Barnes Noble for sale

The 33% of independent shareholders are relying on proxy advisory firms to recommend which slate of directors to vote for. But those firms are as split as the main adversaries, B&N Chairman Len Riggio and dissident shareholder Ron Burkle.

Apart from the many strategic issues that have weighed down Barnes & Noble's stock price, there's another good reason for the company to put itself up for sale: An effort to liberate itself from the manipulations of investor Ron Burkle.