The distinguished literary agent Pat Kavanagh has died. Kavanagh, who was one of the agents to leave Peters, Fraser and Dunlop (PFD) for United Agents last year, represented a high-profile list of authors including Joanna Trollope, Robert Harris, John Irving and Andrew Motion.

She also represented Julian Barnes, to whom she was married...

Capitalising on the success of a YouTube.com clip featuring two men reunited with their pet lion, Transworld has moved fast to publish an e-book original this week of A Lion Called Christian by John Rendall and Ace Bourke. The e-book has been produced by the Random House Group Digital team and will be available at Waterstone’s. A...

Former deputy editor of The Bookseller Joel Rickett has bought his first two titles following his move to Viking (Penguin) as editorial director earlier this year.

The books, described by Rickett as “topical narrative non-fiction”, are among the first in an expected wave of business titles as publishers flock to bring out...

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham has announced the widely anticipated government review of libraries, promising a modernisation review to make libraries attractive places for the whole community. New culture minister Barbara Follett will lead the review over the next six months and then publish a report for consultation.

Speaking at the...