September 20, 2026

New Chapters

Last week, Barnes & Noble agreed to acquire Joseph-Beth Booksellers, continuing its recent streak of buying well-established but financially troubled indie bookstores. Melville House received a cash infusion from Illuminating Media owner David Kelsey, who will become 50-50 partners with the progressive publisher’s founders, despite their divergent political leanings. Knopf executive editor Erroll McDonald, who worked with such literary greats Toni Morrison and Wole Soyinka over his five-decade career at Random House, will retire at the end of the year. And the National Book Award longlists were announced, featuring a mix of familiar names and several surprises.

On September 15, Astra Taylor (l.) and Naomi Klein (r.) celebrated the launch of their new book End Times Fascism: And the Fight for the Living World at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn. New Yorker staff writer and author Jia Tolentino (c.) joined them in conversation at the event, which was hosted by Books Are Magic.

Photo: Daniel Efram

B&N Agrees to Buy Joseph-Beth Booksellers

The deal to buy both Joseph-Beth locations, in Kentucky and Ohio, marks Barnes & Noble’s third time acquiring a distressed indie bookseller, having previously purchased Denver’s Tattered Cover in 2024 and the Bay Area’s Books Inc. in 2025. more

Melville House to ‘Recapitalize’ with New Partner

Illuminating Media, publisher of the online newspaper CT Examiner and literary journal Majuscule, has become a 50-50 partner with Melville House founders Dennis Johnson (pictured) and Valerie Merians. The new investment, Johnson said, “will help me sleep better at night.” more

Longtime Knopf Editor Erroll McDonald to Retire

Over his five decades at Random House, McDonald stewarded the work of such authors as Toni Morrison, Wole Soyinka, Salman Rushdie, and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. He will step down at the end of 2026. more

2026 NBA Longlists for Fiction, Nonfiction Announced

All five longlists for this year’s National Book Awards have been unveiled. Finalists will be named on October 6, and the winners will be revealed at the 77th awards ceremony on November 18. more

More News

JobZone

SEND US TIPS

SUBMIT A PHOTO

SUBMIT JOB MOVES

Send editorial questions about this e-newsletter to Sophia Stewart.
Send advertising questions about this e-newsletter to Joe Murray.

For additional assistance, contact us by email or at the address below.

Publishers Weekly,
49 West 23rd Street
Ninth Floor
New York, NY 10010
Phone 212-377-5500

Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Get your own FREE newsletter subscriptions.

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

You are receiving this email because npkvdejmf6@nie.podam.pl subscribed to one of Publishers Weekly's newsletters. If you are not npkvdejmf6@nie.podam.pl, then please disregard this message. Update your newsletter preferences here.

PW takes spam very seriously. This email message meets all the requirements of the United States CAN-SPAM Act and Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). To remove yourself from the Must Reads email list, unsubscribe.