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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Audiobook Review: ‘The Number Ones,’ by Tom Breihan; ‘How Far the Light Reaches,’ by Sabrina Imbler; ‘Young Bloomsbury,’ by Nino Strachey

From Bloomsbury to the Billboard Hot 100, these audiobooks will hook you based on story alone. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-12-23 10:00:15 UTC ]
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Indie Comics Publishers Face Year-End Financial Troubles

The end of the year has produced a spike in financial troubles that include at least four independent comics publishers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-12-22 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Top Shelf: 25 Years of Acclaimed Graphic Novels

Top Shelf Productions, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, has been a leading force in the expansion of the graphic novel market since it was founded by Chris Staros and Brett Warnock in 1997. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-12-21 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The Most Scathing Book Reviews of 2022

‘Tis the season for schadenfreude. Yes, for the sixth year running, we’ve emerged from the bowels of the book review mines trailing behind us an oozing sack of pans—each one riper and more wince-inducing that the last. Among the books being gored and devoured by feral hogs this year: Jared... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-12-20 09:55:19 UTC ]
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The 10 Best Book Reviews of 2022

Way back in the mid-aughts when I first started writing about books, pitching a print publication was the only reliable way for book critics to get paid, and third-person point of view was all the vogue. Much has changed in the years since: Newspaper and magazine book sections have shuttered,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-12-19 09:55:21 UTC ]
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Book Review: ‘You Can’t Kill Snow White,’ by Beatrice Alemagna

Beatrice Alemagna’s “You Can’t Kill Snow White,” a picture book for older kids, mines the brutal envy that underpins the original Brothers Grimm tale. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-12-16 17:24:59 UTC ]
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The Pantone Color of the Year 2023, Book Cover Edition

Pantone's Color of the Year for 2023 is Viva Magenta, and we've got a roundup of books fit for celebrating the new color. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-12-16 11:38:00 UTC ]
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PW’s 2022 People of the Year: The Defenders

We recognize the librarians, booksellers, authors, publishers, and allies standing tall in the face of unprecedented attacks on the freedom to read. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-12-16 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Agate Publishing's 20-Year Commitment to Diversity

Publisher Doug Seibold’s personal and professional goals haven’t changed since he incorporated his company in Illinois in the fall of 2002: he Seibold wants to publish books that he is passionate about and that fill a niche, and he wants to make the industry more inclusive. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-12-16 05:00:00 UTC ]
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News Corp ends year on a low note as another senior figure investigated over alleged behaviour at staff drinks | The Weekly Beast

The Murdoch stable has let indiscretions slide in the past but there is less tolerance now. Plus: Nine returns to AAPJust as News Corp Australia was licking its wounds after terminating three big name journalists for allegedly behaving badly, another scandal has broken.The Australian’s... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-12-16 02:16:26 UTC ]
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Louise Penny Wrote a No. 1 Best Seller During Her Year Off

She meant to take a break but the Canadian author ended up doing what she always does: powering through a new novel. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-12-15 10:00:14 UTC ]
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The Critics’ Picks: A Year in Reading

New York Times book critics discuss their favorite books and memorable reading experiences of 2022. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-12-09 20:04:15 UTC ]
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The Best Reviewed Graphic Literature of 2022

Yes, using reviews drawn from more than 150 publications, over the next two weeks we’ll be calculating and revealing the most critically-acclaimed books of 2022, in the categories of (deep breath): Fiction; Nonfiction; Memoir and Biography; Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror; Short Story Collections;... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-12-09 09:52:42 UTC ]
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Amazon Kindle Scribe Review: Read and Write on this Pricey Ebook Reader

You can read ebooks, write notes, or mark up PDFs on this new slate, but your wallet will feel a lot lighter. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2022-12-08 14:00:00 UTC ]
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Sales Fall in Q2 as Wiley Lowers Sales Forecast for Year

Sales fell 3% at John Wiley in the second quarter ended October 31, largely due to a 14% revenue decline in its academic and publishing learning group. Trouble in the group prompted the company to lower its revenue forecast for fiscal 2023, though its earnings predictions remained intact. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-12-07 05:00:00 UTC ]
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'The Lost Year': A Book Re-Shaped by Current Events

Contemporary global crises affected the writing and production of Katherine Marsh's newest middle-grade novel, inspired by her Ukrainian family history, in unexpected ways. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-12-06 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Chris Miller’s ‘Chip War’ Wins the 2022 FT Book of the Year Award

A timely selection, Chris Williams' 'Chip War' from Simon & Schuster wins the £30,000 FT Book of the Year Award in London. The post Chris Miller’s ‘Chip War’ Wins the 2022 FT Book of the Year Award appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-12-06 04:55:26 UTC ]
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London’s Al Saqi Bookstore Is Closing, Ending a 44-Year Run

A prized center of Arabic language, culture, and literature in London is closing amid mounting economic and post-Brexit challenges. The post London’s Al Saqi Bookstore Is Closing, Ending a 44-Year Run appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-12-06 02:05:02 UTC ]
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Engadget Podcast: Kindle Scribe review and the rise of Twitter clones

Finally, a Kindle you can write on! This week, we dive into Cherlynn’s review of the Kindle Scribe, Amazon’s first e-reader that can also capture handwritten notes. The hardware is great, but as usual, Amazon’s software feels half-baked. Also, Devindra and Cherlynn discuss the rise of new... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-12-02 13:30:56 UTC ]
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New Report Finds NYC Publishing, Bookselling Jobs Fell Between 2010 and 2020

In a report designed to measure the economic impact of NYC's various publishing segments, the first-of-its-kind study found that the number of book publishing jobs dipped 1.7% between 2010 and 2020, while bookselling jobs tumbled 37.1%. The average book publishing salary was $119,000, compared... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-12-01 05:00:00 UTC ]
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