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March 11 – 18, 2010 Edition Penguin to Launch New Science Imprint

New York, New York/Authorlink News/March 10, 2010–Susan Petersen Kennedy, President of Penguin Group (USA),has started a new imprint for science books for general readers that will be called Current. Adrian Zackheim, the president and publisher of Penguin Group (USA)’s Portfolio and Sentinel imprints, is adding the same roles for Current, which will share the existing editorial, marketing and publicity staff of Portfolio and Sentinel.

“Our goal is to publish provocative, compelling books that explore the newest and most powerful ideas in a wide range of disciplines,” said Mr. Zackheim.  “Once Current gets ramped up, we aim to publish in every subcategory from genetics to quantum physics to neuroscience. Our authors will be some of the foremost pioneers and experts in their respective fields.”

Mr. Zackheim anticipates that Current will grow to about five to eight new titles per year.  “We plan to be very selective about good books that will work for a general audience.  We’ve found that niche publishing has been very successful for Portfolio since 2001, and Sentinel since 2003.  This is a logical next category to expand into.”

Current’s two debut titles are:

The Youth Pill: Scientists at the Brink of an Anti-Aging Revolution, by David Stipp, July 2010

Stipp, a veteran science journalist, explores the battle against aging and the pioneers of the movement to extend lifespan for everyone. He takes readers behind the scenes and introduces us to the key players who are experimenting with the most promising cutting-edge research. This is an informative and provocative read that shows how a small group of determined scientists are closing in on drugs that will change the way we live forever.

The Man Who Lied to His Laptop:What Machines Teach Us About Human Relationships, by Clifford Nass, with Corina Yen, September 2010

Nass, a distinguished professor at Stanford, has discovered a set of rules for effective human relationships, drawn from an unlikely source: his study of our interactions with computers.  His research shows that—although we might deny it—we treat computers and other devices like people: we empathize with them, argue with them, and form bonds with them. We even lie to them to protect their feelings.  Nass offers fascinating insights on how people can have healthier relationships with one another. 

Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group.  Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children’s trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Viking, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, The Penguin Press, Riverhead Books, Dutton, Penguin Books, Berkley Books, Gotham Books, Portfolio, New American Library, Plume, Tarcher, Philomel, Grosset & Dunlap, Puffin, and Frederick Warne, among others. The Penguin Group (http://www.penguin.com) is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.