Graham Norton: ‘In a world going to hell in a handcart, Ireland is a wonderful beacon’

The chatshow host’s new novel centres on Irish lives dominated by shame and repression. Yet, after ‘decades of darkness’, the country’s legalisation of abortion and gay marriage have made him hopefulGraham Norton’s second novel, A Keeper, had not gone to press before this interview, so his publisher ran off an A5 photocopy for me. After reading the first few pages, I thought they must have sent me the wrong book. Literary fiction this strong could not be the work of a TV star whose canon of previous works comprised one novel. Whoever wrote this clearly had to be an established author.When I tell Norton this, he does a little squirm beside me on the sofa. “Oh my God, that’s incredibly nice of you. I’m not very good at taking compliments, so let’s gloss over this bit, but I’ll just say thank you very much. Seriously, that’s really, really nice.”We’ve got to thank the church for what Ireland is now, because it is a reaction to all those decades of darknessPeople get stuck in their heads about the thing that’s wrong with their life – they forget to have a lovely time Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UNESCO Goes Over Sharjah World Book Capital Plans; 2021 Applications Deadline is May 2

In a working session in Paris, final programming plans have been introduced for the coming UNESCO World Book Capital events, after Sharjah's Sheikh Al Qasimi launches English translations in London. The post UNESCO Goes Over Sharjah World Book Capital Plans; 2021 Applications Deadline is May 2... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Emirates Publishers Association at 10: Driving Books’ Fast Progress in the Arab World

Bodour Al Qasimi, the founding president of the Emirates Publishers Association reflects on the last decade of book publishing in the UAE and the Arab world The post Emirates Publishers Association at 10: Driving Books’ Fast Progress in the Arab World appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sheikh Zayed Book Award 2019 Winners: ‘World-Class Thinkers and Authors’

This year's recipients of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, as announced to date, come from Morocco, Kuwait, Algeria, Lebanon, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. The post Sheikh Zayed Book Award 2019 Winners: ‘World-Class Thinkers and Authors’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kinney's World Book Day boom continues

Jeff Kinney’s Diary of Greg Heffley’s Best Friend (Puffin) is once again the UK Official Top 50 number one, with the World Book Day title beating David Walliams’ Fing (HarperCollins Children's) to the top spot by fewer than 4,000 copies Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Johnston swaps PRH Ireland for Maldives to become bookseller

PRH Ireland press officer Aimée Johnston has flown out to the Maldives for a three-month stint at the world’s most remote bookshop.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kinney leapfrogs Walliams in World Book Day bonanza

Jeff Kinney’s £1 World Book Day title Diary of Greg Heffley’s Best Friend (Puffin) has swiped the UK Official Top 50 number one spot from David Walliams’ Fing (HarperCollins), shifting 72,782 copies through Nielsen BookScan’s Total Consumer Market. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jeff kinney #greg heffley #david walliams #fing harpercollins #nielsen bookscan


London Book Fair’s International Excellence Awards Honor ‘Publishing To Build a Better World’

Even as the UK Parliament was compounding the UK's confusion on Brexit at Westminster Tuesday evening, the London Book Fair International Book Awards audience cheered internationalism and cross-cultural solidarity in the largest yet round of honors for the program. The post London Book Fair’s... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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First Second to Launch World Citizen Comics

First Second Books, Macmillan’s graphic novel imprint, is launching World Citizen Comics, a line of nonfiction graphic works focused on civic involvement and media literacy, including books for children and teens. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ebury seals secret Second World War tale

Ebury has won a five-publisher auction for Svenja O’Donnell’s book about her grandmother’s secret life in Second World War Germany. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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London Book Fair 2019: Why the Story of Our Networked World Is a Story of Upheaval

In his new book, former F.C.C. Chariman Tom Wheeler deftly explores 500 years of network revolutions, and offers an invaluable take on the challenges we now face. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Canongate snaps up world rights to Hall's new book

Canongate will publish Stephen Hall's new book, Maxwell's Demon, in February 2020, with a six-figure pre-empt in the US. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hannigan's final novel hits number one in Ireland

Emma Hannigan’s final novel has reached number one in the Irish adult fiction charts after just three days of sales. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tim Peake and 10 Downing Street celebrate World Book Day

Downing Street has welcomed 30 schoolchildren to share a story to celebrate today’s (7th March) World Book Day, whilst astronaut Tim Peake is marking the day with a video encouraging children to read. The children visiting 10 Down Street spent the morning reading and drawing along with authors... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Little, Brown bags rights to Second World War tale Liberation

Little, Brown UK has acquired world rights for a fictionalised take on Second World War hero Nancy Wake, due to be turned into a movie by Anne Hathaway. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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5 Women Changing The World With Their Words

For centuries, women have been using their words to educate and inspire — from Coretta Scott King’s tales from the frontlines Continue reading at The Huffington Post

[ The Huffington Post | 2019-03-05 14:00:03 UTC ]
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Ahead of London Book Fair: IPA’s New Leadership on the State of a World Publishing Industry

This year's London Book Fair coincides with the arrival of the International Publishers Association's new president and vice-president, leading 'a conversation of public debate' about publishers' role amid 'sensitive socio-cultural issues.' The post Ahead of London Book Fair: IPA’s New... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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NLT and Morrisons give free books to school children for World Book Day

The National Literary Trust and the Morrisons Foundation will donate more than 7,300 brand new books to primary schools across the UK to mark World Book Day. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kylie Jenner's makeup makes her the world's youngest billionaire

Youngest of the Kardashian-Jenner reality TV family tops Mark Zuckerberg by two yearsKylie Jenner, the youngest member of the Kardashian-Jenner American reality TV family, has become the world’s youngest billionaire at the age of just 21.Jenner, who grew up under the watch of TV cameras filming... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2019-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bloomsbury pre-empts Binder's family-inspired Second World War novel

Bloomsbury UK and US have both pre-empted on the first novel by award-winning short fiction writer L Annette Binder, inspired by her own family’s experience under the Third Reich. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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On Dogs and the Unique Hell of Writing Novels

Jen Beagin, author of 'Vacuum in the Dark,' on the long, winding path of writing two novels with the same protagonist. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-02-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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