Every critic knows that readers love a spirited hatchet job, whether or not the author being chopped is one whose work they’ve hated—or even read. Much of the public seems to possess an ambient belief that the literary world is filled with frauds and self-styled geniuses whose reputations have been propped up by venal publishers and the reviewers who toady up to them. In this light, anyone who dares to challenge the allegedly phony consensus by ripping apart one of the unjustly elect gets hailed as a hero. Every so often, a particularly harsh review will prompt an outcry; recently this happened after William Giraldi’s slashing, in the New York Times Book Review, of two books by the relatively unknown novelist, Alix Ohlin, whom he damned for embracing “the bland earnestness of realism.” But Ohlin was small fry, and much of the outrage Giraldi’s review ignited—he was accused on Twitter of failing to perform a critic’s basic duties and of producing a “pretentious, vicious and self-regarding” piece of work, among other offenses—seemed to arise from the sense that he was an insufferable blowhard while she was nice, or at the very least, harmless. Continue reading at 'Slate'
[ Slate | 2017-09-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
Written By: Graeme Neill and Katie Allen Publication Date: Fri, 25/02/2011 - 16:44 Bookstart has had its funding slashed by 50% after the government pledged to continue funding the bookgifting scheme for the next two years. C.e.o of independent charity Booktrust, which administers the scheme,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 23/02/2011 - 17:51 Waterstone's has made 17 members of staff redundant from its head offices in Brentford and Solihull. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Wed, 23/02/2011 - 15:33 A High Court challenge is being launched over library closures in Gloucestershire and Somerset, in what is believed to be the first case of its kind. A challenge to the coalition government's "vague" Big Society concept,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Lisa Campbell Central London independent Goldsboro Books is expanding to a new premises more than double its size. The retailer, is currently based in Cecil Court in a 40 square metre premises. However, at the end of March the store is moving to a new site in the same street that is... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Benedicte Page Hounslow council has postponed proposals to save money by cutting eight libraries, after a public consultation showed a majority of residents wanted to keep them all. The Hounslow Chronicle reports however that campaigners say libraries are not yet safe, as the... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Benedicte Page Essex county council has vowed not to close any of its libraries, or to cut back its mobile library destinations. But consultation is to begin next month on proposals to reduce opening hours to 54 of its 73 libraries. Jeremy Lucas, cabinet member for heritage, culture... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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#cut back