Total net book sales in July in the U.S. fell 2.2%, to $1.887 billion, compared to July 2017, representing sales of 1,079 publishers and distributed clients as reported to the Association of American Publishers. For the year to date, total net book sales have fallen 1.5%, to $7.669 billion.

Trade books did very well in July. Adult book sales rose 11.1%, to $389.2 million, while children's/YA rose 10.3%, to $138.6 million. Of all the major publishing categories, higher ed had the poorest results in July, down 17.2%, to $612.3 million--the main drag on results for the entire book industry in July.

Sales by category in July 2018 compared to July 2017:

Barnes & Noble has opened a 17,000-square-foot new concept store in Columbia, Md., the Columbia Patch reported. It is one of six new concept stores and its features include community tables, a cafe, an events space and "book theaters"--circular displays meant to draw shoppers into the store.

The store has oak bookshelves and LED lights, and staff members carry tablets to help them quickly search the store's inventory. Self-service information kiosks are also located around the store. There is a local-interest section featuring books by local authors and about Maryland.

The children's section, located at the back of the store, features a Lego area, and there are prominent young adult and graphic novel sections as well. Some of the store's sideline offerings include vinyl music and turntables, educational toys and games, and other "curated gift items."

Unlike the early round of B&N concept stores, the Columbia store does not have a full restaurant or bar. Rather, the cafe sells Starbucks coffee and tea along with assorted baked goods, sandwiches, salads and snacks. The tables are equipped with outlets and charging stations. The event space, meanwhile, measures some 700 square feet and will be used for author events, school book fairs, story times and the like.

In a preview tour of the new store, B&N's v-p of stores Carl Hauch said: "What we wanted to do when we designed this store was to create a modern, contemporary bookstore, of course with books at its core and at its center."

Amazon is considering opening as many as 3,000 AmazonGo cashierless stores over the next few years, Bloomberg reported yesterday, calling it "an aggressive and costly expansion that would threaten convenience chains like 7-Eleven Inc., quick-service sandwich shops like Subway and Panera Bread, and mom-and-pop pizzerias and taco trucks."

Amazon opened its first AmazonGo store in Seattle, Wash., in 2016, and has several others. The stores feature high-tech sensors and scanners that do away with checkout, and offer mainly prepared foods and groceries. Amazon spent $1 million on technology in the first store, although such costs should go down with multiples openings. Still, such a move could put Amazon in "an investment cycle," Bloomberg said. In other words, the company could go back to losing a lot of money.

Bloomberg noted that Bezos has said Amazon is "very interested" in bricks-and-mortar stores, but only if they have something new to offer. Having 3,000 convenience stores would make AmazonGo "among the biggest chains in the U.S." There about 155,000 convenience stores, 122,500 of which are combined with gas stations, in the U.S.

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Amazon plans to open its second large-scale fulfillment center in Stockton, Calif. The one million-square-foot warehouse joins Central and Northern California facilities in Fresno, Newark, Patterson, Sacramento, Tracy and Vacaville. The company estimates that its direct investments contributed an additional $15 billion to the state's economy from 2011 to 2017 and generated an additional 50,000 indirect jobs on top of the company's direct hires.

"Since we first began operating in California six years ago, we have found a network of support from community leaders, a dedicated workforce and fantastic customers," said Mark Stewart, v-p of Amazon's North America operations.

Doron Weber

Doron Weber, vice-president and program director at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, will receive the 2018 Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community, given by the National Book Foundation to honor a "lifetime of achievement in expanding the audience for books and reading." Weber will receive the award at the 69th National Book Awards ceremony and benefit dinner on November 14.

The National Book Foundation said that Weber, who has run the Sloan Foundation's program for Public Understanding of Science, Technology & Economics for more than 20 years, has "helped commission, produce, and distribute media that connect the public with science in accessible and illuminating ways." With Weber at the helm, the program has provided "tens of millions of dollars in grant money" to help see books like Margot Lee Shetterly's Hidden Figures, Jared Diamond's Collapse and Richard Rhodes's Hedy's Folly get published. (Shetterly, in fact, will present the award to Weber on November 14.)

David Steinberger, chairman of the board of the National Book Foundation, said: "We could not be prouder to recognize the unique and vital work of Doron Weber. For more than two decades at Sloan, Weber has worked passionately and tirelessly to connect readers with exceptional storytelling that is able to distill the enormity of our world into engaging, illuminating narratives."

Executive director Lisa Lucas said: "At the National Book Foundation, we believe that the scope of literature is expansive; that it can and should open up entirely new worlds to its readers. Doron Weber is that principle in action. Firmly committed to the marriage of science and art, Weber has spent his career working to meet readers where they are, connecting them in creative ways to new ideas and modes of thinking."

Ed Several

Ed Several, who has been senior v-p at Reed Exhibitions and responsible for BookExpo, among other shows, is leaving in October for a job at another company. He has been with Reed for 14 years.

For the foreseeable future, event manager Jenny Martin will step into the leadership role for BookExpo. ReedPOP Global president Lance Fensterman described Martin as "Ed's right hand person" who has worked closely with him on reimagining BookExpo. "The strategy they've put together with our customers and partners is in place and we are executing against it. We all agreed that the show was in an excellent place with a strong strategy to move forward. And we truly agreed that it was a good time for the leadership to transition."

Fensterman added: "We wish Ed the best and we feel that with New York Rights Fair, BookCon, BookExpo and a strong team in place we are as confident as ever that we have the right brands, strategy, team and leadership for our customers and the book community."

Cindy Hulsey

Cindy Hulsey, co-founder and executive director of the Tulsa Literary Coalition and Magic City Books in Tulsa, Okla., died September 19. She co-founded TLC in 2015 and over the next two years led the way in the creation of Magic City Books.

In a letter announcing Hulsey's passing, TLC president Jeff Martin wrote: "Her passion for and dedication to the project were unwavering in the face of many obstacles and challenges. The store opened in November 2017 to great acclaim. The dream was realized. Cindy called it 'the best day of my life.'

"Prior to working for TLC/MCB, Cindy spent nearly 20 years at the Tulsa City-County Library where she impacted visitors on a daily basis through programming, thoughtful and personalized service, and, ultimately, a belief in the power of books and reading to change lives. She believed it because it changed hers.

"Beyond any and all professional accomplishments (too many to name), we simply miss our beloved friend and colleague, her laugh, her kindness, her incomparable mind. She's gone. And we carry on. We must. For Cindy. Because of Cindy."

In July, when Hulsey's illness was first made public, Magic City Books announced the creation of a permanent tribute to her at the store with a section called "Cindy's Picks," featuring some of her favorite reads.

Congratulations to the Learned Owl Bookshop in Hudson, Ohio, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary this Sunday, September 23. The Ohio Senate recognized the milestone, noting that the bookstore "has achieved a remarkable record of service to the area. Since 1968, the venture has offered books to readers of all ages and interests, earning the gratitude and appreciation of many satisfied customers, and its success is a justifiable source of pride and an outstanding reflection not only on the business itself but also on its owner, Kate Schlademan and her predecessors, on its hard-working employees, and on the Hudson community."

Hudson residents Jean and Bob Isabel launched the business in 1968 with another partner, the Columbus Dispatch reported. Schlademan bought the Learned Owl in 2013 from Liz Murphy, who had purchased it in 1983.

"I've always loved books and wanted to buy a bookstore," Schlademan said. "It would be the thing I love most and, hopefully, do the best." Her advice to anyone looking to follow in her footsteps is to "know what you're getting into. You're not going to be able to read all the time.... You need to know your community and what will sell." The Learned Owl is a well-known name in the book industry, she added, noting that her predecessor "spread the name."

Murphy, now the director of Destination Hudson, recalled that she and Elaine Ober were attending a women's business group in the early 1980s and wanted to start a business: "We had no idea what we were doing. I read but didn't know kids' books.... After closing, we'd pour a glass of wine, open a bag of chips and figure out what we did that day.... The Learned Owl was my life. The people became my family and each generation brought their kids."

For the second year in a row, Curious Iguana in Frederick, Md., is partnering with the 1st Amendment Society to hide 60 banned and challenged books around downtown Frederick between September 15 and September 30.

During the Banned Book Search, books will be stashed in local businesses and in public spaces, and Curious Iguana will share clues on their social media accounts. Book hunters can keep any books that they find and are encouraged to share a photo of the book with the hashtag "#fREADomfrederick."

On September 30, Curious Iguana will co-host the Cheers to Freadom event at Flying Dog Brewery. The event will be free for anyone 21 and older and feature banned books trivia, prize drawings, and a visit from author John Schlimm (Moonshine: A Celebration of America's Original Rebel Spirit). And anyone who found a banned book during the Banned Book Search and attends the event will be entered to win prizes from Flying Dog Brewery, McClintock Distillery and Curious Iguana.

At Putnam:

Ashley Hewlett has been promoted to senior publicity manager.

Elena Hershey has been promoted to publicity manager.

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At Page Street Publishing:

Lauren Cepero has joined the company as kids/YA publicist.

Kayla Tostevin has joined the company as publicity and marketing assistant.

A Promise Stitched in Time by Colleen Rowan Kosinski (Schiffer Publishing).

Tomorrow:
HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher: P.J. O'Rourke, author of None of My Business: P.J. Explains Money, Banking, Debt, Equity, Assets, Liabilities, and Why He's Not Rich and Neither Are You (Atlantic Monthly Press, $27, 9780802128485).

Tonight Show: Chrissy Teigen, co-author of Cravings: Hungry for More (Clarkson Potter, $29.99, 9781524759728).

Book TV airs on C-Span 2 this weekend from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday and focuses on political and historical books as well as the book industry. The following are highlights for this coming weekend. For more information, go to Book TV's website.

Saturday, September 22
5:30 p.m. Andrea Gabor, author of After the Education Wars: How Smart Schools Upend the Business of Reform (The New Press, $27.99, 9781620971994). (Re-airs Sunday at 1 p.m.)

6:30 p.m. Steve Hilton, author of Positive Populism: Revolutionary Ideas to Rebuild Economic Security, Family, and Community in America (Crown Forum, $24, 9780525575580).

7:45 p.m. April Ryan, author of Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House (Rowman & Littlefield, $24.95, 9781538113363).

10 p.m. John Kerry, author of Every Day Is Extra (Simon & Schuster, $35, 9781501178955). (Re-airs Sunday at 9 p.m. and Monday at 12 a.m. and 3 a.m.)

11 p.m. P.J. O'Rourke, author of None of My Business (Atlantic Monthly Press, $27, 9780802128485).

Sunday, September 23
12 a.m. Arnold A. Offner, author of Hubert Humphrey: The Conscience of the Country (Yale University Press, $35, 9780300222395), at Politics & Prose in Washington, D.C.

1:10 a.m. Heather Mac Donald, author of The Diversity Delusion: How Race and Gender Pandering Corrupt the University and Undermine Our Culture (St. Martin's Press, $28.99, 9781250200914). (Re-airs Sunday at 11:10 p.m.)

2:15 a.m. Chris Hedges, author of America: The Farewell Tour (Simon & Schuster, $27, 9781501152672), at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park, Calif. (Re-airs Sunday at 2:45 p.m.)

2 p.m. Stuart Eizenstat, author of President Carter: The White House Years (Thomas Dunne, $40, 9781250104557).

5 p.m. Lucia McBath, author of Standing Our Ground: The Triumph of Faith Over Gun Violence: A Mother's Story (Atria/37 INK, $26, 9781501187780), at Politics & Prose in Washington, D.C.

5:45 p.m. Antonia Felix, author of Elizabeth Warren: Her Fight. Her Work. Her Life. (Sourcebooks, $25.99, 9781492665281), at Belmont Books in Belmont, Mass.

8 p.m. Kyle Longley, author of LBJ's 1968: Power, Politics, and the Presidency in America's Year of Upheaval (Cambridge University Press, $29.99, 9781107193031).

The shortlist for the £50,000 ($66,025) 2018 Man Booker Prize consists of:

Milkman by Anna Burns (U.K)
Washington Black by Esi Edugyan (Canada)
Everything Under by Daisy Johnson (U.K.)
The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner (U.S.)
The Overstory by Richard Powers (U.S.)
The Long Take by Robin Robertson (U.K.)

The shortlist includes the debut novel Everything Under by Daisy Johnson, who is a former bookseller at Blackwell's Bookshop in Oxford. (She left when she received a two-book publishing deal with Jonathan Cape.)

The winner will be announced on October 16.

Selected new titles appearing next Tuesday, September 25:

Transcription: A Novel by Kate Atkinson (Little, Brown, $28, 9780316176637) follows a young British woman who tracks Fascist sympathizers during World War II.

Hippie by Paulo Coelho, translated by Eric M.B. Becker (Knopf, $25.95, 9780525655619) tracks an itinerant Brazilian man across South America.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing: A Novel by Hank Green (Dutton, $26, 9781524743444) follows the appearance of mysterious statues around the world.

Vengeful by V.E. Schwab (Tor, $25.99, 9780765387523) is the second entry in the sci-fi Villians series.

AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order by Kai-Fu Lee (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $28, 9781328546395) explores upcoming advances in artificial intelligence.

Belichick: The Making of the Greatest Football Coach of All Time by Ian O'Connor (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $28, 9780544785748) is a biography of the coach of the New England Patriots.

This Is the Day: Reclaim Your Dream. Ignite Your Passion. Live Your Purpose by Tim Tebow (WaterBrook, $25, 9780525650300) is the former football player's look at finding inspiration.

How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery, illustrated by Rebecca Green (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $20, 9780544938328) delves into a naturalist's animal encounters.

American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures by America Ferrera (Gallery, $26, 9781501180910) collects 32 stories about the immigrant experience.

The Dichotomy of Leadership: Balancing the Challenges of Extreme Ownership to Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin (St. Martin's Press, $28.99, 9781250195777) is a guide to leadership.

Wine Folly: Magnum Edition: The Master Guide by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack (Avery, $35, 9780525533894) is a complete guide to wine.

Rose's Baking Basics: 100 Essential Recipes, with More Than 600 Step-by-Step Photos by Rose Levy Beranbaum (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $35, 9780544816220) is a cookbook for baking recipes.

You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino (Scholastic, $16.99, 9780545956246) features a pre-teen learning how to be an ally.

Blue by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Roaring Brook, $17.99, 9781626720664) is the companion picture book to the Caldecott-Honored Green.

Paperbacks:
Climbing the Hill: How to Build a Career in Politics and Make a Difference by Jaime Harrison and Amos Snead (Ten Speed Press, $16.99, 9780399581939).

Grant by Ron Chernow (Penguin Books, $22, 9780143110637).

Movie:
Little Women, a modern retelling of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, opens September 25.

From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:

Hardcover: An Indies Introduce Title
A Key to Treehouse Living: A Novel by Elliot Reed (Tin House, $19.95, 9781947793040). "Brilliant in form and content, this is a coming-of-age story that uses the format of an alphabetical index to illustrate the way that our adolescent and young adult minds try to make sense of the world: we categorize and define, put feelings and inanimate objects on equal footing, and do our best to make sense of the chaos around us the way textbooks and encyclopedias have taught. References from one entry to another mimic the links between our memories that seem to make our lives a continuum rather than a series of isolated incidents. Life doesn't occur in alphabetical order, but there's no reason your story can't be told that way. This is a book that drives you to connect the dots yourself, because, really, that's half the fun, isn't it?" --Christian Brandt, The Book Table, Oak Park, Ill.

Hardcover
Severance: A Novel by Ling Ma (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $26, 9780374261597). "Candace Chen is a first-generation Chinese millennial immigrant who tries to make a life in New York City by succumbing to the role of the office drone who helps create cheap bibles. But when Shen Fever--a plague that causes its victims to perform a rote task until death--hits, only a few survive, including Candace. She soon finds herself in a cult-like band of other survivors heading to the Midwest while also trying to come to terms with her past and the unknowns of her future. With dark humor, sharp intelligence, and compassion, Ling Ma has written a well-constructed, biting satire of capitalism and a moving glimpse into the roles of memory, place, and identity in a life." --Kelsey Westenberg, The Dial Bookshop, Chicago, Ill.

Paperback
Home Fire: A Novel by Kamila Shamsie (Riverhead, $16, 9780735217690). "One finishes reading Kamila Shamsie's extraordinary Home Fire completely stunned. She has written a brilliant story about two families who share geography and become linked by fate--one that has known exile, death, and family mystery, and another that has adapted to the so-called mainstream. Family, religion, the politics of media, various forms of seduction, and present-day devices all bring themselves to bear in utterly telling form. The U.S., London, Karachi, Syria, and Istanbul all figure into this book, which is of this time and age and beyond. One of the finest writers at work in English today, Kamila Shamsie has written her most heartbreaking, beautiful, necessary book yet." --Rick Simonson, The Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, Wash.

For Ages 4 to 8
The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros, illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte (Simon & Schuster, $17.99, 9781481489157). "This is the book to help children understand a grandparent's changing landscape. This is the book for the superhero caregivers of those on an Alzheimer's journey. This is the book I wish I could have had for the past three years. This book will break your heart but buoy your spirit. Beautiful." --Kathleen Carey, Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, N.Y.

For Ages 9 to 12
The Dollar Kids by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, illustrated by Ryan Andrews (Candlewick Press, $17.99, 9780763694746). "I recognized myself in this book. Like Lowen, I've been an 11-year-old grappling with guilt and grief. I've moved from a city to a small town and found a home. I know it's cheesy, but this book made me laugh, cry, and hug my child. I completely fell in love with Millville and The Dollar Kids, and I know everyone who reads this book will, too." --Sarah Krammen, Dragonfly Books, Decorah, Ia.

For Teen Readers
Puddin' by Julie Murphy (Balzer + Bray, $17.99, 9780062418388). "I adored Julie Murphy's earlier book, Dumplin', and Puddin' is every bit as delightful. Millie Michalchuk, the fat girl who was the runner-up in the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant in Dumplin', is a born rule-follower who is nevertheless chafing at the restrictions being put on her by society--and by her overprotective mother. Millie has plans for her life that don't fall within the narrow paths she's been taught to follow. Callie, whose life revolves around the school's dance team, seemingly has it all until a bad decision forces her out of her former life and into Millie's orbit. Murphy gets inside her characters' heads beautifully as she narrates the pains, pressures, and joys of high school." --Carol Schneck Varner, Schuler Books, Okemos, Mich.

[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]