Man Booker prize judge Colin Thubron has complained this week that star endorsements bully readers into admiring books, but it’s long been standard practiceSetting cats among pigeons has long been an unofficial part of the contract for judges of the Booker prize. Remember Chris Mullin’s insistence on “zip–along” novels, or, way back in 1992, AN Wilson’s condemnation of the prize itself as “essentially trivial”? This year’s flurry of fur and feathers was provoked by a tirade from Colin Thubron on celebrity endorsements. Some blurbs, said the veteran travel writer, “almost blackmail” readers into feeling that “you’re either intellectually or morally incompetent if you don’t love this book or you’ve failed if you haven’t understood it”. Some people, he felt, “seem to earn their living … saying: ‘This is the most profound book of our generation.’”Starting our Iris Murdoch bookclub with this '69 @PenguinUKBooks edition - you don't find blurbs like this any more! pic.twitter.com/P2XUvgtKAM Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2017-09-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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From left, Colson Whitehead, Jacqueline Woodson, Viet Thanh Nguyen and Rita Dove. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2016-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Costa has announced the judging panels for the 2016 Costa Book Awards, which include writers Nicci Gerrard, Justin Cartwright, Mary Loudon, Andrew O’Hagan and Matthew Dennison, poet, author and vlogger Jen Campbell, and author-illustrator, Cressida Cowell. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harrogate author Jackie Buxton has presented cheques of £860.32 each to Breast Cancer Haven and Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Centre from the sales of her book: Tea & Chemo; Fighting Cancer, Living Life. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Likely the most authoritative count of a year's self-published books in the USA, Bowker's figure sorts out how many titles are represented by the number of indie ISBNs sold in 2015. The post Bowker Now Cites at Least 625,327 US Indie Books Published in 2015 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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While members of the Amazon Prime club get all kinds of benefits with their subscription, bookworms don't receive a great deal of special treatment. Sure, they can borrow one ebook for free each month and access new novels early, but the all-you-can... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2016-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A man allegedly stabbed author Adrian Greenwood to death in order to rob him of rare books including a valuable first edition of The Wind in the Willows worth £50,000, a jury has been told. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sir Norman Bettison, the former chief constable of both Merseyside and West Yorkshire Police, is set to publish Hillsborough Untold through Biteback Publishing. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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You Must Bring A Hat by Simon Philip and Kate Hindley (Simon & Schuster) was announced as the ‘book of the year’ at the Sainsbury Children’s Book Awards 2016. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Phaidon is expanding its nascent beverage list with 'Regarding Cocktails,' the first and only cocktail recipe book from Sasha Petraske, the late, legendary owner of the New York City bar Milk & Honey. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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On a brisk early autumn evening, the Eric Carle Honors celebrated its 11th year of recognizing instrumental figures in children's literature. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Southern Independent Bookstore Alliance Discovery Show, held September 16–18 in Savannah, Ga., featured several notable children's and YA authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Parenting publisher Pinter & Martin is to publish of The Positive Birth Book by Milli Hill, founder of The Positive Birth Movement, an online platform designed to help improve the birth experience of women. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Small presses, libraries and independents are all under threat. No one wants to hear their child ask: ‘What’s a bookshop?’On Saturday it is Bookshop Day. My heart always sinks a little when I hear that a day has been set aside to celebrate something I love: it too often feels like being put on a... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sabina Radeva, a molecular biologist-turned-illustrator, has raised more than £25,000 on Kickstarter to create a picture book adaptation of Charles Darwin’s On The Origin Of Species, despite only aiming for £1,900. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Daniel Slager paddled into Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area to acquire a book by two outdoor adventurers who had been camping out in the region for nearly a year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sigalit Hart, a children’s storyteller and producer, has launched an online TV channel dedicated to children’s books. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Describe your role I’m a bookseller at Wenlock Books, an independent bookshop in Shropshire. My job includes running the shop, social media accounts and Children’s Book Club, organising events and meeting with reps. I also keep the website going by writing blog posts and book reviews,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As innovative as publishers may want to be, how do we evaluate market response to 'Julian Fellowes's Belgravia' with so few apps as apt comparisons? The post Serial Dilemma: Does ‘Belgravia’ Spell ‘Success’ in Book Apps? appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Book People’s c.e.o Williams Wellesley said the retailer has “once again become profitable and successful” after its EBITDA increased by £4.3m in 2015. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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London-based independent bookshop Heywood Hill is to award one reader its Library of a Lifetime prize which will see the winner "never have to buy a book again". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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