The Fall of Language in the Age of English, by the Japanese novelist and scholar Minae Mizumura, has all the ingredients of a rage-read. Indeed, when it was published in Japan in 2008, it infuriated commentators, who dismissed Mizumura as “reactionary,” “jingoistic,” or “elitist” and swarmed across Amazon deleting positive reviews. More than 65,000 copies have sold since then—which suggests the slender work’s declinist soothsaying continues to touch a nerve. The book appears this month in English (enemy territory!), where—if we Yanks could be trusted to read something first penned in a non-Western tongue—it would likely inspire more umbrage, more name-calling, more amorphous unease. The book’s basic premise, developed in a sinuous line through seven chapters, is that every language creates and nourishes untranslatable truths. Dominant languages infuse their verities into the wider world, crowding out alternative visions from more minor tongues. Linguistic asymmetry isn’t new—over the past two centuries, Latin, classical Chinese, and French each took a turn in the sun—but never has one language so completely eclipsed the rest, Mizumura says, as today, in the age of the Internet, with English. Continue reading at 'Slate'
[ Slate | 2015-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As independent bookstores continue to deepen their ties with romance readers, a group of enthusiast booksellers has announced the first Bookstore Romance Day to be held on August 17, 2019. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Los Angeles school district has focused in recent years on boosting high-school graduation rates and sending more students to college. This month, it has taken a big step by having all juniors take the Scholastic Aptitude Test on a school day, for free. It’s not lost on district officials... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Feminist Library is only £5,000 short of its crowdfunding target for its move to Peckham with just days left to go. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jeff Kinney’s Diary of Greg Heffley’s Best Friend (Puffin) is once again the UK Official Top 50 number one, with the World Book Day title beating David Walliams’ Fing (HarperCollins Children's) to the top spot by fewer than 4,000 copies Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House is partnering with the Black Girl Festival to create a free three-day event at Canada Water Library celebrating Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming (Viking). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The London Book Fair Author of the Day reflects on the opportunities of the Market Focus scheme, and says writing from his homeland could reach more readers—at home and abroad. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jeff Kinney’s £1 World Book Day title Diary of Greg Heffley’s Best Friend (Puffin) has swiped the UK Official Top 50 number one spot from David Walliams’ Fing (HarperCollins), shifting 72,782 copies through Nielsen BookScan’s Total Consumer Market. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Andrew Ridgeley, one half of the iconic British pop duo Wham! will tell the story of the legendary ’80s group and his friendship with bandmate George Michael in a new memoir. Penguin Random House imprint Dutton will publish "Wham! George & Me" this fall, the publisher said in a news release.... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers and retailers will celebrate International Women’s Day with a series of events including readings, new collections and a feminist library. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Women hold an impressive number of executive posts in French publishing. On International Women's Day, the hope is that more can move into top spots. The post International Women’s Day 2019: Progress Among Publishers in France appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Women workers at radical publisher Pluto Press are going on strike for International Women’s Day as part of a national campaign. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Downing Street has welcomed 30 schoolchildren to share a story to celebrate today’s (7th March) World Book Day, whilst astronaut Tim Peake is marking the day with a video encouraging children to read. The children visiting 10 Down Street spent the morning reading and drawing along with authors... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The National Literary Trust and the Morrisons Foundation will donate more than 7,300 brand new books to primary schools across the UK to mark World Book Day. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Roger Blake, the executive director of the California Interscholastic Federation, is criticizing schools for going overboard on ceremonies celebrating athletes signing letters of intent in an opinion piece entitled, “The Arms Race of High School Sports.” He said that for a century,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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NASA just released 168 pages of stunning images showing the planet's atmosphere, water, land, ice and snow from a satellite's perspective. For $53, you can buy a hardcover version of the book, simply titled Earth. Or you can accept the unavoidable tr... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2019-02-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Two children’s books published in Welsh are being sold for just £1 to mark this year’s World Book Day. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-02-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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National Poetry Day has two new sponsors after book trade wholesaler Gardners and sister company Browns Books for Students pledged their support. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-02-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Author Cressida Cowell is backing Book Aid International calls for schools to share a story and change a life on World Book Day. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-02-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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This year, the show will open on Wednesday at noon and run until 5 p.m. On Thursday, the floor will be open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and the show will close on Friday with a 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. schedule. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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