Last week, Ruth Rendell claimed that reading novels is a dying art. Sadly, she might have a pointNo one can say precisely why John Williams's novel Stoner has become a bestseller almost 50 years after its first publication. After all, plenty of books, "forgotten" or otherwise, are recommended by word of mouth and yet most will not go on to sell more than a few hundred copies. And it's hard to know in what ways, if any, its story – a young man falls in love with literature and thus a new world is revealed to him – might have touched people. Many of those who rushed to buy it will not yet have got around to opening it and some will never read it. Stoner will languish on their shelves, its spine unbroken, just like Jung Chang's Wild Swans, the non-fiction hit of 1992.But still, it has given us something to think about, this dusting down of so plangent and substantial a novel. On Radio 4 last week, Ruth Rendell, the novelist and Labour peer, suggested that Stoner is a book for our times, her argument being that we live in an age when reading is for most an alien pastime, just as it is to William Stoner until he has an epiphany. (Asked to elucidate a poem by a professor, he is unable to say anything except: "It means... it means..." and yet, in this moment, everything changes; the verse, whether he understands it or not, has touched him on some powerfully deep level.) "We are told that it isn't happening," said Rendell. "But it is. Reading is no longer something that everybody... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2014-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
As Foyles closes the doors of its world famous, 111-year-old London store and opens a new one share words and images that stir your memories of independent bookshopsShare your photos and stories via GuardianWitness With Amazon still throwing its considerable weight into the ongoing dispute... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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This month, Dan Kois, Jamelle Bouie, and Emily Bazelon discuss Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel about two Nigerians who migrate west: Ifemelu to America, and Obinze to London. Is the romance between these two star-crossed lovers convincing? Do the novel’s sharp-edged takes on race in... Continue reading at Slate
[ Slate | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The same content management system that helped The Dodo reach 1 million views in its first month is now available to all.When the animal news site The Dodo launched in January, it was able to bring in 1 million views in its first month without a single developer. That number has now grown to 7.5... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon.com's negotiations with publisher Hachette Books Group have sparked a wave of anger toward the e-commerce giant from authors and readers alike. Several authors and analysts have spoken out, saying Amazon is a threat to traditional publishers. Perhaps. But whatever is going on in the... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal
[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2014-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As convenient as ebooks may be, lending them to friends is a headache; copyright woes notwithstanding, it's simply hard to show what you have on offer. Vodafone Romania just made things a bit easier, though. Its new Digital Library Wallpaper gives... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2014-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amid continued attention (and press coverage) for its ongoing terms dispute with Amazon, Hachette has announced a round of layoffs. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In Thailand, various protestors are gathering in public places to silently read books like '1984' and 'Unarmed Insurrection' to convey how they feel about the country's political situation. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In Thailand, various protestors are gathering in public places to silently read books like '1984' and 'Unarmed Insurrection' to convey how they feel about the country's political situation. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In an interview with food critic Adam Platt, Lidia Bastianich discussed her favorite meals and offered encouragement to novice cooks. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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This coming August marks 10 years since David Mitchell’s groundbreaking novel, Cloud Atlas, was published to great acclaim. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Reading Room, one of the fastest growing social discovery platforms for books, has reached more than one million members and just released a major platform update with a new look and feel, including a responsive design for mobile. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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"Subscription has arrived in a really big way for media," noted Len Vlahos, BISG executive director, in his opening remarks to the 2014 Making Information Pay conference at BEA. And for those who question whether the subscription model is coming to the publishing business, Ted Hill, president of... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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This A–Z listing includes specials available to retailers who place orders at BEA. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After years of trying to write a memoir, Michael Coffey, the outgoing co-editorial director of Publishers Weekly, realized that fiction was the best way to extend ruminations about what it meant for him to be adopted. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Looking for a new career? LinkedIn thinks you don't need to look any further than the success stories of its members for motivation. The company's latest digital campaign, Picture Yourself, focuses on telling the career tales of select people, including One Kings Lane chief merchandising... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2014-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Emily Giffin's latest novel, "The One & Only," released May 20, debuted at #3 on Apple's iBooks bestseller list. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Yes, it's called My Independent Bookshop, but what does Penguin Random House's new site do for booksellers?I've just opened my very own bookshop at myindependentbookshop.com, the new book recommendation site from Penguin Random House. I enjoyed choosing the font for my logo (Shakespearean), the... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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St. Martin’s Press is teaming up with Swagbucks, the loyalty and rewards site, to launch Read, a new digital literature channel on the Swagbucks site. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Claire Bord, formerly editorial director at Avon, has joined digital publisher Bookouture as... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-05-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cookbooks sell strongly year-round at Arcadia Books in Spring Green, Wis. – no surprise, perhaps, since a locally sourced kitchen and cafe are central to the store's identity. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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