A Deep Bow to Mombasa (and Sea Monsters): A Conversation with Khadija Abdalla Bajaber, by Anderson Tepper

Interviews Khadija Abdalla Bajaber’s astonishing debut novel, The House of Rust, winner of the inaugural Graywolf Press Africa Prize, arrived in October as if on a magical wave, imbued with an assortment of creatures—human and animal, real and imagined—that populate the city of Mombasa and its surrounding waters. Aisha, fierce and adventurous, sets off on a boat made of bones in hopes of rescuing her fisherman father who has disappeared at sea. What she encounters on her search—and return home—will enthrall and amaze. “On the surface this is a limpid tale,” writes author A. Igoni Barrett, the prize’s judge, “but it is eddied and enriched by what lurks beneath the surface of both the sea and the prose. Everything in this story sparkles.” I spoke with Bajaber about Mombasa, sea monsters, and Aisha’s journey of self-discovery, among other things. Anderson Tepper: Congratulations, Khadija. I’m curious about the story of your book’s path to publication. Did it change much since being awarded Graywolf’s Africa Prize in 2018? Khadija Abdalla Bajaber: Thank you very much. Well, it definitely changed and grew. When I’d first finished working on the book, it ended at what is now actually the midpoint. I was quite happy with that ending at the time but was already beginning to rethink things. There were subplots I’d set up at the beginning that needed resolving. So then I started developing everything more; and toward the end, when... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'

[ World Literature Today | 2021-11-15 21:42:08 UTC ]
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Freshman Ethan Anderson sparks Fairfax over Westchester, 47-43

Ethan Anderson of Los Angeles Fairfax started the basketball season as a wide-eyed freshman. He's ending it as an experienced guard the Lions can count on in pressure situations. In a sold-out Westchester High gym and just one week before the City Section playoffs begin, Anderson delivered 12... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-02-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Conversation With The New York Times’ A.O. Scott

In Confessions of a Book Reviewer, George Orwell wrote that even the harried and poverty-stricken literature critic was nonetheless “better off than the film critic, who cannot even do his work at home, but has to attend trade shows at eleven in the morning and, with one or two notable... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2016-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Porter Anderson Joins Publishing Perspectives as Editor-in-Chief

Most recently associate editor of FutureBook, Porter Anderson will join international publishing trade magazine Publishing Perspectives as editor-in-chief. The post Porter Anderson Joins Publishing Perspectives as Editor-in-Chief appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bowing to Pressure, Scholastic Recalls Children’s Book Accused of Being Racist

Scholastic has halted distribution of A Birthday Cake for George Washington amid criticism of the book's sugar-coated portrayal of slavery. The post Bowing to Pressure, Scholastic Recalls Children’s Book Accused of Being Racist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Get in the Sea' book to Michael Joseph

Michael Joseph is to publish Get in the Sea: An Apoplectic Guide to Modern Life by Andy Dawson, the creator of the popular 'Get in the Sea' Twitter account and Facebook page. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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ABA Winter Institute 2016: Conversations with Keynoters: Power Posing, with Amy Cuddy

Three years ago Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist and associate professor at the Harvard Business School, garnered a lot of attention for a TED Talk on body language and power posing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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ABA Winter Institute 2016: Conversations with Keynoters: ‘Small Data,’ Big Impact, With Martin Lindstrom

“The way people buy books today is completely different from how they bought them five or 10 years ago,” Martin Lindstrom says. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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ABA Winter Institute 2016: Conversations with Keynoters

As part of his Sunday morning presentation, consumer expert Martin Lindstrom, author of the soon-to-be-published Small Data: The Tiny Clues That Uncover Huge Trends, selected five booksellers for an onstage business review. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kobo promotes Swinkels and Anderson to executive vice presidents

Kobo has created two new executive roles to focus on publisher relations and content sales worldwide. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Data-light' in the deep field with Worldreader

"What if the most disruptive thing ebooks ever do is make books truly ubiquitous?" asks Worldreader's Danielle Zacarius in her article for us today. Worldreader's mission uses e-readers, mobile phones and other devices. The programme, a 501(c)3 (non-profit) charity based in San Francisco,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-12-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Kids Connect Conference and China Deep Dive Resources

Resources and coverage from the Global Kids Connect conference, a convergence of innovative minds focused on children’s book publishing and the changing children’s book business in China. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Children's Publishing in China: Highlights from the First GKC China Deep Dive

Children's books play a leading role in the fragmented and state-controlled publishing industry in China, and titles in translation are an important part of the mix. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shareholders Back Anderson Offer for Books-A-Million

At a special meeting held Tuesday afternoon, shareholders of Books-A-Million voted overwhelmingly to accept the $3.25 per share offer from the Anderson family to buy all the shares in the retailer that they didn’t already own. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Snapchat Finally Enables Publishers to 'Deep Link' to Their Discover Content

Snapchat’s enabling its publishing partners to promote their channels on Facebook and Twitter with links directly to their content, the company said today.   The media partners, which include Hearst, IGN, Vox, BuzzFeed, CNN and Vi ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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On ad pricing, Condé Nast bows to the reality of digital

Like all traditional publishers, Condé Nast has had to adapt its brands as readers and advertisers shift their habits and spending to digital platforms. The changes haven’t gone unnoticed by ad buyers. They applauded Condé Nast’s greater flexibility, manifest in its native ad platform 23 Stories... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Judge Blasts Anderson News in Decision to Reject Antitrust Suit Against Publishers

‘If there were ever an antitrust case of the pot calling the kettle black, this is it.’ The post Judge Blasts Anderson News in Decision to Reject Antitrust Suit Against Publishers appeared first on Folio:. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2015-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A Conversation With James Wood

The Nearest Thing to Life is the latest collection from James Wood, the English literary critic and New Yorker writer. The book consists of several of Wood’s lectures; it is less focused on the specific novelists and essayists whom Wood is famous for evaluating and instead serves as an... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2015-08-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW Asks: What Books Have Contributed to the Conversation Around Race and Racism in America?

It's been a year since the death of Michael Brown. We'd like to hear from you about the books you feel are moving the conversation around race and racism forward. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Andersons Agree to Buy Books-A-Million

The board of directors of the retail chain has signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by the Anderson family for $3.25 per share. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Taylor: Waterstones’ focus is on conversations

Waterstones has more than tripled sales of its Fiction Book of the Month in volume terms in the past two years, the company’s head of events and PR Sandra Taylor revealed. She said its Book of the Month choices were “consistently making bestsellers because we are hand-selling better”. Giving... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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