlake Romance, Thomas & Mercer, and 47North. Amazon Publishing's East Coast Group publishes adult trade, children's and young adult titles. For more information about all imprints of Amazon Publishing, visit www.amazon.com/amazonpublishing. Amazon Publishing is a brand used by Amazon Content Services, LLC.

About Amazon.com

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth's Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon's developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon's own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. The new latest generation Kindle is the lightest, most compact Kindle ever and features the same 6-inch, most advanced electronic ink display that reads like real paper even in bright sunlight. Kindle Touch is a new addition to the Kindle family with an easy-to-use touch screen that makes it easier than ever to turn pages, search, shop, and take notes - still with all the benefits of the most advanced electronic ink display. Kindle Touch 3G is the top of the line e-reader and offers the same new design and features of Kindle Touch, with the unparalleled added convenience of free 3G. Kindle Fire is the Kindle for movies, TV shows, music, books, magazines, apps, games and web browsing with all the content, free storage in the Amazon Cloud, Whispersync, Amazon Silk (Amazon's new revolutionary cloud-accelerated web browser), vibrant color touch screen, and powerful dual-core processor.

Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, www.amazon.it, and www.amazon.es. As used herein, "Amazon.com," "we," "our" and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.

Forward-Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

About Ian Fleming Publications Ltd

Corinne Turner, Managing Director, Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, is available for interview through Four Colman Getty
Ian Fleming Publications Ltd is the Fleming family-owned company that owns the copyright in the Bond books www.ianfleming.com
Over 100 million Bond books have been sold (and over half the world's population has seen a Bond film!)
Ian Fleming wrote 14 James Bond books: Casino Royale, 1953; Live and Let Die, 1954; Moonraker, 1955; Diamonds Are Forever, 1956; From Russia with Love, 1957; Dr. No, 1958; Goldfinger, 1959; For your Eyes Only, 1960; Thunderball, 1961; The Spy Who Loved Me, 1962; On Her Majesty's Secret Service, 1963; You Only Live Twice, 1964; The Man With The Golden Gun, 1965 and Octopussy and the Living Daylights, 1966
Fleming's other works include the children's favourite, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1964), which was made into a film and stage musical, The Diamond Smugglers (1957) and a collection of travel writings called Thrilling Cities (1963)
The Ian Fleming centenary was celebrated on 28th May 2008 with the publication of Devil May Care by Sebastian Faulks.
Charlie Higson is the author of the Young Bond books which are published by Puffin in the UK
Samantha Weinberg, writing as Kate Westbrook, is the author of the Moneypenny Diaries published by John Murray in the UK
Other previous authors of official James Bond novels include Kingsley Amis, John Gardner and Raymond Benson


SOURCE: Amazon.com, Inc.

Amazon
Katie Finch
Head of Publicity, Amazon Publishing
646-753-5759
kfinch@amazon.com
or
Ian Fleming Publications Ltd
Dotti Irving or Katy MacMillan-Scott at Four Colman Getty
Tel: +44 (0)870 626 9000
Dotti.Irving@fourcolmangetty.com
Katy.MacMillan-Scott@fourcolmangetty.com


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