Around the Word

Oh, How the Mighty (Somewhat) Fall. Over at Publishers Weekly, Gabe Habash questions whether the New York Times Book Review still has the same affect on book sales that it once did. Using profit numbers and data from Nielsen BookScan, he found that the Review still has some push power, but not nearly as much as it once did—yet another result of the digital age affecting the publishing industry. Do you think the Review still has power? Let us know in the comments.

Cheaper Hotel = More Money to Spend at Overpriced Hotel Bar. Officials at BookExpo America announced that they’ve moved the 2013 conference up a week, which will decrease hotel prices for guests by about 15 percent. In addition to the lower lodging rate, the change allowed them to secure larger blocks in the most popular hotels in the surrounding area. Thanks for looking out, BEA!

Write Gnommish to Me, Baby. Flavorwire compiled a list of ten fictional alphabets that you can actually use, including the Elvish alphabet from The Lord of the Rings, the Alien alphabet from Futurama, the Gnommish alphabet from Artemis Fowl, and (of course) the Klingon alphabet from Star Trek. Sure, it might take some getting used to, but what better way to send secret notes or love letters, or better yet, record your deepest, darkest secrets? Decoder ring not included.

Years Late and Still on Time. The only full realized novel by Woody Guthrie, House of Earth, will soon be published, and it's being edited by none other than Johnny Depp. Written as a response to the Dust Bowl, the book is a perfect encapsulation of America’s collective viewpoint at the time, similar to Steinbeck’s epic Grapes of Wrath. Why it was never published is unknown, but the posthumous release  feels especially relevant right now, in the midst of another nationwide heatwave.