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

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Hatchet Job of the Year shortlist - 2013's most negative reviews in quotes'

5 Academic Publishing Trends to Watch in 2013

George Lossius forecasts a year of significant change for academic publishing, including more consolidation, improved digital textbooks and the rise of mobile. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #significant change #academic publishing

3 Key Ideas from Digital Book World 2013

Looking back on this week's Digital Book World conference, we distill the event into three key ideas: price innovation, discoverability and authenticity. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #key ideas

National Book Critics Circle Awards Shortlist Includes Just One Translation

Add to the growing list of prize shortlists the latest from the NBCC, which includes just a single translation: Lauren Binet's HHhH, translated by Sam Taylor. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #growing list #sam taylor

Children's publishers predict hot trends for 2013

Comedy and “new adult” will be among the hot trends for 2013, according to children... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hot trends

A Look at a Year of Bestsellers

No one would have been able to predict at the start of 2012 that a BDSM erotic romantic trilogy—Fifty Shades—would set new records for book sales and change/spice up what women worldwide would admit to be reading, many for the first time. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book sales #women worldwide

Man Asian Literary Prize Shortlist Features Five Countries, Orhan Pamuk

The 2012 Man Asian Literary Prize shortlist includes books from Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan, Turkey and India; Orhan Pamuk competes with four other finalists. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #orhan pamuk

'Bleak' 2013 predicted as 300 libraries could be lost

Library campaigners are forecasting a grim 2013, predicting that 300 libraries could... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #library campaigners

Shortlist announced for Blue Peter Book Awards

Walker Books and Scholastic have picked up two nominations each in the shortlists for the 2013... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #shortlist announced #walker books

The trade makes predictions for 2013

Another year of "breakneck" digital growth, a resurgence on the high street, further... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital growth #high street

5 Trade Publishing Trends to Watch For in 2013

Publishing is at a watershed moment, says George Lossius, CEO at Publishing Technology, forecasting a future with more consolidation and exploration. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing technology #watershed moment #george lossius

Booker nominees make Man Asian shortlist

The shortlist for the Man Asian Literary Prize was announced today (9th January) with two books... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Shortlist for International Prize for Arabic Fiction

The shortlist for the 2012 International Prize for Arabic Fiction has been announced in a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #international prize #arabic fiction

January’s Starred BlueInk Reviews of Self-published Books

This month's starred BlueInk reviews offers a look at some of the best literature the self-publishing community has to offer. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #self-published books #self-publishing community

My New Year’s Resolution is to Dump Amazon, And Why I’ll Fail

For long-time ebook buyers indoctrinated in Amazon's convenient ecosystem, trying to make the switch to a competitor can lead to frustration and disappointment. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Print book sales soar to three-year high

Sales of printed books soared to a three-year high in the UK last week as shoppers flooded the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #three-year high

Bookshop numbers halved in seven years, says research

Bookshops in the UK have halved in seven years, while consumers spent £261 million on e-... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

2012: the year of self-publishing

The most recent sign that self-publishing is on the rise? New York Times book critic Michiko Kakutani chose a self-released book as one of her favorite titles of the year. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-12-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #favorite titles