News
Consumers Are Joining “The Conversation,” PRH’s Books & Resources Site to Shape Our Antiracist Future
October 29, 2020
Since the mid-September launch of "The Conversation" – a collaborative program from Penguin Random House Sales and Corporate Marketing that showcases the books and authors that advance racial understanding and help promote antiracism, acceptance and inclusivity – organic promotion on social media has generated 30K impressions across platforms.
Save the Children’s 100 Days of Reading Campaign Logs More Than 100 Million Minutes
October 29, 2020
Penguin Random House and Brightly partnered to support Save the Children’s second annual READ A STORY, CHANGE THEIR STORY, 100 Days of Reading campaign this past summer. The campaign exceeded Save the Children’s 100 million minutes logged goal, and raised more than $4.5 million in-kind and financial gifts, a 200% increase from last year. To further enhance our impact, PRH also partnered with zulily, to help provide books to children in need across the nation with a summertime “Buy 1, Give 1” campaign.
Bess Kalb to Discuss NOBODY WILL TELL YOU THIS BUT ME via Zoom (11/1)
October 29, 2020
Bess Kalb will talk about her book, NOBODY WILL TELL YOU THIS BUT ME: A True (As Told to Me) Story (Knopf), at the Jewish Book Festival of the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys via Zoom on Sunday, November 1 at 10:00 pm (ET).
Riva Lehrer in Conversation with David Mitchell via ChicagoHumanities.org (10/30)
October 29, 2020
Riva Lehrer will discuss her book, GOLEM GIRL (One World), in conversation by author David Mitchell at a virtual event hosted by the Seminary Co-Op Bookstore via ChicagoHumanities.org on Friday, October 30 at 2:00 pm (ET).
Matthew McConaughey to Talk About His Memoir with Reese Witherspoon via ExtendedSession (10/30)
October 29, 2020
Matthew McConaughey, author of GREENLIGHTS (Crown), will be in conversation with Reese Witherspoon at a virtual event hosted by Book Passage via ExtendedSession on Friday, October 30 at 7:00 pm (ET).
Maggie Pouncey and Larry Day Share A FORT ON THE MOON via YouTube (11/1)
October 28, 2020
Author Maggie Pouncey and illustrator Larry Day will be sharing their book, A FORT ON THE MOON (Neal Porter Books), at Book Are Magic’s virtual storytime via YouTube on Sunday, November 1 at 12:00 pm (ET).
Your Daily Guide to PRH’s Virtual Events: Share on Social!
October 28, 2020
Connecting readers with our books and authors is more important than ever in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, ongoing social distancing, racism and police use of deadly force that has mobilized our country. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events, and you can help promote them. Share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.
There's a Book for That: Cults
October 28, 2020
Have you been captivated by the HBO documentary “The Vow” about the cult NXIVM and its leader Keith Raniere? Raniere was sentenced this week to 120 years in prison for federal sex trafficking, racketeering and possession of child pornography. NXIUM is just the latest to pique curiosity and concern about the psychology of cult leaders, followers and those who escape their grip. We've gathered books that best illuminate the topic from various perspectives, fiction and nonfiction:
CULTS UNCOVERED: TRUE STORIES OF MIND CONTROL AND MURDER by Emily G. Thompson
The shocking truth about some of the most disturbing, criminal cults that have ever existed. Cults Uncovered explores strange and disturbing factions and sects from all over the world to expose terrifying stories of manipulation, coercion, abuse, and murder.
CULT X by Fuminori Nakamura; Translated by Kalau Almony
Inspired by the 1995 sarin gas terrorist attack on the Tokyo subway, Cult X is an exploration of what draws individuals into extremism. It is a tour de force that captures the connections between astrophysics, neuroscience, and religion; an invective against predatory corporate consumerism and exploitative geopolitics; and a love story about compassion in the face of nihilism.
THE WORLD IN FLAMES: A BLACK BOYHOOD IN A WHITE SUPREMACIST DOOMSDAY CULT by Jerald Walker
A memoir of growing up with blind, African-American parents in a segregated cult preaching the imminent end of the world.
“Jerald Walker has a remarkable story to tell, and he tells it with a wealth of grace and intelligence at his command.” —Vivian Gornick
THE GIRLS: A NOVEL by Emma Cline
Girls, their vulnerability, strength, and desire to belong, are at the heart of this un-put-downable first novel set during the violent end of the 1960s in Northern California. At the start of summer, a lonely and thoughtful teenager, Evie Boyd is in thrall to Suzanne, a mesmerizing older girl, and is drawn into the circle of a soon-to-be infamous cult.
GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY, HOLLYWOOD, AND THE PRISON OF BELIEF by Lawrence Wright
The basis for the HBO documentary. Armed with his investigative talents, years of archival research, and more than two hundred personal interviews with current and former Scientologists, Lawrence Wright uncovers the inner workings of the church.
RAVEN: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE REV. JIM JONES AND HIS PEOPLE by Tim Reiterman, John Jacobs
The basis for the upcoming HBO miniseries and the “definitive account of the Jonestown massacre” (Rolling Stone), Raven provides the definitive history of the Rev. Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple, and the murderous ordeal at Jonestown. This PEN Award–winning work explores the ideals-gone-wrong, the intrigue, and the grim realities behind the Peoples Temple and its implosion in the jungle of South America.
LOST BOY: THE TRUE STORY OF ONE MAN'S EXILE FROM A POLYGAMIST CULT AND HIS BRAVE JOURNEY TO RECLAIM HIS LIFE by Brent W. Jeffs, Maia Szalavitz
An insider’s shocking account, Lost Boy portrays life inside the Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints from the unique perspective of Warren Jeffs’s nephew, a man who grew up in the group, suffered abuse by its leaders, and witnessed firsthand the events that led to the largest placement of children into foster care in American history.
TRIUMPH: LIFE AFTER THE CULT--A SURVIVOR'S LESSONS by Carolyn Jessop, Laura Palmer
Carolyn Jessop, New York Times bestselling author of Escape, returns with the moving and inspirational tale of her life after she heroically fled the cult she'd been raised in and hares the sources of strength that allowed her not just to survive, but to flourish in her new life.
SEDUCTIVE POISON: A JONESTOWN SURVIVOR'S STORY OF LIFE AND DEATH IN THE PEOPLES TEMPLE by Deborah Layton
In this haunting and riveting firsthand account, a survivor of Jim Jones's Peoples Temple opens up the shadowy world of cults and shows how anyone can fall under their spell.
FOR YOUNG ADULT READERS
The Sacred Lies of Minnow Bly by Stephanie Oakes
Ages 14 And Up
An emotionally raw debut about the dangers of blind faith. The cult known as the Community has taken everything from seventeen-year-old Minnow: twelve years of her life, her family, her ability to trust. And when she rebelled, they took away her hands, too. Now their Prophet has been murdered and their camp set aflame, and it’s clear that Minnow knows something—but she’s not talking.
GATED by Amy Christine Parker
Ages 14 and Up
Lyla Hamilton is a loyal member of the Community. Her family was happy to be chosen by Pioneer to join such a lovely gated neighborhood. Here, life seems perfect. But after meeting Cody, an outsider boy, Lyla starts questioning Pioneer, her friends, her family--everything. And if there's one thing not allowed in the Community, it's doubt.
Coming in Spring, 2021
DON'T CALL IT A CULT: THE SHOCKING STORY OF KEITH RANIERE AND THE WOMEN OF NXIVM by Sarah Berman
Sex trafficking. Self-help coaching. Forced labor. Mentorship. Multi-level marketing. Gaslighting. Investigative journalist Sarah Berman explores the shocking practices of NXIVM, a cult run by Keith Raniere and many enablers. Through the accounts of central NXIVM figures, Berman uncovers how dozens of women seeking creative coaching and networking opportunities instead were blackmailed, literally branded, near-starved, and enslaved.
For more on these and related titles visis Cults
There’s a Book for That! is brought to you by Penguin Random House’s Sales department. Please follow our Tumblr by clicking here—and share this link with your accounts: theresabookforthat.tumblr.com. Thank you! Did you see something on the news or read about something on your commute? Perhaps you noticed something trending on Twitter? Did you think: “There’s a book for that!”? Then please, send it our way at theresabookforthat@penguinrandomhouse.com
PRH Audio Named Audio Publisher of the Year at 2020 DBW Awards
October 28, 2020
Penguin Random House Audio was named Audio Publisher of the Year at the recent 2020 Digital Book World Awards, announced online. It was the inaugural year of the Audio Publisher of the Year category, sponsored by AudioFile Magazine. Congratulations to Amanda D'Acierno and the entire PRH Audio team.
To view the full list of 2020 DBW Award winners, click here. Watch “Why I Vote” Video Messages From PRH Authors
October 28, 2020
Book the Vote, a nonpartisan initiative to protect free speech and ensure every voter’s right to participate in elections, was launched by Penguin Random House, PEN America, Out of Print, and When We All Vote. To further enhance this effort, PRH enlisted bestselling authors, including Deepak Chopra, Elaine Weiss, and Kyle Creek, to make sense of America’s history and politics through engaging and informative videos based on their books. “How America Works” episodes – The Right to Vote, Voting for the President, and the Electoral College – will be released on Book the Vote and Instagram, supplemented on social with “Why I Vote” videos featuring 20+ Penguin Random House authors.
No Tricks Just Treats at Middle Grade Author Creepfest via Zoom (10/29)
October 28, 2020
It's a Middle Grade Creepfest, with no tricks, just treats, as Penguin Young Readers authors share their newest books packed with funny characters and spooky plots at this virtual event hosted by An Unlikely Story Bookstore & Café via Zoom on Thursday, October 29 at 7:30 pm (ET).
Paola Ramos to Discuss FINDING LATINX with Julian Castro via Zoom (10/29)
October 27, 2020
Paola Ramos, author of FINDING LATINX (Knopf), will be in conversation with Julian Castro, at a virtual event hosted by Changing Hands Book Store (Tempe, AZ) via Zoom on Thursday, October 29 at 9:30 pm (ET).
Halloween Horror Panel to Feature Penguin Young Readers YA Authors via Zoom (10/29)
October 27, 2020
YA @ Books Inc. presents a spine-tingling evening with a Halloween Horror Panel of YA authors via Zoom on Thursday, October 29 at 8:00 pm (ET).
Spooky Installment of “Meet the Bookstagrammer” to Feature Audra of @ouija.doodle.reads via Instagram (10/29)
October 27, 2020
For this Random House Virtual event, “Meet the Bookstagrammer,” Random House social media associate Megan Tripp (who also runs the Bookstagram account @BooksnBlazers) introduces us to the faces behind some of our favorite bookstagram accounts on Instagram. Meet Audra of @ouija.doodle.reads for a spooky installment of Meet the Bookstagrammer. Audra will talk about @ladiesofhorrorfiction, the tricks and treats on her Halloween reading list, and her favorite creepy reads via @Random House on Instagram on Thursday, October 29 at 12:30 pm (ET).
Your Daily Guide to PRH’s Virtual Events: Share on Social!
October 27, 2020
Connecting readers with our books and authors is more important than ever in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, ongoing social distancing, racism and police use of deadly force that has mobilized our country. Across Penguin Random House, we are hosting a variety of virtual events, and you can help promote them. Share the day’s complete calendar or your favorite individual listings via the share button, which will allow you to directly deliver all the relevant event information to your social network.
PRH Supports the All We Can Save Project, Building a Community for Women Climate Leaders
October 27, 2020
As part of our ongoing efforts to help protect the planet and its future, Penguin Random House is proud to support the All We Can Save Project , created by the editors of One World’s ALL WE CAN SAVE: Truth, Courage and Solutions for the Climate Crisis, Dr. Ayana Johnson and Dr. Katharine Wilkinson. Inspired by the anthology, the new initiative will accelerate the success of the climate movement by providing support and community for women climate leaders — scientists, journalists, farmers, lawyers, teachers, activists, innovators, wonks, and designers, across generations, geographies, and race.
Our Winners of the 2020 IACP Awards, Including Book of the Year for JUBILEE
October 26, 2020
The International Association of Culinary Professionals announced the winners of the 42nd annual IACP awards, which recognize the very best food writing and publishing of the year, at a virtual ceremony on Saturday, October 24. Books, authors and editors from our Penguin Random House imprints Clarkson Potter, Ted Speed Press, Doubleday and Random House as well as TASTE, our publisher-agnostic digital magazine, received awards, including the top honor, Book of the Year. Congratulations to all of our winners.
Explore UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEYS with DK’s Becky Flynn
October 26, 2020
UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEYS: Slow Down and See the World , newly published by DK Eyewitness Travel, celebrates taking the scenic route. See the world, slowly moving through it, taking your time. By whatever mode of transport you prefer – on foot, by bike, by car, on the water, or by rail – get inspired to enjoy the ebb and flow of travel thoughtfully. This book covers experiences such as riding the Orient Express, driving Route 66, and walking the Camino de Santiago. It also veers off-the-beaten-path: cycling around Botswana, kayaking through Finnish Lakeland, and scaling the cirques of La Réunion on foot. Even though travel may be on pause right now, this book is the perfect tool for dreaming about far-flung destinations from the comfort of your home — and planning for next year’s vacations.
In this Behind the Pages Igloo interview, DK’s Becky Flynn, Project Editor for UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEYS, talks about “slow travel” as the concept used in this book, how the featured journeys were selected, her favorite spread, and what she enjoyed most about working on this title.
Mary Pope Osborne’s #1 Bestselling Magic Tree House Series to be Adapted into Graphic Novels
October 26, 2020
Mary Pope Osborne’s #1 New York Times bestselling Magic Tree House series will be transformed into graphic novels, to be published by Random House Books for Young Readers, it was announced today by Mallory Loehr, Executive Vice President, Publisher, Random House Books for Young Readers Group. The new editions will be written by Mary Pope Osborne and Jenny Laird and will feature full-color illustrations from sisters and comic art team Kelly Matthews and Nichole Matthews. The first graphic novel installment, on sale May 4, 2021, will be an adaptation of the first title in the series, Magic Tree House #1: DINOSAURS BEFORE DARK. A new installment will release every six months, with THE KNIGHT AT DAWN graphic novel scheduled for Fall 2021.
Ernest Cline Announces Global Virtual Tour for READY PLAYER TWO
October 26, 2020
To celebrate the launch of the highly anticipated sequel to his #1 New York Times bestseller, READY PLAYER ONE, Ernest Cline will be doing a global virtual tour to discuss READY PLAYER TWO. Events will include virtual conversations with a handful of U.S. booksellers, including BookPeople, Powell’s, The Strand, Brookline Booksmith, and Joseph-Beth; an event with Waterstones in the UK; and two exciting upcoming events with Roblox and Big Screen (details to follow soon). Visit ReadyPlayerTwo.com for more event details.