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?'


Patterson to target new readers with brief 'BookShots'

James Patterson is to target new avenues for selling books with a series of shorter, cheaper novels he is calling BookShots, the New York Times has reported. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #james patterson #selling books


'Fantastic Beasts': From Book to Film and Back Again

Warner Bros. Consumer Products has announced its global publishing licensees for the November 18, 2016, feature film release 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,' and its sequels. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fantastic beasts #warner bros #consumer products


Quentin Blake in HCCB picture book collaboration

HarperCollins Children’s Books is to publish a picture book by Sir Quentin Blake and Emma Chichester Clarke in a “landmark acquisition”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #quentin blake #harpercollins children #picture book


Comedian Joe Lycett's book to Hodder

Hodder & Stoughton is to publish comedian Joe Lycett's first book, Parsnips: Buttered. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hodder stoughton


Europa to publish Ferrante children's book

Europa Editions is to publish a children’s book by Elena Ferrante titled The Beach at Night. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #europa editions


Screenwriter wins children's book prize

Screenwriter David Solomons has won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2016 with his debut book, about an 11-year-old boy obsessed with comics Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2016-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book prize #waterstones children #debut book


Too Naked for Nazis wins odd book prize

A book about the career of a vaudeville trio wins a prize for having the oddest book title of the year. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2016-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Book Deals: Week of March 21, 2016

Harper lands a Kennedy memoir, Ballantine re-ups historical fiction bestseller C.W. Gortner, SMP buys a recent U.K. bestseller, and more in this week's notable book deals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book deals #smp buys


PLA 2016: How We Need Diverse Books is Working With Libraries

Librarians have been big supporters of the We Need Diverse Books movement, and that support is only growing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #diverse books


Winslow to Co-Author First Novel from Michael Mann Books

The first project in the pipeline for the just-announced Michael Mann Books is a new novel by Don Winslow. 'The Cartel' author will co-create a book, with Mann, about the American mobsters Tony Accardo and Sam Giancana. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #don winslow


Roman Krznaric launches book on Unbound

Unbound has launched the new book from cultural thinker and philosopher Roman Krznaric titled Carpe Diem Reclaimed. Krznaric, who is the author of Empathy (Rider) and How to Find Fulfilling Work (Macmillan), turned down an offer from a "major" UK publisher in favour of crowdfunding his new book... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #uk publisher


Follow-Up: NetGalley Launches at Leipzig Book Fair

Following commentary about its launch in France, NetGalley now confirms its expansion into the German market this week at Leipzig Book Fair. The post Follow-Up: NetGalley Launches at Leipzig Book Fair appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


The Insider's Guide To Landing A Book Deal

Top publishing experts share their tips on how to get your business book published.For business leaders, publishing a book can mean greater credibility, bigger sales, lucrative speaking engagements, and other career and business benefits. But "getting a book deal" isn't as simply as penning a... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2016-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book deal #business leaders


'YA and children's books deserve to be judged separately'

Fiona Noble argues for the introduction of separate YA and Children's Carnegie medals.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #carnegie medals


Apply Now for the 2016 Children’s Book Editor’s Trip to Germany

Children's book editors from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand: apply for the German Book Office New York editor's trip by April 11, 2016. The post Apply Now for the 2016 Children’s Book Editor’s Trip to Germany appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post apply #germany appeared #book editor #book editors


Harry Potter's female readers now driving the boom in 'grip lit'

Millennial women who grew up reading JK Rowling’s wizard series are driving sales in other genres as they reach their 20s and 30s, according to recent researchThe women switched on to books by Harry Potter are shaping the literary world, according to new research, boosting the market in... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #millennial women #literary world #clean eating #fiction sales #literary fiction #including ebooks #helping drive


Coloring Books, Children's Boost Quarto 2015 Results

Revenue at Quarto Group rose 6% in 2015, to $182.2 million. Revenue in Quarto's children's division jumped 41%, with sales of adult coloring books particularly strong. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #coloring books


CLC Bookshops buys Tonbridge Christian Book Centre

Independent specialist bookshop Tonbridge Christian Book Centre has been bought by Christian bookshop chain CLC Bookshops for an undisclosed sum. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Books Inc. Named 2016 PW Bookstore of the Year; Solomon Rep

In a California sweep, both 165-year-old Books Inc., the oldest bookstore in the West, and Lise Solomon with the Karel/Dutton Group took this year’s PW Awards, which will be presented at BookExpo America. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #oldest bookstore #lise solomon #pw awards #bookexpo america


Cheung moves to Piatkus in two-book deal

Author and spiritualist Theresa Cheung has found a new publisher in Piatkus, after previously being published by Simon & Schuster. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #simon schuster