Are millennials really driving ‘cancel culture’ - or is it their overcautious critics?

Older generations argue that young people’s insistence on equality in all things – including books – threatens to stifle free speech. But is that always true?I wouldn’t normally air my dirty literary linen in public, but here goes. When I finished writing my novel Putney, about a 13-year-old girl who has a “love affair” in the 1970s with an older man and realises decades later that it was actually abuse, my previous editor at Jonathan Cape chose not to publish it. The reasons emerged this year when he was interviewed in the Spectator. “If Lolita was offered to me today,” Dan Franklin said, “I’d never be able to get it past the acquisition team – a committee of 30-year-olds, who’d say: ‘If you publish this book we will all resign.’” He pointed to #MeToo and social media as fundamental factors: “You can organise outrage at the drop of a hat.”Fortunately, Bloomsbury’s acquisition team – overwhelmingly female and mixed aged – were brave enough to take on Putney, which was described in the Observer as “a Lolita for the era of #MeToo”. Whether there was any truth in his words or not, Franklin’s position reveals how much fear now exists in publishing. Related: Putney by Sofka Zinovieff review – a Lolita for the age of #MeToo ‘It’s only about not being an arsehole,’ my daughter said. ‘That’s not so difficult’ Related: Nabokov's Lolita: the latest thing millennials have apparently ruined Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2019-07-10 10:03:01 UTC ]
News tagged with: #including books #finished writing #love affair #older man ##metoo #jonathan cape

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Are millennials really driving ‘cancel culture’ - or is it their overcautious critics?'


Breaking Traditions: Gen Z and Millennial Women Transform Super Bowl

Women have always watched the Super Bowl, with Nielsen reporting that in 2018, women made up nearly half of Super Bowl viewers--surpassing the combined female viewership of the Oscars, Grammys and Emmys. Brands, marketers and the NFL have begun to embrace female... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2024-02-08 21:53:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #super bowl #nielsen


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


Finalists for the 2024 National Book Critics Circle Awards Announced

The Finalists for 2024 National Book Critics Circle Awards were announced today. They include books published in 2023. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-01-25 15:20:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #announced today


2024 National Book Critics Circle Awards Finalists Announced

Thirty finalists in six categories for this year's National Book Critics Circle Awards, which recognize books from the publishing year 2023, have been announced. 'Washington Post' critic Becca Rothfeld, author Judy Blume, and the American Library Association have also won special awards. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-01-25 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #library association


Gen Z and millennials have an unlikely love affair with their local libraries

Though they’re sometimes characterized as attention-addled homebodies, younger people see a real value in libraries − one that goes beyond books. Continue reading at The Conversation

[ The Conversation | 2024-01-12 13:28:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #local libraries #love affair #libraries


‘Impossible People’ and ‘Roaming’ Top PW’s 2023 Graphic Novel Critics Poll

New York City in the mid-aughts set the backdrop for stylistically unique graphic narratives on a common theme—women at a pivotal moment of early adulthood and the transformative nature of friendships—which tied for the top spot on our annual graphic novel critics poll this year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-20 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #annual graphic #critics poll #pivotal moment #early adulthood #graphic novel


Novelist's book is canceled after she acknowledges 'review bombs' of other writers

A debut author who used fake accounts to “review bomb” other writers on the influential online platform Goodreads has been dropped by her agent and had her book deal cancelled Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2023-12-13 02:46:01 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fake accounts #book deal #debut author


IPA’s Karine Pansa Opens Guadalajara: ‘A Union of Cultures to Build’

The 37th iteration of the Guadalajara International Book Fair opens with IPA's Karine Pansa flagging world publishing's challenges. The post IPA’s Karine Pansa Opens Guadalajara: ‘A Union of Cultures to Build’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-11-26 16:46:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post ipa


A Dive into Pop Culture Cookbooks

These days, there's a cookbook for practically every franchise. We talk to two writers behind cookbooks for Tolkien and H.P. Lovecraft. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-11-24 11:35:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #cookbook


Book Review: ‘Critical Hits,’ edited by J. Robert Lennon and Carmen Maria Machado

In the anthology “Critical Hits,” gamers like Hanif Abdurraqib, Alexander Chee and Larissa Pham explain what the medium means to them. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-11-20 10:00:28 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #robert lennon #hanif abdurraqib #alexander chee #anthology


6 New Books for the Pop Culture Aficionado

This week augurs a veritable cornucopia of pop culture tomes. Marvel movies! Standup comedy! Board games! American Girl dolls! The Chicago Bulls! 2000s indie rock! These six books run the gamut. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #marvel movies #standup comedy #board games #chicago bulls


Britney Drives Up Print Book Sales

Led by blockbuster first week sales for 'The Woman in Me' by Britney Spears and a strong showing in the young adult category, unit sales of print books rose 1.4% last week over the week ended October 29, 2022, at outlets that report to Circana BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #week sales #britney spears #strong showing #circana bookscan #print book


ALA Report Looks at Millennial, Gen Z Library Usage, Media Habits

The report, based on a “nationally representative” 2022 survey of some 2,075 Gen Z and Millennials, presents one of the most in-depth looks at how growing up in an increasingly digital environment has shaped the reading and media consumption behavior of younger Americans. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Strong Trade Publishing Sales Drive Six-Month Gains at Bloomsbury

Sales were up 11% and profits increased 8% in the first half of the U.K.-based publisher's fiscal year. Sales in the U.S. were about $76 million, accounting for 46% of total revenue. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #-based publisher #fiscal year #total revenue #trade publishing


Frankfurt: Public Turnout Drives Totals to 215,000 Visitors

With a press corps of more than 7,000 journalists, the 75th Frankfurter Buchmesse adds a 30-percent boost in public attendance. The post Frankfurt: Public Turnout Drives Totals to 215,000 Visitors appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-10-23 01:57:06 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post frankfurt #frankfurter buchmesse


More than 600 sign open letter decrying cancellation of German event for Palestinian author

After an award ceremony for a Palestinian author at the Frankfurt Book Fair was canceled, more than 600 literary figures have signed an open letter denouncing the decision. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-10-16 09:00:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #palestinian author #award ceremony #frankfurt book fair


Frankfurt Book Fair Cancels Award Ceremony for Palestinian Author

Organizers cited the Israel-Hamas war as the reason for stepping back from honoring a novel about the 1949 murder of a Palestinian girl by Israeli soldiers. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2023-10-13 17:01:12 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #palestinian author #israel-hamas war #stepping back #book fair


Sonic Youth co-founder Thurston Moore cancels U.S. book tour due to 'debilitating' health issue

Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth revealed a longtime health condition had ended his book tour plans: 'This news is utterly distressing. ... [M]y memoir, 'Sonic Life,' means so much to me.' Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-10-12 00:21:43 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book tour


At Frankfurt: Demand for More Books and Cultural Media Coverage

The German publishers association is organizing a Frankfurt Book Fair event to discuss reduced books and literature coverage across the country's news media. The post At Frankfurt: Demand for More Books and Cultural Media Coverage appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-10-03 23:29:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #news media #frankfurt book fair #publishers association


Here’s the shortlist for the 2023 British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding.

Today, the British Academy announced the shortlist for the 2023 British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding, an international book prize, now in its 11th year, that “celebrates ground-breaking research-based works of non-fiction that have made an outstanding contribution to the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-09-12 00:00:56 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #11th year #outstanding contribution #public understanding #world cultures #book prize