Hatchet Job of the Year shortlist - 2013's most negative reviews in quotes

Tasters of the reviews competing for the annual prize that recognises 'the angriest, funniest, most trenchant book review of the past 12 months'News: Hatchet Job of the Year award draws and quarters shortlistCraig Brown on Distant Intimacy: A Friendship in the Age of the Internet by Frederic Raphael and Joseph Epstein in the Daily Mail"A few years ago Raphael emailed Epstein with the suggestion that 'there might be some fun, not to mention $$$' in emailing each other for a year, then publishing the results. And so they get going, each of them dutifully delivering between 1,500 to 1,800 words a week, every week for a year. The first thing to be said about their exchanges is how extraordinarily unpleasant they are [...] Anyone unfamiliar with the literary world will, I think, be astonished at the ease with which these grand old men of letters turn into queeny old hairdressers, furiously bitching about their younger, prettier or more highly regarded rivals.Rachel Cooke on Strictly Ann: The Autobiography by Ann Widdecombe in the Observer"When Ann Widdecombe appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010, the judges were not complimentary, describing her variously as "a dancing hippo", "a Dalek in drag" and "the Ark Royal". [...] Is Widdecombe's writing any better than her dancing? No. About the best you can say for her prose is that it is accurate. Her grammar is fine – Ann is a stickler for grammar – and her anecdotes make sense in that they have a beginning, a middle and an end.... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #paul theroux

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Amazon jobs are 'a great example of what's possible,' says Obama as more indie booksellers object

President Obama appeared as scheduled at a Chattanooga, Tenn., Amazon warehouse and praised the business, causing even more independent booksellers to express their displeasure with his endorsement. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-08-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble reports it overstated losses in past years

Barnes & Noble says it lost less money than it previously reported during the past two years. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #past years #barnes noble #previously reported


Filmmakers Promote Steve Jobs Biopic With More-Is-More Site

A maximalist promo site for Jobs. When Simon & Schuster published Steve Jobs, the simple black and white cover photo helped turn Walter Isaacson’s biography into one of the best-selling books of all time. Now the filmmakers behind the movie Jobs, have taken the opposite approach to... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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2013 Advertising Sales Salary Survey

The definition of magazine advertising sales has changed dramatically in recent years. New products, new competition and new market forces are expanding the role. Print, still an important piece of the puzzle, is just that—a piece. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #important piece #changed dramatically #market forces


25 Years Later, Neil Gaiman's Sandman</em> Returns With a Prequel

This October, Neil Gaiman's Sandman is returning to comic book shops with a prequel series titled Sandman: Overture.     Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2013-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #neil gaiman


2013 Man Booker Prize for Fiction Longlist Announced

The 2013 longlist of fiction for the Man Booker Prize will surprise and intrigue in equal measure. The shortlist will be announced in September and the winner on October 15. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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"Contemporary" longlist for 2013 Man Booker

The longlist for the 2013 Man Booker Prize has been announced, with two nominations apiece for... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Comic-Con 2013: A look at past comic books and a glimpse of the genre's future (+video)

Gerard Jones, author of 'Men of Tomorrow: Geeks, Gangsters, and the Birth of the Comic Book,' explains the origins of comic books, the hardships they went through, and where they are apt to go next.  Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-07-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2013: Egmont

Egmont is one of Scandinavia’s leading media companies, producing magazines, books, movie theatres, movies, TV, comic books, school books, communities, games and game consoles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2013: De Agostini SpA

Italy’s De Agostini SpA is a family-owned international group, founded in 1901 and controlled by B&amp;D Holding. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2013: China Education

In December 2010, China Education Publishing &amp; Media Group (China Education) was formed as a strategic merger to reshape educational publishing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Razorfish's Lord Takes Top Job at AOL Networks

Bob Lord may be leaving Publicis Groupe's Razorfish to run AOL Networks but, given a new partnership between Publicis Groupe and AOL, his ties to his former employer will remain strong. On Aug. 1, Lord, the outgoing CEO of Razorfish, starts as CEO of AOL Networks, the company's programmatic ad... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2013: Cengage

Cengage Learning is present in six educational markets: academic, career, school, research, professional, and international. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2013: Haufe-Lexware

Haufe-Lexware is a German media group operating in business, law, and tax. The company was founded as Rudolf Haufe Verlag in 1934 in Berlin. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2013: Kyowon

Kyowon, founded in 1985, is one of the biggest publishing companies in Korea. They have a high reputation for educational books, especially for prenatal, baby, toddler, and pre-school topics. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2013: Gallimard

Gallimard has been home to many of the most prestigious writers in French literature throughout the 20th century, including Marcel Proust, Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, and 2008 Nobel laureate Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2013: The Mondadori Group

The Mondadori Group is the leading book and magazine publisher in Italy, with a market share of 27.6% (against 26.5% in 2011). The company's publishing houses include Edizioni Mondadori, Einaudi, Piemme, and Sperling &amp; Kupfer. Its magazine titles include Panorama and Donna moderna. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2013: Média Participations

The Belgium-French group Média Participations is the largest publisher of comic books in Europe. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Global Publishing Leaders 2013: Les Editions Lefebvre-Sarrut

Les Editions Lefebvre Sarrut is the result of a merger between Editions Francis Lefebvre and Editions Législatives in 1999, with a focus on publishing, professional education, and database integration. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Global 60: The World's Largest Book Publishers, 2013

Despite concerns about consolidation among publishing houses, sales of the top 10 companies accounted for 55% of revenue of the 50 publishers that are on the list for both 2012 and 2011, down from 57% in 2011. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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