Powell’s Books closed its doors for part of last week due to safety concerns after protesters gathered outside the store. They were objecting to the online sale of a forthcoming book by Andy Ngo, Unmasked: Inside Antifa’s Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy. While the store isn’t stocking the title in the store or promoting it, protesters argued that online sale of the book could “incite actions that would harm others.” Meanwhile, PEN America released a statement in support of Powell’s decision, and the union representing Powell’s employees suggested protesters direct their criticism at the book’s publisher, Hachette.
Jane Friedman has spent her entire career working in the publishing industry, with a focus on business reporting and author education. Established in 2015, her newsletter The Bottom Line provides nuanced market intelligence to thousands of authors and industry professionals; in 2023, she was named Publishing Commentator of the Year by Digital Book World.
Jane’s expertise regularly features in major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, The Today Show, Wired, The Guardian, Fox News, and BBC. Her book, The Business of Being a Writer, Second Edition (The University of Chicago Press), is used as a classroom text by many writing and publishing degree programs. She reaches thousands through speaking engagements and workshops at diverse venues worldwide, including NYU’s Advanced Publishing Institute, Frankfurt Book Fair, and numerous MFA programs.
