Billed as ‘a therapeutic novel’, the publisher’s first foray into fiction follows 29-year-old Anna’s mental health journey – with a view to helping the reader. But how useful can such clunky writing be?At 29 years old, Anna is full of self-loathing. She hates her job, her boyfriend is having an affair and her parents’ response to her troubles is indifferent at best. This is the starting point for A Voice of One’s Own, the first novel to be published by The School of Life. In its pages, fiction and self-help make for uneasy bedfellows.Co-founded by philosopher Alain de Botton in 2008, The School of Life broadly aims to teach its “students” how to lead calmer, more fulfilling lives. Its publishing arm, launched in 2016, disseminates self-help literature with pithy titles such as Reasons to be Hopeful and A Simpler Life, which purport to blend philosophical wisdom with practical advice. Like De Botton himself, the books are Marmite; while many critique the school for peddling watered-down pop philosophy, its teachings have clearly found a market. The organisation has branches in seven major cities, and its most popular title, Big Ideas for Curious Minds, has sold over 120,000 copies globally, while its workshops on playfulness, confidence and self-awareness regularly sell out. The new book represents a departure, however. Through A Voice of One’s Own, The School of Life is showing, rather than telling, its readers how to live better. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2023-07-07 15:45:50 UTC ]
Joseph Earl Thomas won this year’s Center for Fiction First Novel Prize for his book God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer. Congratulations! The novel has made it onto several best-of-2024 lists, and has been praised as “a powerful examination of every day black life–of health and sex, race and... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-12-11 16:36:55 UTC ]
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The film distributor, production company, and streaming service, will launch a publishing arm, Mubi Editions, next April, focusing on titles on cinema and the arts. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-12-02 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Since 2009, when his first novel Some Things That Meant the World to Me introduced his heart-rending, beat-driven, often surreal voice, Joshua Mohr has published nine books—two raw addiction memoirs (Sirens and Model Citizen) and seven idiosyncratic novels. The New York Times called his 2011... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-10-22 08:55:25 UTC ]
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Earlier this May, an Esquire article by Kate Dwyer called “Why Are Debut Novels Failing to Launch?” channeled the fear of debut novelists everywhere: What happens if no one buys my book? Book sales are an important way for editors and agents to gauge whether to invest in an author. If her first... Continue reading at The Millions
[ The Millions | 2024-10-16 12:00:00 UTC ]
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I highlighted Luis Jaramillo’s first book, the short story collection The Doctor’s Wife—a gathering of 91 ultra-short chapters, some as brief as a sentence, that add up to a portrait of a family—as a best book of 2012 for NPR. His first novel further reveals his wide-ranging literary talents.... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-10-08 08:55:05 UTC ]
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The Oscar-winning actor and author of the Myron Bolitar series have been ‘writing pages over many months’ together to create a thriller to be published next yearReese Witherspoon has written her first novel, in collaboration with bestselling author Harlan Coben, publisher Penguin Random House... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2024-10-02 17:00:45 UTC ]
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We spoke with Peter Brown about the experience of seeing 'The Wild Robot,' the first novel in his middle grade trilogy, adapted by DreamWorks. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-09-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The two bestselling authors who both started in TV discuss writing as a second career, natural justice – and what they really think of literary fictionIn the four years since Richard Osman published his first Thursday Murder Club novel he has consistently topped the bestseller lists, and now his... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2024-09-14 09:00:23 UTC ]
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The first novel in Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan quartet was just voted the best book of the 21st century. We like it too. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2024-08-23 13:58:16 UTC ]
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Up to 85 staff take a voluntary redundancy after Nine newspapers announced it was cutting 200 jobsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastUp to 85 journalists, most of them senior, have taken a voluntary... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2024-08-20 07:43:28 UTC ]
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After publishing my first novel Catalina I spiraled into strange despair. Writing, for me, had always been about connection, yet I felt both disconnected from what I’d written and by how it was being received. Had I written a noir? I hadn’t set out to. Was my protagonist unlikeable? I liked... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-08-19 08:56:33 UTC ]
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Boubacar Boris Diop’s Un tombeau pour Kinne Gaajo: The Value of Memory, Writing, and Translation, by Marame Gueye Book Reviews [email protected] Mon, 08/05/2024 - 15:14 Photo of Diop by Gavyn Redd / Shevaun Williams PhotographyOn September 26,... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2024-08-05 20:14:31 UTC ]
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Distinct among the literary prizes for its emphasis on debuts, the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize has been recognizing “exciting emerging voices in contemporary fiction” since 2006. This year, a panel of readers and judges selected a longlist of 25 novels out of 144 debuts submitted for... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-08-01 14:21:54 UTC ]
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A24 has developed a cult following for its movie merch, thanks in large part to the cult following of the designers who create it. In mid-July, cult clothier Online Ceramics, known for Deadhead-inspired tie-dye tees and stylistic screen prints that knife classic horror graphics with... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2024-08-01 09:30:00 UTC ]
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Union members vote to accept offer that is one percentage point higher over three years than previous proposalFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastJournalists at Nine’s publishing arm have called off... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2024-07-31 09:32:46 UTC ]
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“This award not only symbolizes the milestone of half a million books sold, but also the fact that this book connects millions of readers to the person of Jesus Christ so brilliantly,” said Chadd Miller, divisional president of David C Cook’s publishing arm, in a statement. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-07-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Chosen Books takes pastor Sherman Dumas's book of practical advice to help restore the family unit; Tyndale signs T.I. Lowe's new novel, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-07-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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“Through Multiculturalism We Become Better Humans”: A Conversation with Vonani Bila, by Ming Di Interviews [email protected] Thu, 06/13/2024 - 15:21 Vonani Bila with his mother and his son. Courtesy of Mark Waller, 2010.Vonani Bila (b. 1972) grew... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2024-06-13 20:21:36 UTC ]
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In Nicola Yoon’s first novel for adults, “One of Our Kind,” a woman finds that a lush California suburb is not what it seems. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2024-06-11 09:01:04 UTC ]
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