Kamila Shamsie: let’s have a year of publishing only women – a provocation

It is clear that there is a gender bias in publishing houses and the world of books. Well, enough. Why not try something radical? Make 2018 the Year of Publishing Women, in which no new titles should be by menSeveral years ago, Martin Amis chaired a literary festival panel on “The Crisis of American Fiction” with Richard Ford, Jay McInerney and Junot Díaz. I was in the audience, and halfway through the discussion leaned over to the person sitting next to me and said: “Clearly the crisis of American fiction is that there are no women in it.” It’s not just that there weren’t any women on the stage. In the entire discussion, which lasted nearly an hour, there was no mention of Toni Morrison, Marilynne Robinson, Annie Proulx, Anne Tyler, Donna Tartt, Jhumpa Lahiri or any other contemporary female writer. A single reference to Eudora Welty was the only acknowledgment that women in the US have ever had anything to do with the world of letters. Díaz, near the end of the hour, made the point that the conversation had centred on white American males, but it was too little, too late.I think of this panel when reading yet another article or survey about the gender imbalance that exists in publishing houses, in terms of reviews, top positions in publishing houses, literary prizes etc. The issue can’t of course be broken down into a story of fair-minded women versus bigoted men. Like any effective system of power – and patriarchy is, over time and space, the world’s most effective... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #anne tyler #donna tartt #jhumpa lahiri #gender imbalance #top positions #literary prizes #effective system #win prizes

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Bologna Book Fair Names Its Children’s Publishers of the Year

The winners of this year's publishing-house awards are based in Tanzania, Switzerland, Iran, the United States, Colombia, and New Zealand. The post Bologna Book Fair Names Its Children’s Publishers of the Year appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-06-15 03:51:41 UTC ]
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Hachette makes Times' Top 50 Employers for Women for second year

Hachette UK has been selected as one of the Times Top 50 Employers for Women for the second year running. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-04-28 21:32:56 UTC ]
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Publishers 'in dark' about LBF may not attend this year

Several publishers say they may not be attending the London Book Fair this year amid concerns over the way last year's cancellation was handled and its new 2021 date in June. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-10 19:10:15 UTC ]
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Is Women's Empowerment Coming to Publishing?

Publishers say there has long been demand for titles on women’s empowerment, but #MeToo and other social justice movements have created a sense of urgency around these books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-29 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Kyle Books to publish artist's illustrated take on 'difficult year'

Kyle Books has acquired Together, a "gently philosophical and very relatable look at how we have dealt with a difficult year", by artist Luke Adam Hawker.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-14 07:58:34 UTC ]
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Transworld to publish book encouraging women into STEM careers

Transworld has bought She’s In CTRL, a book "about women, tech and daring to dream" by Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon, a leading advocate for girls going into STEM careers as the founder of social enterprise Stemettes. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-10 19:45:10 UTC ]
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A Year of Scandals and Self-Questioning for France’s Top Publishers

The release of “Consent” put France’s literary establishment under a harsh spotlight. The publishing industry is grappling with a nation that it resembles less and less. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-01-03 16:49:48 UTC ]
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Majority of borrowed books across Ontario libraries in 2020 weren't published this year

In a year dominated by a global pandemic and American politics, some might find it fitting that the library book most likely to be checked out across Ontario was a hopeful memoir written by the former first lady of the United States. Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2020-12-31 09:00:00 UTC ]
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Mostly Books podcast to return in new year after publisher support

Mostly Books has lined up a second series of its podcast, featuring a host of authors talking about their favourite books. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-22 12:48:47 UTC ]
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Faber publishers appeal to Women's Prize to 'revisit' new gender criteria rules

Faber associate publisher Louisa Joyner and publisher Alex Bowler have appealed to the Women's Prize to "revisit" its new rules around eligibility "to consider the lived experience of now excluded writers".  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-07 14:48:15 UTC ]
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Emerald named Independent Publisher of the Year at IPG Awards

Emerald Publishing has been named Independent Publisher of the Year as well as Academic and Professional Publisher of the Year at the 2020 Independent Publishers Guild Awards.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-23 08:00:35 UTC ]
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Did a Revolution in Latin American Publishing Make One Hundred Years of Solitude the Success It Is Today?

When One Hundred Years of Solitude hit the market in 1967, the book industry in Spanish was booming. This situation was unimaginable for most writers and critics just a few years before. “How can literature exist,” writer Mario Vargas Llosa asked, “in countries where there are no publishing... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-11 08:48:47 UTC ]
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Mosse reflects on 25 years of the Women’s Prize as 2020 event prepares to go online

A quarter of a century after the Women’s Prize for Fiction launched, co-founder Kate Mosse looks at how it has helped to change the publishing landscape and looks ahead to its virtual ceremony. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-04 15:39:23 UTC ]
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Sharmaine Lovegrove: ‘You must spend a year in a bookshop before you get a job in publishing’

Seeing unexpected pairings of readers and books quickly dispels the idea of who reads what• Time to reset: more brilliant ideas to remake the worldI have a party trick. If you name three books you like and two you hate, I can write you a reading list of 10 books you will love.I’ve gained this... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-08-15 10:00:40 UTC ]
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Record Year for British Publishing in 2019

U.K. publisher sales rose to £6.3 billion in 2019, 4% higher than in 2018 and 20% higher than in 2015, making 2019 the biggest year ever for U.K. publishing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-07-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
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PA salutes 2019 as UK publishing's 'best year ever', but calls for Covid support

The Publishing Association has released its latest Yearbook statistics, showing growth in both the industry's print and digital revenues, making 2019 in its estimation “the biggest year ever for UK publishing”.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-21 05:50:22 UTC ]
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Constable claims self-publishing success Why Women Are Blamed for Everything

Constable is publishing a book this summer exploring the reasons why women are blamed for male violence. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-20 01:16:35 UTC ]
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Hedge fund Chatham plans to buy newspaper publisher McClatchy out of bankruptcy, ending 163 years of family control

Hedge fund Chatham plans to buy newspaper publisher McClatchy out of bankruptcy, ending 163 years of family control Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2020-07-12 18:20:00 UTC ]
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Moscow School of Publishing: This Year a Digital Seminar Program

This year's Moscow School of Publishing program has been delivered in a series of digital lectures and conversations from the Garage Museum. The post Moscow School of Publishing: This Year a Digital Seminar Program appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-06-03 14:33:53 UTC ]
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The Crisis Below the Surface: How the Pandemic Weighs on Women in Publishing

Recently, a colleague experienced an irksome response from a coworker when she could not meet with him at short notice. She felt frustrated that he seemed to show little compassion or understanding when she’s currently balancing a full-time job and homeschooling two young children. She’s not... Continue reading at Publishing Executive

[ Publishing Executive | 2020-05-27 12:00:06 UTC ]
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