HBG Big News This Week: November 11-15, 2019

Following is a recap of major news at Hachette Book Group for the week of November 11-15, 2019:

#1 Bestsellers:  Triggered by Donald Trump, Jr. (Center Street) debuts this week at #1 on both the NYT Print Hardcover Nonfiction & Combined Print & Ebook bestseller lists. Malcolm Gladwell’s Talking to Strangers (LB) is #1 on the Audio Nonfiction list, as well as the Indie Bestseller list this week. HBG client publisher Abrams has three #1 NYT bestsellers this week – Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball (NYT Series list; also #1 on Indie and USA Today lists), Kinney’s Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal (Middle Grade HC and Series lists), and Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty (Picture Book list).

Major launch: A Warning by Anonymous (Twelve) has dominated the headlines since it was announced last month, with multiple stories on every national network and political/news outlet. A steady run of newsbreaks about the book has ramped up demand, with record-breaking pre-orders – more than any other non-fiction title HBG has ever published – and 500,000 copies in print, ready for the book’s on sale date next Tuesday.  Recent national media hits include MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow show (4 segments, with host reading extensive excerpts), Lawrence O’Donnell, Axios AM, NPR’s Morning Edition, CNN’s Brian Stelter, and extensive USA Today coverage (three stories, here, here, and here). The book has already been named one of TIME’s Must Read Books of 2019. Next week, coverage is likely across CBS Saturday, CBS Sunday and Face the Nation, with significant space in The New York Times, and stories in many other media outlets.

Media blitz: Julie Andrews will be busy in the coming weeks talking about her memoir Home Work (Hachette Books), with a fresh round of national coverage that includes CBS This Morning Weekend (11/16), Access Hollywood (11/19), The Ellen DeGeneres Show (11/20), The Late Late Show with James Corden (11/20), Allen Alda’s podcast (11/25), Katie Couric’s podcast (11/28), the Rachael Ray Show (12/3), and NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross (date tbd).

Colleagues in the news: Little, Brown editor Jean Garnett and Jenny Slate, author of Little Weirds, have a warm, funny conversation on Slate – a fascinating peek inside an author/editor relationship, worth reading!

Simpson/Joyce Carol Oates Prize: three Little, Brown authors – Peter Orner, Daniel Mason, and James Hannaham – have made the 2020 Longlist for the Simpson / Joyce Carol Oates Literary Prize. The prize “recognizes annually a midcareer fiction writer who has earned a distinguished reputation and the approbation and gratitude of readers” (with mid-career defined as having authored at least 2 notable works of fiction and yet to receive a major award such as Pulitzer Prize or a MacArthur). The winner will receive $50,000.

Best Travel Podcast: Avalon author Rick Steve’s podcast Travel with Rick Steves has been nominated for Best Travel Podcast by the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards. The show, which consistently tops travel podcast charts, can also be heard in 600 radio markets across the US & Canada. Winners will be announced January 17, 2020.