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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UK orders ebook lending review

Government-appointed panel to consider what role can ebooks play in our libraries in future. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2012-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Four indies make Polari Prize shortlist

Four independent presses have made the shortlist for the Polari First Book Prize, with the winner... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sieghart to lead e-lending review

The government is expected to announce a review of library e-lending tomorrow (Wednesday 26th... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Twitter Co-Founders' New Site, Medium, Will Open to Public in New Year

Twitter co-founder Evan Williams shares more details about his new publishing platform. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin reviews its travel publishing

Penguin is understood to have begun a review of its travel division, with staff informed today (... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-09-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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World Book Day 2013 titles announced

Books by Francesca Simon, Anthony Horowitz, Shirley Hughes and Lauren Child will be included in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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25 years of asking, Where's Waldo?

Popular children's book character Waldo will soon be spotted in a lot more places around the world as his 25th anniversary kicks into gear.Where's Waldo? He won't be difficult to find once the 25th anniversary kicks off for the bespectacled, and beloved, children's book character. England will... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PA half year: Fiction ebook sales increased 188%

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-09-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mantel the top seller on Man Booker shortlist

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Man Booker shortlist revealed

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-reader numbers 'set to rise 70%' this year

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-09-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Yet more literary furor over fake book reviews

British crime writer R.J. Ellory is the latest author to be caught out writing glowing online reviews of his own work. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-09-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'No Easy Day' is a compelling account of Bin Laden's assassination: Book Review

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[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-09-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Thailand to Host World’s Press in 2013

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[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-09-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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W&N to publish 100 years of New Statesman

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pentagon reviews ex-Navy SEAL's book about Osama bin Laden raid

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[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Will Paid Reviews Bite Amazon Back?

At least one entrepreneur sells positive book reviews to Amazon authors. How an apparently unreliable customer-review system might finally eat itself. Continue reading at The Atlantic

[ The Atlantic | 2012-08-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Orchard to launch Sea Quest in 2013

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-08-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Manchester marks fifty years of Clockwork Orange

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-08-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rupert Murdoch's News Corp Launches Anti-Corruption Review

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[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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