Linguist and lexicographer Ben Zimmer analyzes the origins of words in the news. Read previous columns here. The publishing industry has a problem, and it goes by a peculiar five-letter name: “blurb.” ...

Folks, it’s time to talk about blurbs. You know blurbs, the choice little quotations from other writers or public figures touting the excellence of the book you are considering purchasing. They are ...

In a decision some in the book business might call “stunning” or a “tour-de-force,” Simon & Schuster publisher Sean Manning, who succeeded Jonathan Karp last year at the top of S&S’s flagship imprint ...