A Confederacy of Dunces: a Pulitzer winner's struggle to find a publisher

The editor who turned down John Kennedy Toole might seem myopic in hindsight, but some of his questions about the novel remain hard to answerHumility is something you learn quickly as an editor. If you have the good fortune to find and publish excellent novels, you are sure to miss plenty of fine work. As a co-founder and editor at independent press Galley Beggar, I wake up in sweats with the certain knowledge that somewhere in my email inbox lies a stone cold classic. Perhaps I won’t even find the time to read it, let alone mistakenly turn it down. I’ve had to refuse perfectly good books in the past and will do it again. The hard truth is that you can’t publish everything – and that every publisher is human and correspondingly flawed. But at least I can console myself that I haven’t yet said no to a Pulitzer winner like A Confederacy of Dunces. I am yet to attain the unenviable fame of Robert Gottlieb, marked by history as the man who didn’t publish John Kennedy Toole’s cult masterpiece.There is another problem: that with all its wonderfulness, the book – even better plotted (and still better plottable) – does not have a reason; it’s a brilliant exercise in invention, but unlike CATCH [22] and MOTHER’S KISSES and V and the others, it isn’t really about anything. And that’s something no one can do anything about. Related: John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces is June's reading group book Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #robert gottlieb

Other Publishing stories related to: 'A Confederacy of Dunces: a Pulitzer winner's struggle to find a publisher'


A Confederacy of Dunces: a Pulitzer winner's struggle to find a publisher

The editor who turned down John Kennedy Toole might seem myopic in hindsight, but some of his questions about the novel remain hard to answerHumility is something you learn quickly as an editor. If you have the good fortune to find and publish excellent novels, you are sure to miss plenty of... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #robert gottlieb


Finding Permission to Fail in A Confederacy of Dunces

In 1981, A Confederacy of Dunces by the late John Kennedy Toole won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction—a rare honor for a work of humor. That must have been about when my stepmother started reading the book. I was five years old, and didn’t know how to read yet. I also didn’t know the sad […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-04-07 08:48:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pulitzer prize


Winner, Winner: Announcing the 2021 Pulitzer Prize Winners

Get ready to celebrate: Here are the amazing 2021 winners of the Pulitzer Prize, the 105th year of the award! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-06-11 18:14:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pulitzer prize


As Traditional Publishing Fades Away, Publishers Need to Find New Means of Distribution and Monetization

Recently, I did some revenue forecasting for a client who is considering entering the digital news/content space. The product offering is pretty unique, but it will be entering a very saturated market with large, established competitors, traditional competitors like The New York Times and Wall... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2018-09-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #niche publishers


Digital Publishers Find Shared Purpose at W3C Publishing Summit

Publishers, librarians, and digital leaders gathered in San Francisco last week for the W3C Publishing Summit. Participants stressed the pressing need for a common digital standard and looked to the future of digital publishing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital publishing


Survey Finds 60% of Publishers Agree that Print Publishing’s Time is Limited

Almost two-thirds of industry leaders from the publishing industry foresee that newspapers and other print publishers will end up as digital-only enterprises by 2020, according to a survey conducted by MPP Global Solutions. Conducted during two web ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #survey conducted #publishers agree #print publishing #industry leaders #print publishers


Helen Elaine Lee, Joseph Plaster Among 2024 Publishing Triangle Award Winners

The winners of the 36th annual Triangle Awards, which honor the year’s best LGBTQ fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and trans literature published in 2023, were honored at a celebration held at the New School in New York City on April 17. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lgbtq fiction


At Bologna: PublisHer Names Its Inaugural Excellence Award Winners

Shirley Yvonne Carby, Mitia Osman Tisma, and Anne Friebel win the inaugural PublisHer Excellence Awards at Bologna Children's Book Fair. The post At Bologna: PublisHer Names Its Inaugural Excellence Award Winners appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-04-12 23:53:20 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bologna children #publisher names #book fair #children's book


Libraries struggle to afford the demand for e-books, seek new state laws in fight with publishers

Libraries across the U.S. are struggling to cover the cost of e-books, which have grown in popularity Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2024-03-12 14:54:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #libraries


An indie publisher finds its future – with a public library

Angel City Press in Los Angeles has long published local authors. In a bold move, its founders are now giving the press to the city’s public library. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2024-02-28 15:49:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #public library #bold move #indie publisher


U.K. Publishing Spotlight: Footnote Press Finds Meaning in the Margins

The managing director of the publishing startup describes her disruptive agenda and promises a list of "strong, game-changing voices." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-23 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing spotlight


Pulitzer-Winning Critic to Publish Book About Reality TV

An award-winning critic chronicles the rise of reality TV, a Virginia bill would ban book bans by school boards, and more news today in books. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-02-07 16:10:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reality tv #school boards #publish book


The 10 Best Indie Publishing Companies To Follow To Find Your Next Read

What are some of the best indie publishing companies to follow to find your next excellent read? One reader investigates. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-11-09 11:33:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #indie publishing


Pulitzer Winners

Hua Hsu, author of the memoir “Stay True,” and Hernan Diaz, author of the novel “Trust,” discuss their books and their reactions to winning the Pulitzer Prize. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-05-12 20:24:06 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pulitzer winners #hua hsu #hernan diaz #pulitzer prize #memoir


Here are the Winners of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize

Here are the 2023 Pulitzer Prize winners in the Books categories, including Fiction, History, Poetry, and more. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-05-08 20:46:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #including fiction #pulitzer prize


Here are this year’s Pulitzer Prize winners.

The winners and nominated finalists of the 107th Pulitzer Prizes were announced today via remote video stream. The winners each take home $15,000 dollars and serious bragging rights, not to mention an instant ticket into a very illustrious club. The full list of winners and nominated finalists... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-08 20:08:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #announced today #bragging rights #full list #pulitzer prize


Have a look back at every Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction winner of the 21st Century.

This afternoon, at around 3PM (EST), from Columbia University in New York City, the winner of this year’s Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction will be announced. As well as a check for a cool $15,000 dollars (which feels a little low, tbh), the victor will gain entry to a very exclusive... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-08 14:30:42 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nonfiction winner #21st century #3pm est #columbia university #general nonfiction #cool $15 #gain entry #pulitzer prize


'His Name Is George Floyd,' 'Demon Copperhead' Among 2023 Pulitzer Prize Winners

Novelists Barbara Kingsolver and Hernan Diaz tied for the Fiction prize, and 'Washington Post' journalists Robert Samuels and Toluse Olorunnipa's took home the Nonfiction prize at this year's Pulitzer Prize ceremony on May 8. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-05-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #george floyd #demon copperhead #fiction prize #toluse olorunnipa #nonfiction prize #novelists #pulitzer prize


Have a look back at every Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner of the 21st Century.

On Monday, at around 3PM (EST), from Columbia University in New York City, the winner of this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Fiction will be announced. As well as a check for a cool $15,000 dollars (which feels a little low, tbh), the victor (if there is to be one; see 2012) will gain entry to […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-05-05 14:30:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fiction winner #21st century #3pm est #columbia university #cool $15 #gain entry #pulitzer prize