The big story in books is financial.

This article focuses on the merger trend in the U.S. book publishing industry. In May 1970 Atheneum Publishers signed a merger deal with D.C. Heath & Co. In the same month Norton Simon Inc. has announced a merger with Simon & Schuster Inc. The acquisition of smaller companies by larger companies means that the competitive tempo in the industry has increased.' It explains that companies are now focused on their financials.