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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Shortlist revealed for radical children's fiction prize

Titles from Frances Lincoln, Templar, Walker and Random House UK have been shortlisted for the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harold Fry on Commonwealth Book Prize shortlist

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (Transworld), longlisted for the Man Booker... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Translated fiction boost on IMPAC shortlist

Half of the novels shortlisted for this year's International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Digital revenues to grow 15% in 2013

Online publishers predict digital revenue will grow by 15% year on year in 2013, according to the annual census from the Association of Online Publishers (AOP). Continue reading at Media Week

[ Media Week | 2013-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Manga 2013: A Smaller, More Sustainable Market

The manga market may be smaller than it was five years ago, but a substantial fanbase remains. Publishers are optimistic that the decline has come to an end, that long-awaited digital initiatives are attracting readers, and that the manga market is stabilizing at a new, sustainable level. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Moggach and DeWitt on Wodehouse shortlist

Authors Deborah Moggach and Helen DeWitt are both shortlisted for the Bollinger Everyman... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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March/April Starred BlueInk Reviews of Self-published Books

Among the best, new self-published titles of March and April is The Beach at Herculaneum by Susan G. Muth, only the second title to win a BlueInk Best Book Award. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mantel on IBW shortlist

Man Booker and Costa-winner Hilary Mantel could be in line for another prize for Bring Up The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Providing Story Time in Español: Spanish Supplement Spring 2013

Despite budget cuts and insufficient bilingual staffing, United States libraries continue to invest money expanding Spanish-language children’s and YA collections. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ready for Prime Time: Spanish Supplement Spring 2013

Hispanics are the nation’s largest minority group, making up more than 54.5 million people, or about 17% of the U.S. population, according to estimates for 2013 from the U.S. Census Bureau—a quarter of the children being born today are to a Hispanic mother. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amber Books Marks 15 Years

Amber Books, an independent publisher specializing in nonfiction titles for the African-American market, marked its 15th anniversary in February by winning an NAACP Image Award in the Youth/Teen category for publishing Gregory Reed’s book, Obama Talks Back: Global Lessons—A Dialogue with... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Random hails 'most successful year of all time'

Random House enjoyed a record year in 2012, with worldwide sales up 23% and profits up by 76%. In... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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See The Steve Jobs Biography As A Japanese Comic Book

Steve Jobs biography published again, this time as a manga comic...sans superpowers or one shred of lycra. Walter Isaacson's official Steve Jobs biography is a heck of a read, but if the idea of trawling through lots of dead-tree text galls your inner geek, then you'll love the fact it's now... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Art Books' Future Now: Art & Photography Books 2013

Borders’s closure in 2011 served as a gloomy backdrop for the panel at the New York Public Library on February 12, “The Future of Art Book Publishing,” whose title carried a hint of bad news for catalogues and monographs. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bologna Children’s Book Fair Celebrates 50 Years

A preview of the 50th Bologna Book Fair includes the TOC Bologna program, Sweden as the Guest of Honor Country, and a list of award winners recognized during the fair. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Almanac app to chart Gaiman's huge 2013

Neil Gaiman looks set to be one of the busiest authors of 2013, with a host of book publications... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Anniversary 'Rats' edition next year

Pan Macmillan is to release a special collector's edition of the late James Herbert's... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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One Year of Translating, Selling Swedish Literature Direct

Stockholm Text, a young publishing house translating and publishing Swedish literature in English, share lessons learned from their first year in business. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Stellar shortlist for women's book prize

Anyone who thinks women's writing is all about sex and vampires should take a closer look. Continue reading at The Sydney Morning Herald

[ The Sydney Morning Herald | 2013-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Exceptional Women in Publishing Event Enters Fifth Year

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[ Folio Magazine | 2013-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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