<div>Bookish is here, finally. The much touted joint-initiative from publishing biggies is, in all likelihood, set to script a new trend in an industry that is facing a series of challenges. The online book discovery platform backed by Simon & Schuster, Hachette and Penguin was launched on 12 February. The creators claim the portal will be a comprehensive online destination designed to connect readers with books and authors. There are, of course, dedicated channels for buying and launching books as well. <br /><br />Bookish.com aims to provide visitors with exclusive content and insider access to A-list authors. Given that not many sectors see a trend of companies coming together to cater to 'customer' needs, the publishing industry is, perhaps, spearheading a trend in order to capture more readers, boost sales and more importantly bring book lovers under one umbrella. “Bookish was created to serve as a champion of books, writers and, most importantly, readers,” said Ardy Khazaei, CEO, Bookish. “Ultimately, we seek to expand the overall marketplace for books, and whether a book gets into a reader’s hands via Bookish’s ecommerce partner or another retailer, everyone -- from the publisher, to the retailer, the author and the reader -- wins.”<br /><br />Bookish aims to offer a book-centric, contextual and personalised experience, “all with the goal of helping readers find their next book". Users can look out for smarter book recommendations, original book lists and articles, author and book pages for classics and new favourites. Daily updates on the site will include author interviews, information on upcoming books, opinion pieces and articles on celebrity authors. <br /><br />There’s more. The site will also allow visitors engage with writers across 18 popular categories in sections devoted to subjects ranging from young adult to biographies to food. “Bookish is creating an ideal destination for readers, which gives them experience, trusted recommendations and exclusive content,” said David Young, CEO, Hachette Book Group. “The website’s content and offerings will be informed by the insights of publishers, and will connect books and readers in innovative ways. We're very excited about this central community for books and authors.” <br /><br />Apart from the three core publishing names, Bookish will also see participation of other publishers such as Random House, Scholastic, HarperCollins and Perseus. So, at a time the books industry is challenged by big retailers and pirates, can Bookish tilt the game in favour of publishers once again? Watch this space. <br /><br /><br />businessworldbooks (at) gmail (dot) com</div>
