I fear books are going the way of vinyl records – a rarefied pursuit for hobbyists | Gaby Hinsliff

We’re increasingly getting our narrative fix from short videos. But, like snacking on junk food, it won’t nourish usSummertime, and the reading is easy. Or at least, it’s supposed to be. Holidays were made for sinking blissfully into a pile of books: for long, hot afternoons swinging in hammocks or basting on the sand, gleefully inhaling trashy beach reads or the Booker prize longlist. Finally, we have time to read, plus the urgent need to justify what is essentially two weeks of lying down by looking at least vaguely busy.Yet, by the pool this year, I saw a striking number of people scrolling on their phones instead, some with an unopened paperback lying forlornly by the sun lounger. Not for nothing, an author friend pointed out to me recently, did Instagram Stories get its name. Reels contain just enough of a miniature plot to satisfy the human need for narrative twists, even if they are only a few seconds long, while the most successful influencers have essentially turned themselves into fictionalised characters in their own long-running minor drama. But grazing on these bite-size stories is the literary equivalent of snacking on junk: just filling enough to put you off a proper novel-length meal, but somehow never quite satisfying, and leaving the addicted reader irritably craving more.Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnist Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2024-08-06 07:00:35 UTC ]
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Other Publishing stories related to: 'I fear books are going the way of vinyl records – a rarefied pursuit for hobbyists | Gaby Hinsliff'


I fear books are going the way of vinyl records – a rarefied pursuit for hobbyists | Gaby Hinsliff

We’re increasingly getting our narrative fix from short videos. But, like snacking on junk food, it won’t nourish usSummertime, and the reading is easy. Or at least, it’s supposed to be. Holidays were made for sinking blissfully into a pile of books: for long, hot afternoons swinging in hammocks... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2024-08-06 07:00:35 UTC ]
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New PEN America Report Finds School Book Bans at Record Levels

The report, 'Banned in the USA: Narrating the Crisis,' reports 4,349 book bans recorded from July to December 2023, with more book bans recorded during the first half of the current school year than in all of the last school year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
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ALA Reports Record Spike in Book Titles Challenged in 2023

In a release, ALA officials said that 4,240 unique book titles were reported challenged in schools and libraries in 2023, a stunning 65% increase over 2022, when 2,571 unique titles were targeted for censorship. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-03-14 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Italy: ‘Più libri più liberi’ Book Fair: A Record 115,000+ Attendees

As many as 17,000 students were among the largest turnout on record for Italy's book fair showcasing independent publishers. The post Italy: ‘Più libri più liberi’ Book Fair: A Record 115,000+ Attendees appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-12-11 18:20:42 UTC ]
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Murdoch brainwashed Britain. That’s the comforting tale the left tells itself. But is it true? | Gaby Hinsliff

The influence of News Corp is overstated – and politicians need to revamp their tactics and schmoozing accordingly‘What are you going to do about the Sun?” It was the first question Neil Kinnock asked, when a bunch of eager young political advisers setting up a now long-forgotten campaign for... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-24 07:32:16 UTC ]
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Tell Us Your Fears and We’ll Recommend a Book To Make Them Worse

Take a fun quiz about things that scare you and receive a great book recommendation to scare you even more! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-08-31 10:37:00 UTC ]
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Child authors discuss books, world records

Four-year-old author Saeed Almheiri discussess his book, The Elephant Saeed and the Bear, and his sister Aldhabi, 8, discusses hers, Here Was the Beginning — waxing poetic about its effect on classmates. Saeed has the Guinness world record as the... Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2023-05-11 21:11:00 UTC ]
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Fears grow for Taiwan book publisher believed held in China

Reported detention of Li Yanhe has echoes of 2015 disappearances of five Hong Kong booksellersConcerns are mounting for a Taiwan-based book publisher believed to have been detained in China, in a case that has echoed the disappearances in 2015 of five Hong Kong booksellers.Li Yanhe, also known... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-24 10:09:18 UTC ]
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Prince Harry’s Spare is fastest-selling nonfiction book since UK records began

First week of the controversial memoir’s sales breaks official UK records reports Nielsen, Guinness World Records and WaterstonesPrince Harry’s Spare has sold almost half a million copies in the UK in its first week on sale, making it the fastest-selling nonfiction book since records... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-01-17 16:13:57 UTC ]
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‘Everyone’s got a book in them’: boom in memoir industry as ordinary people record their stories

Companies providing ghostwritten autobiographies for people wanting to share histories have seen surge in trade since CovidBrian Lewis grew up on a tough council estate after arriving in Britain as part of the Windrush generation. At the age of eight he developed an interest in chess and joined... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-09-24 14:00:06 UTC ]
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Awards: Sheikh Zayed Book Award Receives Record Submissions

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award's scientific committee has reviewed the jurors' recommendations, with more than 3,000 submissions in hand. The post Awards: Sheikh Zayed Book Award Receives Record Submissions appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-03-10 18:49:50 UTC ]
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Britney Spears lands ‘record-breaking’ book deal for tell-all memoir

Pop star’s memoir was subject of a massive bidding war, and comes weeks after she sent a cease-and-desist letter to her sister over her own autobiographyBritney Spears has landed a “record-breaking” publishing deal for a tell-all memoir about her rise to fame, her relationship with her family... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-02-22 01:12:57 UTC ]
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Sheikh Zayed Book Award: 3,000+ Submissions, a New Record

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award reports a 76-percent rise in submissions of work by women, and a 47-percent jump in entries of men's work. The post Sheikh Zayed Book Award: 3,000+ Submissions, a New Record appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-11-03 02:09:08 UTC ]
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Richard Osman’s second book is one of the fastest-selling novels since records began

The Pointless presenter’s second crime novel, The Man Who Died Twice, has sold 114,202 copies in its first week on saleRichard Osman’s follow-up to The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, has become one of the fastest-selling novels since records began.Published on 16 September, The... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-09-21 14:37:39 UTC ]
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Fear and Hope: When Timothy Keller's Book Met His Life

The renowned NYC pastor and bestselling author, suddenly diagnosed with advanced cancer, reckoned with his beliefs as he was finishing his most recent book. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-03-23 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Luvvie Ajayi Jones wrote the book on fighting fears, but she still has some of her own

“Life doesn’t stop popping up things that are scary,” says the author of “Professional Troublemaker.” Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-03-08 14:00:00 UTC ]
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A Year for the (Record) Books

Unit sales hit an all-time high at BookScan in 2020, which the service said could be attributed to a combination of strong sales of both print books and e-books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-29 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The Book That Brought Writers’ Fears and Self-Doubt Into the Open

HarperCollins recently reissued Writing Past Dark, by Bonnie Friedman, the classic, bestselling guide to the emotional side of the writer’s life, marking the book’s 25th anniversary. Three decades ago, when Friedman was fresh out of the Iowa Writers Workshop, the New York Times Book Review... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-29 08:48:36 UTC ]
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Record-Breaking Submissions Received by the Sheikh Zayed Book Award

The Abu Dhabi-based Sheikh Zayed Book Award sees a 23-percent jump in entries activity, Egypt leading in its number of submissions. The post Record-Breaking Submissions Received by the Sheikh Zayed Book Award appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-10-26 14:46:42 UTC ]
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Book sales hit record highs in 2019, but publishers ‘now need help’

Figures for last year show sales of £6.3bn, up 20% on 2015, but the Publishers Association says sector needs government support to weather coronavirusBook sales in the UK hit record levels in 2019, driven by a surge in audiobook and nonfiction titles, according to new figures released as... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-07-21 23:01:08 UTC ]
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