Do celebrity book blurbs 'blackmail' readers?

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 ]
News tagged with: #booker prize #colin thubron #celebrity endorsements #ve failed

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Do celebrity book blurbs 'blackmail' readers?'

Harry Potter tops nation's favourite book-into-film adaptations

The Harry Potter series is the nation's most-loved book-into-film adaptation, according to a survey, with classics also ranking high in list. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Dow: Children's publishers must think 'beyond the book'

"Publishers need to think beyond the book" to other media such as YouTube and Snapchat, and ensure everything they do has "the consumer at its heart”, m.d. of Penguin Random House Children’s Francesca Dow has said. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #francesca dow

Live events 'important for children's books'

Live events are having a direct impact on book sales in the children's market, according to Julia Eccleshare, children's director for Hay Festival, speaking at The Bookseller's Children's Conference this afternoon (27th September). Eccleshare said she thought live performances were not only a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #julia eccleshare #live events #direct impact #book sales #hay festival #promoting authors

Children's 2016 print book market up 11.7% to date

The children's print book market is on course for an 11.7% increase to a full year value of £394m this year if sales continue at the same pace - making 2016 the biggest year for children's books for the third year in a row. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #full year #biggest year #7% increase #sales continue

Religion and Spirituality Books Preview: October 2016

The latest by Christian fiction star Karen Kingsbury, Rhonda Byrne’s follow-up to the bestselling ‘The Secret,’ and Sarah Young’s highly-anticipated new devotional ‘Jesus Always’ are each hitting bookstores in October. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rhonda byrne #sarah young #hitting bookstores

International Hot Book Properties, Week of September 26, 2016

Among the book attracting international publishers this week are a British novel found in the slush pile and a Swedish thriller set in 2037, in an alternate history where the Berlin Wall never fell. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #slush pile #berlin wall

Flanders and The Netherlands at Frankfurt: 454 New Book Releases

Across the grounds of Frankfurt Book Fair and in many other parts of Germany, the Guest of Honor program featuring Flanders and The Netherlands will provide cultural events and programming elements. The post Flanders and The Netherlands at Frankfurt: 454 New Book Releases appeared first on... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book releases

Texas Prisons Banned My Book About Texas Prisoners

Banned Book Week, which started on Sunday, reminds us that no one sets out to write a banned book. But as long as speech threatens those in power, censorship, even in a country that espouses one of the most expansive free-speech regimes in the world, remains inevitable. Given that book banning... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2016-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #banned book

What's Selling at Harleysville Books

Catching her breath after the summer vacation scramble, settling into a new and larger location, and gearing up for the fall book fair season, Stephanie Steinly, owner of Harleysville Books in Harleysville, Pa., shared word of books that are moving briskly in her store. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #moving briskly

Banned Book Week Gets Diverse

Banned Books Week, the annual celebration of the freedom to read that shines a light on censorship of reading material in the United States, has begun. This year, the event focuses on diversity. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #annual celebration #reading material

W&N signs 'epic' finale to Cemetery of Forgotten Books series

Weidenfeld & Nicolson is publishing a new novel by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Labyrinth of the Spirits, the last in his "epic" The Cemetery of Forgotten Books series that spans more than a decade. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #weidenfeld nicolson #publishing anew

Latest Ukrainian Ban of Russian Book Imports Under Consideration

Reports say the ban proposed to Ukraine's parliament members would require a book from Russia to have permission from a special public commission to be imported. The post Latest Ukrainian Ban of Russian Book Imports Under Consideration appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Brangelina brings the first wave of self-cancelling celebrity news

The divorce ‘stories’ are coming so thick and fast that none seems to have any salience for more than a couple of hoursTim Farron was just stepping up to his party conference podium when Brangelina split. Cue TV gags about Hollywood ructions ruining Tim’s big day. So of course a Facebook furore... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jennifer aniston

My Job in 5: Benedetta Costantini, UK sales executive, Michael o’Mara Books

This week we interviewed Benedetta Costantini, Uk sales executive at Michael o’Mara Books. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mara books

Canadian Publishing 2016: Big Books for a Big Country

Canadian publishing is dominated by some familiar names: Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #big books #big country #canadian publishing #familiar names #simon schuster

Joey Barton autobiography longlisted for William Hill sports book prize

An autobiography by "one of football's most controversial figures", Joey Barton, has been longlisted for the 2016 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #controversial figures #joey barton

The Big Titles U.S. Agencies Will be Selling at the Frankfurt Book Fair

Essay collections from Trevor Noah and Gay Talese, the debut novel from Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner, and a new adult thriller from Stephenie Meyer are among the big titles being shopped at Frankfurt. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #big titles #essay collections #trevor noah #gay talese #adult thriller #stephenie meyer

Athens Named World Book Capital as 118-Year-Old Bookstore Closes

Athens learns it's UNESCO's World Book Capital 2018 and that its largest bookstore, the 118-year-old Eleftheroudakis, is going under. The post Athens Named World Book Capital as 118-Year-Old Bookstore Closes appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Frankfurt Book Fair 2016 Preview

New programs and a continued engagement with creative sectors outside of traditional book publishing have expanded the scope of the show, though rights is still at the core. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |