Apparently Blind Submission is making the rounds among various colleagues of mine and after reading the reviews, I’m tempted just to see how much of a send-up it is, though I just bought more new books to add to my to-read pile and my book budget is feeling stretched already. Years ago I read The Bestseller, which focuses on a similar topic.
And here’s my favorite bit from today’s Publishers Lunch:
From the Department of Perspective
The largest bankruptcy in publishing history threatens the existence of 150 publishers and takes a big chunk out of the 2006 profits of everyone else and it barely rates a mention in the national media. But Harper officially closes an imprint that we all knew was dead already, lays off 10 people, and it’s international news.
Et in arcaedia, ego. 
I wonder if people really thought ReganBooks was going to continue without Judith and just be ____Books.
Blind Submission
I read Blind Submission just recently, and although it gives an interesting and somewhat quirky look at the inside world of publishing, it still wasn’t a book that I’d call “unputdownable”. In fact, it’s been a long time since I’ve found one of those. As for publishers being bankrupt…Man, imagine us poor writers 😉 I’ve never heard of The Bestseller, so I might try to find it in the bookstore, but there are so many other books I need to get “product knowledge” on that I’m beginning to think I’ll soon be working there full time 🙂
I loved that squib from PUB LUNCH, too.
The only two books that truly NEED to be publishing-related, I think, are P.D. James’ ORIGINAL SIN and Val McDermid’s BOOKED FOR MURDER, both of which are mysteries where the publishing-house element are integral for the plot/crime.
I did, though, read (and enjoy) Marian Keyes’ THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY, about the agenting/writing life.