Topic: Book Publishing

Gateview Publishing is highlighted for its new release, "The ABCs of Stock Investing," a children's book illustrated with investment terms. The segment discusses the business of independent publishing and the strategy of offering PDF versions of niche educational products.

Claire Muchler promotes her self-published children's Christmas book, "Finn the Fir," after contributing to the show. The hosts discuss the challenges of self-marketing and provide her website for listeners. They also mention "Too Many Eggs," a book by a local producer that has become a hit with community members raising chickens.

The hosts announce the release of the "No Agenda ABCs" coloring book, illustrated by J.M. Dvorak and published through GateView Publishing. The book features show-related themes like "Boots on the Ground" and "Shut up, Slave." The discussion transitions into a critique of Silicon Valley "douchebags" and the memoirs written by tech journalists like Kara Swisher and Sarah Lacy.

The hosts discussed a new children's book project being developed by a producer, which aims to teach values and the alphabet with a "No Agenda" twist. The book is expected to be 33 pages long and will generate royalties for the show. Additionally, the hosts admitted to being "hoaxed" by a producer regarding a false claim about the next leap year occurring in 2033.

Gateview Publishing is preparing to release the "No Agenda Primer," an ABC-style book developed by a host's daughter. The book is expected to be priced at $33.33. Additionally, the "Too Many Eggs" website offers a free PDF, while the long-awaited "Vinegar Book" remains in development.

Gate View Publishing has released a new children's book titled "The ABCs of Stock Investing." The hosts discuss their growing "publishing empire" and potential future projects, including a memoir about the MTV era and the continued distribution of the "Too Many Eggs" PDF.

A historical Silicon Valley anecdote describes author Neil Rubenking's attempt to sell a book titled "Guide to DOS in a Can," which was literally packaged inside a metal can. The project failed due to retail logistics and shipping issues, serving as a parallel to modern content creators who blame lack of marketing for their own commercial failures.

Author John Sell contributes $300 and requests permission to include references to the No Agenda podcast in his fictional book series, "Bastion's Gate." The novel's plot involves themes of astrophysics and skepticism toward "settled science."

Baron Andrew Jones announces his new fantasy fiction book, "Children of the Broken Moon," which he has released under the Value for Value model. The book is available on his website, where he also shares notes on his writing and editing process.

Mika Brzezinski announces she is pulling her three-book deal from Weinstein Books, claiming the mogul used her "Know Your Value" series as cover for his predatory behavior. The hosts analyze the financial implications of returning book advances and the potential for Brzezinski to use the scandal to enhance her future publications.

President Obama launched a $250 million initiative to provide free e-books to low-income children through major publishers. The program is part of a broader goal to provide high-speed internet to 99% of students by 2018. Critics argue the initiative ignores existing free resources like Project Gutenberg, which offers over 48,000 professionally edited public domain books.

Author Danielle Steel faced criticism for allegedly incorporating product placement into her novels. A reader noted a specific instance where a main character expressed excessive gratitude for an Oral-B electric toothbrush, which felt like a paid advertisement embedded in the narrative. This practice is distinguished from traditional native advertising but is viewed by some as selling out the audience for commercial interests.

The hosts examine the market dominance of Pearson Education, which has acquired numerous major publishers including Prentice Hall and Macmillan. They describe a "roll-up" strategy where Pearson allegedly clones successful books from its royalty-paying subsidiaries and republishes them under work-for-hire imprints like Que to maximize corporate profit. This practice is cited as a primary example of the lack of antitrust enforcement in modern business.

Adam Curry pitches a book idea to John C. Dvorak titled the "Post-Apocalyptic Technology Survivor Kit." The proposed manual would explain how to rebuild society's communication infrastructure using Linux servers and ham radio mesh networks following an EMP or societal collapse. The project is envisioned as a managed compilation of technical guides from various manufacturers.

John C. Dvorak promotes his new e-book, "Insight Track," and discusses the technical challenges of formatting for the Amazon Kindle. The hosts debate the merits of selling books on Amazon versus providing free downloads via blogs or email. The timing of the book's release is noted as coinciding with Jeff Bezos's purchase of the Washington Post.

The global advertising and public relations industry is dominated by three massive holding companies: WPP, Omnicom, and Publicis. This consolidation extends to the publishing world, where Pearson has acquired numerous imprints, effectively monopolizing the computer book market. Authors describe a "work for hire" scam where publishers replace royalty-paying bestsellers with in-house versions to avoid paying writers.

A proposal for an e-book titled "Steal This Book 2.0" explores the "value for value" monetization model used by the podcast. The book would be distributed for free, with readers encouraged to donate based on the value they receive. This approach is intended to demonstrate the viability of voluntary contributions over traditional paywalls or advertising.

The hosts discuss a potential book project titled "Value for Value," which would serve as a primer for the show's philosophy and media deconstruction. Following this, Keith Brown is officially knighted as "Sir Keith Brown" for his $450 contribution. The ceremony includes the traditional "hookers and blow" rhetoric associated with the No Agenda knighthood ritual.

A Dutch listener sends "book karma" to John C. Dvorak to encourage him to publish. The hosts discuss the finalization of a No Agenda book featuring Dvorak's artwork, including a drawing of WTC 7. They officially test "Camp Mofo" as the new name for the Texas studio.

Paul the Book Guy is set to publish "The 9/11 Bathroom Bible" through a mainstream publisher. The book is intended as a collection of articles for casual reading, and the hosts agree to provide a one-line forward for the project.