Outside the Jacob Javits Convention Center, it was another scorching day in Manhattan. Inside, where an estimated 36,000 editors, booksellers, authors, journalists, and publicists would be commingling throughout the weekend, it was more tolerable--like a mild afternoon in the tropics. Welcome to Book Expo America, the publishing industry's annual romp, where the written word (along with an ocean of ancillary products) is the most desirable commodity on earth.


I spent three days roving the cavernous aisles, harvesting galleys, trinkets, pencils, tote bags, and at least one glass of champagne. I dodged in and out of panels, and when I could, I collared various industry bigwigs for a few moments of diagnostic chat. The first of these was Steve Wasserman, who's worn a good many hats during a long career in the trade: he ran both Hill & Wang and Times Books, then became editor of the Los Angeles Times Book Review, and is now a literary agent. What, I asked him, was the state of the industry? And where was the good news?