Bernardine Evaristo: the forgotten black British novels everyone should read

The Booker-winning novelist is relaunching a series of neglected novels by black British writers. She explains why they deserve a new readership In today’s culture, it’s as though black British literary history began relatively recently, and new books are published without reference to or knowledge of what has gone before. This is not the case with white writers. Publishers, critics and readers will often understand where books sit within their literary contexts and cultural ecosystem. We can trace the literary lineage of Douglas Stuart’s Booker-winning Shuggie Bain back to the works of James Kelman and Irvine Welsh. Ghosts by Dolly Alderton is in conversation with Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones series and all the novels that were published in its wake, just as Ali Smith’s postmodern novels are descendants of Virginia Woolf’s modernist oeuvre. And we know that today’s historical novels have antecedents in their earlier counterparts.Our appreciation of literature is deepened when we understand the foundations from which each new generation creates literature anew, but because so much of the body of black British literature hasn’t been taught in schools or universities, or immortalised on television and film, or even been widely or seriously reviewed in the media and academia, it’s as if each new book is published out of a void. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-01-30 11:00:07 UTC ]
News tagged with: #white writers #douglas stuart #james kelman #irvine welsh #dolly alderton #helen fielding #ali smith #virginia woolf #british literature

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Bernardine Evaristo: the forgotten black British novels everyone should read'


Number of Americans reading ebooks doubles

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 21/09/2011 - 09:05 The number of Americans using an ebook reader has almost doubled during the last 12 months, according to a new survery. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook reader


Reading scheme axed due to school spending cuts

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Mon, 19/09/2011 - 09:39 A primary schools project that has helped thousands of struggling young pupils to read is being axed by the government, according to the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT). The Reading Recovery Project involves... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #national association #london university


Canadian Publishing 2011: The British Columbia Alternative

It is, in many ways, a world away from Canada’s book publishing center in Toronto. But even three time zones, several mountain ranges, and vast forests away, the West Coast is home to Canada’s second-largest concentration of English-language publishers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-09-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #time zones #west coast #english-language publishers


Faber to publish new Peter Carey novel

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 08/09/2011 - 08:45 Faber is to publish a new novel by Australian literary heavyweight Peter Carey next year, with the publisher already billing the dual-narrative title as a classic. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Huntingdon tops Amazon's 'most well-read' list

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Mon, 05/09/2011 - 08:10 People in Huntingdon and Cambridge buy the most books of any town or city in the UK, according to a list compiled by Amazon from its print and Kindle sales since the start of the year. Towns in Kent, Wiltshire and West Sussex... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle sales


Quercus signs 50 Cent's bullying novel

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Mon, 05/09/2011 - 13:05 Quercus has bought a children's book by US rapper 50 Cent. Playground, for the 12-plus age group, is a semi-autobiographical novel on the subject of schoolyard bullying. Children's editorial director Roison Heycock bought UK... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #schoolyard bullying #age group #helen boomer #3rd november #latest album


Big Houses Stay In the Black

Half way through 2011, at least four of the major trade publishers continue to find ways to profitably publish despite the challenges posed by the digital transition and the collapse of Borders. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #find ways #challenges posed #digital transition


Dolls help to launch children's novel

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Fri, 02/09/2011 - 15:00 Teacher and artist Patricia Le Baudrier is using digital printing and marketing to launch her debut novel The Orphans of St Cecile, which she created using dolls she has modeled and using photographs as illustrations. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #launch children #digital printing


Readmill Aims to Make Digital Reading Social

As ebooks become popular, there are increasing opportunities to share and personalize the digital reading experience. That's where the upcoming Readmill iPad app and social network come in. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2011-09-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


One in six children doesn't read a book a month

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 22/08/2011 - 15:18 One in six children do not read a single book per month, according to a new survey by the National Literacy Trust. The research suggested the United Kingdom is polarised between those who do not read and the one in 10 children... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rarely read #single book #research suggested #united kingdom


Soli and Spurling win James Tait Black Prizes

Publication Date: Fri, 19/08/2011 - 20:23 Debut novelist Tatjani Soli and theatre critic Hilary Spurling have been awarded the James Tait Black Prizes, Britain’s oldest literary awards. Soli’s The Lotus Eaters (HarperPress) was awarded the £10,000 fiction prize at the Edinburgh International... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Creed C. Black, Newspaper Executive, Dies at 86

As publisher of The Lexington Herald-Leader, Creed Black supported an investigation of the University of Kentucky basketball team that led to the first Pulitzer Prize for the paper. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-08-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pulitzer prize


British Library launches E-Book Treasures for iPad

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 11/08/2011 - 09:08 The British Library has launched its E-book Treasures series for the iPad, with ancient manuscripts now available for download on the Apple iBookstore. The first manuscripts to be available are Leonardo da Vinci's Codex... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #british library #apple ibookstore


The Real Apple iPad Killer App? Reading

Steve Jobs was wrong. People love to read on the iPad. Let’s hope newspaper publishers don’t ruin it for everyone. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #steve jobs #people love


Polygon buys novel by Private Eye contributor

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 10/08/2011 - 08:43 Polygon has bought a novel by the Private Eye writer and cartoonist Barry Fantoni. Publishing director Neville Moir bought UK & Commonwealth rights to Harry Lipkin through David Riding of MBA Literary Agents. The book,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #david riding #raymond chandler #woody allen


British Library launches 19th Century iPad app

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 14:05 The British Library has launched an iPad app allowing subscribers to browse 45,000 books from its 19th century historical collection. Subscription costs £1.99 per month and users can explore books from the likes of classic... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #british library #classic novels #travel writing #scottish borders


Orion buys Battlefield tie-in novel by McNab

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 11:36 Orion has bought world rights to an Andy McNab novel tying into the forthcoming Battlefield 3 videogame. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #andy mcnab


Sceptre buys new novel by Cold Mountain author

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 03/08/2011 - 09:10 Sceptre has acquired the latest novel by Cold Mountain author Charles Frazier, to be published on 27th September 2011. Publishing director Carolyn Mays bought British Commonwealth, excluding Canada, rights in the title,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #karolina sutton #curtis brown #amanda urban


Reynolds to write new Doctor Who novel

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Thu, 21/07/2011 - 13:00 British Science Fiction award-winner Alastair Reynolds is the latest author to try his hand writing a Doctor Who novel, after signing a deal with BBC Books. Editorial director Albert DePetrillo bought world rights from Robert... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #latest author #bbc books #robert kirby #united agents #bbc series


Lee Child wins Crime Novel of the Year

Publication Date: Thu, 21/07/2011 - 21:09 Lee Child has been awarded the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year for his Jack Reacher thriller 61 Hours (Transworld), beating authors including Mark Billingham who has won the prize twice before. It is the first time Child has won the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-07-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #peculier crime #opening night