News
Your Guide to PRH’s Virtual Events: Share on Social!
March 15, 2021
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.
Rachel Maddow’s BLOWOUT Best Spoken Word Album GRAMMY® Winner
March 15, 2021
Music to our ears.
The members of the Recording Academy have voted the Random House Audio production of BLOWOUT by Rachel Maddow the winner of the 2021 GRAMMY® for Best Spoken Word Album. The host of her eponymous MSNBC nightly hour, reading from her Crown print and e-book, Maddow’s BLOWOUT received its GRAMMY® Sunday afternoon, March 14, during the GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony® in Los Angeles, ahead of the CBS-TV national telecast that evening.
PRH and Michelle Obama Collaborate with Girl Scouts for “Becoming Me” Program
March 15, 2021
Girl Scouts of the USA has announced the “Becoming Me” program, a special collaboration with Penguin Random House and Former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama. The program follows the recent publication of Mrs. Obama’s book, BECOMING: Adapted for Young Readers, and offers a unique opportunity for Girl Scouts to embark on their journeys to become their best selves. The program, which includes a virtual event with Mrs. Obama, will also walk girls through earning three badges at each Girl Scout level.
Evans, Offill, Strauss Finalists for the 2021 Joyce Carol Oates Prize
March 15, 2021
The four finalists for the 2021 Joyce Carol Oates Prize, an award that honors a distinguished mid-career author of fiction, have been announced and include three books published by Penguin Random House imprints. The $50,000 prize, which is sponsored by the Simpson Literary Project, has been bestowed annually since 2017.
Sara Desai Celebrates the Launch of THE DATING PLAN via Zoom (3/16)
March 14, 2021
Sara Desai celebrates the virtual launch of her new novel, THE DATING PLAN (Berkley) in conversation with Lyssa Kay Adams at a virtual event hosted by Books Inc. via Zoom on Tuesday, March 16 at 8:00 pm (ET).
Tim Shriver Discusses THE CALL TO UNITE with Jewel via Zoom (3/16)
March 14, 2021
Tim Shriver, co-editor of THE CALL TO UNITE: Voices of Hope and Awakening (The Open Field), will talk about his new book in conversation with singer/songwriter Jewel at a virtual event hosted by RJ Julia via Zoom on Tuesday, March 16 at 7:00 pm (ET).
Jennifer L. Holm Presents THE LION OF MARS via Facebook (3/17)
March 14, 2021
Jennifer L. Holm, author of THE LION OF MARS (Random House Books for Young Readers), is featured at a virtual event hosted by Word Bookstore (Brooklyn, NY) via Facebook on Wednesday, March 17 at 4:00 pm (ET).
Jamie Figueroa Launches BROTHER, SISTER, MOTHER, EXPLORER via Crowdcast (3/18)
March 14, 2021
Jamie Figueroa, author of BROTHER, SISTER, MOTHER, EXPLORER (Catapult, a PRHPS client publisher), will be in conversation with One World Publicity Director Carla Bruce-Eddings at a virtual event hosted by Loyalty Bookstores via Crowdcast on Thursday, March 18 at 6:00 pm (ET). Click here to register for the event with a donation of any amount of your choice. Donations will go to Black Lives Matter DC.
Pope Francis Said Reading Nadia Murad’s THE LAST GIRL Inspired His Iraq Visit
March 12, 2021
Following the first-ever papal visit to Iraq, which concluded on March 8, Pope Francis told journalists on his return flight to Rome that he was inspired to visit the country after reading Nobel Peace Prize-winning author Nadia Murad’s THE LAST GIRL: The Story of My Captivity and My Fight Against the Islamic State (Tim Duggan Books).
Silko, Kotlowitz, Luiselli American Academy of Arts and Letters Awards Winners
March 12, 2021
The American Academy of Arts and Letters has announced its 2020 awards, and Penguin Random House authors Leslie Marmon Silko, Alex Kotlowitz and Valeria Luiselli were among the prize winners.
Friday Reads: Time & Clocks
March 12, 2021
Are you ready to spring forward? This Sunday we in the U.S. set our clocks ahead one hour (with the exception of Arizona and Hawaii). For the time being, sunrise and sunset will be about an hour later than usual. We’ve decided to run with the theme and suggest you clock some reading hours with these timely titles:
Michael B. Jordan Stars in Screen Adaptation of Tom Clancy’s WITHOUT REMORSE: Watch the Trailer
March 11, 2021
The film adaptation of Tom Clancy’s WITHOUT REMORSE, with actor Michael B. Jordan starring as CIA operative John Clark, premieres on Amazon Prime on April 30. The Berkley movie tie-in edition will be published on April 27.
Jasmine Mans to Share Her New Poetry Book via eventbrite (3/12)
March 10, 2021
Jasmine Mans, author of BLACK GIRL, CALL HOME: Poems (Berkley), will be in conversation with Danez Smith at a virtual event hosted by Books Are Magic via Zoom on Friday, March 12 at 8:00 pm (ET).
Pamela Paul and Becky Cameron to Present Their New Picture Book via Zoom (3/13)
March 10, 2021
Author Pamela Paul and illustrator Becky Cameron will present their new picture book, RECTANGLE TIME (Philomel), at a virtual event hosted by Greenlight Bookstore (Brooklyn, NY) via Zoom on Saturday, March 13 at 11:30 am (ET).
Kazuo Ishiguro to Discuss KLARA AND THE SUN with Pico Iyer via eventbrite (3/14)
March 10, 2021
Kazuo Ishiguro, whose new book is KLARA AND THE SUN (Knopf), will be in conversation with Pico Iyer at a virtual event hosted by Books Inc. via eventbrite on Sunday, March 14 at 4:00 pm (ET).
Ethan Hawke Offers Insights into A BRIGHT RAY OF DARKNESS via Zoom (3/14)
March 10, 2021
Ethan Hawke will discuss his novel, A BRIGHT RAY OF DARKNESS (Knopf), in conversation with Jen Sookfong Lee at a virtual event hosted by the Vancouver Writers Festival via Zoom on Sunday, March 14 at 7:00 pm (ET).
Your Guide to PRH’s Virtual Events: Share on Social!
March 10, 2021
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: The Royal Family
March 10, 2021
Were you one of the 17.1 million viewers of "CBS Presents: Oprah with Meghan and Harry" on Sunday night? The interview sparked a surge of interest in everything to do with the Royal Family (and already has its own Wikipedia page). In response to this demand, we present some of our most popular books on the subject:
Penguin Young Readers Celebrates a Year of Eric Carle
March 10, 2021
Just over one year ago, in January 2020, Penguin Young Readers acquired the intellectual property rights for Eric Carle, the beloved author and illustrator of more than 70 children’s books, including The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which has been translated into 75 languages and sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. Over the past year, Eric Carle sales have grown an impressive 30%, making Carle the #1 bestselling preschool brand, led by The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which was 2020’s 16th bestselling book of the year, and the #1 bestselling board book.
Knopf Author Rufi Thorpe a Finalist for the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award
March 9, 2021
The finalists for the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction have been announced and include one Penguin Random House title, THE KNOCKOUT QUEEN by Rufi Thorpe (Alfred A. Knopf). Five finalists were selected from the 10-title longlist that had been compiled from among 419 submitted novels and short story collections published in the U.S. during 2020. To view the complete shortlist, click here.