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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[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Children's reveals brand plans for 2013

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Hindu Literary Prize: Five Books Shortlisted

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-02-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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OUP title wins Political Book of the Year

The Day Parliament Burned Down has been named political book of the year at the Political Book... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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February’s Starred BlueInk Reviews of Self-published Books

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Daunt: 'Two years' to transform Waterstones

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Cartoonist Studio Prize: The Shortlists

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[ Slate | 2013-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2013-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Time Inc. cuts some 500 jobs

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[ Crains New York | 2013-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ BBC News | 2013-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hilary Mantel wins Costa Book of the Year

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Engadget | 2013-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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