The U.S.’s primary economic rival continues its efforts to be the predominant influencer in Asia.  On September 16^th, China submitted its official application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).  The irony of this development is that the U.S. had once been the country leading the effort for concluding this agreement when it was known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement.

The U.S. announced its participation in negotiating the original TPP in 2009.  The eleven foreign countries involved in the negotiation represented over 40% of the U.S.’s export market for goods based on 2013 trade data.  By the end of 2015, U.S. industry advisory groups were providing the Obama Administration of their views generally supporting a final TPP agreement.  No trade agreement is perfect and industry recognized that the benefits agreed to outweighed some of the less favorable provisions. 

Despite support for the TPP, the Trump Administration had the U.S. withdraw from it. Our trading partners worked toward finalizing and implementing the TPP with a new name, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).  Without the U.S., the eleven countries remaining decided that some provisions that the U.S. had insisted upon could be suspended.  For example, U.S. insistence on higher levels of protection for patents and copyrights (inventions and creative works, both strong areas of U.S. industry) were set aside and not part of the CPTPP’s final text.

When the U.S. withdrew from the TPP, another Asia-oriented regional trade agreement was being negotiated without the U.S. and pushed by China.  China was engaged in negotiations for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement (RCEP).  The RCEP was a counterbalance to the TPP and negotiations began in 2012.  The RCEP has some of the same countries that are part of the CPTPP.  For example, Japan, the third largest global economy, is part of both agreements.

The RCEP negotiations have been concluded and the fifteen member countries signed the agreement in November 2020.  It will go into effect upon ratification of the required number of countries. 

Commentators have noted that the RCEP does not include any chapters on environment or labor whereas the U.S. negotiated TPP did include chapters on both of these subjects.  Moreover, the U.S. negotiated TPP addressed state-owned enterprises that are plentiful in China.  The RCEP, however, does not have a chapter addressing specifically state-owned enterprises.

With China taking a leadership role in Asian trade through the RCEP and with its application to join the CPTPP, China is taking advantage of the U.S.’s absence in these regional trade agreements.  It becomes more difficult for the U.S. to obtain concessions from other members of these agreements if China beats us to the table or when we decide not to sit at the table. 

At present, it is difficult to see what the U.S. trade agenda is as it relates to Asia and, more specifically, regarding the CPTPP and RCEP.  What is clear is that we are no longer sitting at the big table where trade provisions are being negotiated and have implications for U.S. business interests.  Whereas at one time the U.S. was drafting the provisions that would help U.S. businesses operating in the region, today we are not in the room where the discussions are taking place.

China’s economic and trade influence has been on the rise for some time.  It should be no surprise that China would now seek to capitalize on the U.S.’s withdrawal from the TPP and seek to become a dominant party to the CPTPP.  The task of obtaining concessions and getting our preferred language into future trade agreements has just become more difficult and complicated.  The U.S. needs a dynamic and vibrant trade strategy that allows all interested sectors to provide inputs to confront a very challenging global trading system.

Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself is a film I can’t explain. I believe it is one of the most poignant, emotionally moving, and challenging minutes I have spent. I have watched it three times in its entirety. Each time I go away feeling something inside of me has changed. And it has. I just can’t explain it. I would encourage you to take that journey yourself. Turn your cell phone off and any other distractions. Turn off your inner dialogue and let the film flow to you.

Here is what Hulu says about its original film: “In & Of Itself tells the story of a man fighting to see through the illusion of his own identity, only to discover that identity itself is an illusion. An intimate and powerful exploration of what it means to be and be seen, the film chronicles Derek DelGaudio’s attempt to answer one deceptively simple question, “Who am I?” His personal journey expands to a collective experience that forces us to confront the boundaries of our own identities.”

In one of the opening scenes, members of the audience are looking at a large board with “I Am” cards to pick from. Some are very contemplative, others less so. Some are smiling, others are very serious. But each one has to make a decision before sitting down. Carrying in their hand a slip of paper identifying who they believe they are . . . at least at that moment.

In the background, you hear Derek DelGaudio.

They ask you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Later they ask, “What do you do?” which means “What have you become?”

It is not enough to have a name. They need something to call you. So, you search. You look at the roles the world offers you, trying to find the one that reflects who you are.

Only a lucky few get to play the role they want. The rest settles for what’s left or struggle with what they have been handed. Then we all learn to embrace our illusions of identity.

I did. I thought I knew my role. Then I met a man who told me who I really was.

And I knew he was right. I just didn’t know why.

From that scene in the film and on, I will not spoil the journey for you. As I said, I can’t really explain it. You just have to watch it yourself.

In & Of Itself is a Hulu Original and was a one-of-a-kind theater experience, created by Derek DelGaudio and directed by Frank Oz. The show had its World Premiere at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles on May 3, 2016, where it saw several extensions before moving to the Daryl Roth Theater in New York City. It opened Off-Broadway to critical acclaim and once more quickly extended its initial 10-week engagement, selling out its intimate 150-seat house, night after night. The show continued extending its run, again and again, until DelGaudio decided (somewhat controversially) to end the show at the height of its success, stating, “I feel like I’ve said what I wanted to say.” After 72 weeks, 560 performances, and grossing over $7 million at the box-office, In & Of Itself closed as one of the most successful shows in off-Broadway history.

The annual July 4^th Independence Day celebrations with fireworks, cook-outs, and family gatherings are all moments of light-heartedness and fun.  Reflecting on the holiday and the birth of a nation provides a broad spectrum of things to consider regarding the continuing experiment in this democracy. 

Since last year’s Independence Day, so much has occurred in the United States that there is no shortage of issues that the country and its citizenry should consider and address.

In late June, General Mark Milley, the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the U.S. military became the focus of the news media.  Speaking before a committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, he stated that he, personally, wants to understand white rage.  He admitted to reading books about communism and Marxism.  He seemed to emphasize the importance of having a well-read and educated military force.  He was so bold as to point out to members of Congress that West Point (the U.S. Military Academy) is a university, a place of learning.

General Milley raised interesting and relevant issues.  Today, the U.S. military is a diverse organization with approximately 30% of the overall military self-reporting as other than white.  He rightly pointed out that his force is made up of people who come from the general population and, therefore, it is important to understand the issues that plague society as a whole.  The fact that this commander and others who oversee the daily effectiveness of our fighting force seek to improve their understanding of complex social issues and prevent those issues from being a distraction to the fighting force should be supported. 

We should remind ourselves that those who are serving, regardless of rank, race or ethnicity, take an oath to protect and defend the constitution against all enemies, foreign or domestic.  That oath that they take means they serve to ensure everyone’s constitutional rights.

General Milley and other retired officers know that despite all the efforts undertaken, the U.S. military has far to go to be better when it comes to understanding some of these divisive issues.  The General’s comments are encouraging and exhibit a desire to understand in order to ensure a unified fighting force that protects the foundations of the United States.

It is surely a sad development when the General’s stated determination to understand the issues that divide the country are met with derogatory name-calling. 

While the derision and name-calling are hard to understand, one thing is clear.  Americans have the right to insult the General.  They have the right to deny facts and reality.  They have the right to ignore science and believe in lies.  And, as a result of having a society where millions can exercise deliberate ignorance, the only question that remains unanswered is how long it will take until the denial of facts and reality bring down this democratic experiment.

The views expressed are those solely of the author.  Timothy Trainer is an attorney and veteran.

If you’ve never heard the name John Ingram, you will be surprised to learn that his family has been instrumental in transforming the publishing industry. In “A Conversation with John Ingram” at Publishers Weekly’s U. S. Book Show, you learn that Ingram played an important role during the recent pandemic in keeping books available while supply chains were disrupted. Years ago, Ingram Books started Lightning Source, a digital printer and wholesaler, which was instrumental in transforming the world of publishing into print on demand or POD. What that means is that books are printed and distributed as needed rather than sitting in a warehouse waiting for orders. Now this concept was totally transformational in the publishing business, where traditional publishers, as they still do, print thousands of books at a time, store them in a warehouse, and send them to bookstores when orders are received. Of course, the pandemic changed all of that. As John Ingram would say, Lightning Source’s motto is, or rather became, “Just in time, just in case.”

In June of 2020, 50% of the books on the New York Times bestseller list were provided, either printed and/or distributed, by Ingram’s Lightning Source. While that percentage will change as we return to “normal,” you cannot help but wonder if this lesson will not be lost by the industry as a whole. Would you want to risk printing of your content and your ability to distribute that content without the backup Ingram Content Group offers publishers?

So, what led to Ingram’s success. John Ingram summed up his business philosophy like this: “I want to do well by helping others do well.”

If you want to learn more about this success story, buy the book. You won’t regret it.

About the Interview:

Jim Milliot, V-P and Editorial Director, Publishers Weekly, sat down with John Ingram, chairman of Ingram Content Group, and Keel Hunt, author of The Family Business: How Ingram Transformed the World of Books (West Margin Press), for a discussion about how the company has managed to remain one of publishing’s most important players and what is ahead for the industry.

Oprah Winfrey will be the opening keynote speaker at the U.S. Book Show, the virtual book publishing trade show presented by Publishers Weekly.

Oprah Winfrey will give the opening keynote speech on May 25, 2021 at 10:45 a.m. EDT. She will discuss her newest book, What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience and Healing, co-written with Bruce D. Perry, a child psychiatrist and neuroscientist. The book, released by Flatiron on April 27, discusses how people’s earliest personal experiences shape their entire lives. The book offers a new way to understand the way people behave. Winfrey, one of the biggest supporters of all members of the book industry, will also offer comments on her love for books and authors and offer her appreciation and encouragement for all those who support them.

Ijeoma Oluo, the author of So You Want to Talk About Race and Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male Power, is to speak at the U.S. Book Show. Ms. Oluo will be in conversation with Rakesh Satyal at the U.S Book Show. Mr. Satyal acquired Ms. Oluo’s forthcoming book, Be a Revolution, for HarperOne last year.

Named one of Seattle’s top 50 most influential women, the Nigerian-American Oluo, who lives in Seattle, is a widely admired speaker and author who saw her nonfiction So You Want to Talk About Race (Seal, 2018) hit the New York Times bestseller list with its publication in 2018 and remain a consistent bestseller. Since its release in 2018, the book has sold more than 405,000 print copies, according to NPD BookScan.

Publishers Weekly gave Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male Power, published by Seal Press in December, 2020, a starred review, noting, “Erudite yet accessible, grounded in careful research as well as Oluo’s personal experiences of racism and misogyny, this is an essential reckoning with race, sex, and power in America.”

“We are pleased to sit down to discuss Ijeoma’s groundbreaking work, including So You Want to Talk About Race and Mediocre, as well as give viewers a sneak peek into her next book, Be a Revolution,” said Mr. Satyal.

Rakesh Satyal is executive editor at HarperOne, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, and a Lambda Literary Award winner for Blue Boy (Kensington, 2007), which also won the 2009 Prose/Poetry Award from the Association of Asian American Studies. His second book was No One Can Pronounce My Name (Picador USA, 2017).

“Ijeoma Oluo is a great talent and an important voice in the national conversation. We are thrilled about having her take the stage at the U.S. Book Show to reflect on her past writings and take us into the future with a discussion of Be a Revolution,” said Krista Rafanello, senior marketing director of Publishers Weekly and the show manager of the U.S. Book Show.

Ms. Oluo was named to the 2021 TIME 100 Next list and has twice been named to the Root 100. Her work on race has been featured in the Guardian, the New York Times and the Washington Post, among many other publications. She received the 2018 Feminist Humanist Award and the 2020 Harvard Humanist of the Year Award from the American Humanist Association.

Brian Selznick, the bestselling children’s book author and Caldecott Medal-winning creator of The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which was adapted into the Oscar®-winning film Hugo, and Padma Lakshmi, the host and executive producer of Bravo’s Emmy^® Award-winning Top Chef and creator and star of Hulu’s Taste the Nation, will speak at the virtual U.S. Book Show’s “Children’s Books Day,” May 27, 2021. They join Senator Elizabeth Warren, a first-time children’s author, who will deliver the opening keynote of the day.

An award-winning cookbook author, Padma Lakshmi can now add children’s book author to her extensive list of accomplishments as an author, TV personality, model and film actress. Tomatoes for Neela (Viking Books for Young Readers, August 31, 2021), a picture book for children illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Juana Martinez-Neal, is the subject of Lakshmi’s midday talk at the virtual U.S. Book Show. Lakshmi’s previous books include three cookbooks and a memoir, Love, Loss, and What We Ate (Ecco, 2018). Lakshmi lives in New York City.

Brian Selznick’s live talk will be followed by a live Q&A about his forthcoming novel Kaleidoscope (Scholastic Press, September 21, 2021), mid-afternoon of the Children’s Books Day at the virtual U.S. Book Show. His author and illustrator credits number 29 books, including the historical novel Wonderstruck (2011), The Marvels (2015), and a book for younger readers, Baby Monkey, Private Eye (2018), written with David Serlin. Selznick, who splits his time between La Jolla and Brooklyn, is beloved by his fans of all ages.

Lakshmi and Selznick join Senator Elizabeth Warren in punctuating the day with exciting top talent sure to please the audience of publishing professionals, librarians and booksellers.

Senator Warren opens the day with a keynote conversation with her editor, Laura Godwin, publisher of Godwin Books, to discuss the senator’s first children’s book. Pinkie Promises (Henry Holt, October 12, 2021) is an engaging picture book tale of loyalty, female empowerment and political engagement, written by Senator Warren and illustrated by Charlene Chua. Senator Warren will speak on Thursday, May 27, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. EDT.

A videotaped short piece will be also played at the opening of Children’s Books Day to promote and build awareness of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s support of literacy and education.

Publishers Weekly will donate a portion of the proceeds of the U.S. Book Show to Boys & Girls Clubs of America in support of its literacy programming. Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s literacy and academic support programs include Summer Brain Gain, which runs for one month this summer as a virtual program featuring authors of a picture book, a middle grade title and a YA book. Club leaders and members are invited to attend the show for free and access unlimited content on-demand throughout the summer.

The inaugural U.S. Book Show is a three-day virtual conference conceived and crafted by Publishers Weekly to build buzz about Fall 2021 books and to serve the bookselling, library, media and book publishing industry. The event is live-streaming and available on-demand through August 31, 2021.

Publishers Weekly will donate a portion of the proceeds of the U.S. Book Show to Boys & Girls Clubs of America in support of its literacy programming, including Summer Brain Gain.

The show runs May 25 – 27, 2021, and features a wide array of editor, book and author panels; livestreaming Q&A sessions with editors; topical library panels; programming geared to publishing professionals; networking opportunities and awards celebrations; and robust exhibit halls featuring 200+ publishers.

To view the show schedule and registration information, go to https://www.usbookshow.com (#USBookShow).

About Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly is the international news platform of the book publishing industry. Founded in 1872 and published weekly since then, the magazine boasts 1.23 million social media followers; publishes 10 e-newsletters, BookLife (a website and semimonthly supplement), Publishers Weekly en Español (in partnership with Lantia), two blogs, podcasts, a mobile edition, digital editions, and apps; and features a website that reaches 14 million unique visitors annually.