Selling Books by Their Gilded Covers



Alessandra Montalto/The New York Times


Publishers are putting more thought into books' aesthetics

Many new releases have design elements usually reserved for special occasions — deckle edges, colored endpapers, high-quality paper and exquisite jackets that push the creative boundaries of bookmaking. If e-books are about ease and expedience, the publishers reason, then print books need to be about physical beauty and the pleasures of owning, not just reading.

Sims Social, A Game To Make Zynga Nervous



The Sims Social looks poised to knock off CityVille as Facebook's top application.


Over the last month 66,560,159 people have played the Sims Social on Facebook.

That is more than double the audience who tuned in for Ashton Kutcher’s recent debut on the hit sitcom “Two and a Half Men.” It is roughly twice the number of copies of “The Catcher in the Rye” sold during the last 60 years. And it is about 20 million more people than have ever purchased Pink Floyd’s 1973 classic “The Dark Side of the Moon.”

Ziggy Creator Passes At Age 80

Tom Wilson Sr. and Tom Wilson Jr.

Tom Wilson Sr., creator of Ziggy, passed away on Sept. 16 after a long illness. He was 80 years old.

The Ziggy cartoon, which celebrates it's 40th year in syndication this year, will continue to be produced by Wilson's son, Tom Wilson Jr., who has handled day-to-day operations since 1987.

Activision and ABC to Release Wipeout 2 Video Game

Wipeout 2, a video game based on the ABC TV show is in the works to be released in stores for the holiday shopping season.

Moshi Monsters Game Release For Nintendo DS

Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo

Activision Publishing and Mind Candy are set to bring Moshi Monsters to the Nintendo DS platform this fall with the upcoming release of Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo.

The game features new locations and an exclusive new character.

Movie Review Conan the Barbarian (2011)

Simon Varsano/Lionsgate

Jason Momoa as Conan in "Conan The Barbarian."

Keep Hold of Your Head, Lest He Lop It Off With the Others

A heavy-metal fantasia scrawled in red, “Conan the Barbarian” now comes with 75 percent more gore. That’s only an estimate, though to judge by the gruesome opener that features the title character as a boy gouging enemy flesh and lopping off heads, it’s a fair guess. Having entered a forest for a newbie warrior rite of passage, baby Conan (Leo Howard) has returned to his village and its leader, his brawny, bushy father (Ron Perlman, surprise), splattered in blood and dangling several severed heads from his wee mitts. They look like grotesque puppets or maybe yo-yos, but, really, they’re just playthings for a growing barbarian.