Does it matter if Joseph Mitchell embellished his journalism?

He is long known to have used composite characters and a new biography will reveal more embellishments – but perhaps that’s the magic of his workOver the weekend, the feathers of American literary journalists ruffled lightly in the breeze of a review that appeared in the New York Review of Books. The review, written by longtime New Yorker staff writer Janet Malcolm, was of an upcoming biography of another New Yorker staff writer, Joseph Mitchell, due to be published in the United States on 28 April. Malcolm’s review can be read as a pre-emptive defence of Mitchell’s legacy as one of the giants of American literary journalism. The biographer in question, Thomas Kunkel, has apparently found more evidence of what was already somewhat known: that Mitchell embellished his nonfiction, often condensing characters and facts to smooth out his stories. In one already well-known example, a long piece called Old Mr Flood condenses several men’s stories into the titular Mr Flood. Mitchell admitted this openly in a preface to the book later published under that name.He has mixed up nonfiction with fiction. He has made an unwholesome, almost toxic brew out of the two genres. It is too bad he is dead and can’t be pilloried. Or perhaps it is all right that he is dead, because he is suffering the torments of hell for his sins against the spirit of fact. And so on.Every writer of nonfiction who has struggled with the ditch and the bushes knows what Mitchell is talking about, but few of us... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Devoted to journalism': Capital Gazette receives special citation from Pulitzer Prize board

On the afternoon of June 28, a gunman entered the newsroom of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, killing five staffers before surrendering to police. Shaken survivors from the newsroom worked late into the night to put out an edition the following morning. Exactly 11 months later, on Tuesday,... Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2019-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Devoted to journalism': Capital Gazette receives special citation from Pulitzer Prize board

On the afternoon of June 28, a gunman entered the newsroom of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, killing five staffers before surrendering to police. Shaken survivors from the newsroom worked late into the night to put out an edition the following morning. Exactly 11 months later, on Tuesday,... Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2019-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mitchell Beazley scoops first Sipsmith gin cocktail book

Mitchell Beazley has scooped the first cocktail book from London gin pioneers Sipsmith featuring 100 “uncompromisingly delicious” recipes requiring no more than three ingredients. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-23 06:37:48 UTC ]
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Platform ad revenue opportunities are growing for publishers, but scale still matters

Ad revenue from YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter is helping publishers build more sustainable video business models -- though scale still matters. The post Platform ad revenue opportunities are growing for publishers, but scale still matters appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2019-05-22 04:01:36 UTC ]
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Dear Will… creative writing courses matter more than ever (but not for the reasons you think)

After Will Self lambasted creative writing courses for failing to provide their students with a living, MA Creative Writing course director Julia Bell pens her response. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Douglas strikes six-figure deal with Michael Joseph

Michael Joseph has bought two books from thriller writer Claire Douglas in a six-figure deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fourth Estate to publish Slay in Your Lane journal and anthology

Fourth Estate will publish two more Slay in Your Lane titles following the success of the first book by Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Printed Matter's LA Art Book Fair returns to the Geffen at MOCA with artist-made works

If you're a book lover with a soft spot for visual art, you might want to plan a trip to the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA this weekend, where the 2019 LA Art Book Fair will be taking over the Little Tokyo museum. The annual book fair, first held in Los Angeles in 2013, is a celebration of artists’... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mitchell Beazley serves up World Atlas of Gin

Mitchell Beazley has snapped up the first book covering the booming gin scene around the globe. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mitchell Beazley acquires home decorating book by White Company

Mitchell Beazley has acquired the first home decorating book by Chrissie Rucker and her retail firm The White Company. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mitchell Beazley grabs oven dish cookbook from Henry

Octopus imprint Mitchell Beazley has grabbed a new cookbook of oven-based dishes from food writer Diana Henry. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ebury promotes Joseph and Jacob as Connelly joins from Wellcome

Ebury has revealed a raft of changes, including promotions for Jamie Joseph and Yvonne Jacob and the recruitment of Suzanne Connelly from Wellcome, as part of its recent restructure. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New Paid Apple News Service Said to Feature Wall Street Journal

The Wall Street Journal plans to join a new subscription news service run by Apple, even as some other major publishers balked at the terms, two people familiar with the plans said. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2019-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Exhaustion of rights issue a matter of urgency regardless of Brexit

The UK needs to “lock down” the issue of exhaustion of rights with the EU to stop countries such as the US changing the status quo after Brexit, a panel of industry figures heard at London Book Fair. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Podcasts and writing workshops scoop RSL Literature Matters Awards

Podcasts, writing workshops and a collection of short stories are among the winners of this year’s RSL Literature Matters Awards.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Canongate to publish facsimile edition of hand-drawn Joni Mitchell book

Canongate has snapped up the rights to a rare book of poetry, lyrics and watercolours by singer Joni Mitchell.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Joni Mitchell’s book of art and lyrics to be published in October

A rare book of handwritten lyrics and watercolor paintings by folk music legend Joni Mitchell is to be published this fall, 48 years after the singer-songwriter produced a small number of copies as gifts to her friends. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is set to release "Morning Glory on the Vine: Early... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mitchell Beazley lands Hix angling adventures

Octopus imprint Mitchell Beazley has landed the angling adventures of chef, restaurateur and food writer Mark Hix. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Michael Joseph to publish Jamie Oliver Veg cookbook

Penguin imprint Michael Joseph will publish Jamie Oliver’s new vegetarian cookbook this autumn. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mitchell Beazley lands new Higgidy vegetarian cookbook

Octopus imprint Mitchell Beazley will publish a brand-new cookbook from Higgidy founder Camilla Stephens, Higgidy – The Veggie Cookbook. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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