I was called aggressive for criticising passages in Kate Clanchy’s memoir. But the real problem lies deep in the overwhelmingly white world of publishingIt started with a tweet. Kate Clanchy, author of Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me posted on her Twitter account that a reviewer on Goodreads had “made up a racist quote and said it was in my book”. She urged her almost 40,000 followers to flag the review that claimed she had bigoted views on race, class and body image, and had used terms such as “chocolate-coloured skin” and “Jewish noses”. Prominent authors and columnists swooped in to offer support, decrying how Clanchy could possibly be subjected to such inhumane treatment – including the current president of the Society of Authors, Philip Pullman, who declared: “But of all the people and of all the books to have had this happen … It’s hard to stay optimistic about the human race sometimes.”However, it soon emerged that those terms were, in fact, in the book. Incredulous that antisemitic and anti-Black tropes could have made it into a book published as recently as 2019, I downloaded and read it. I recoiled as a Somali boy is described as having a “narrow skull”, while one Muslim girl is “very butch-looking … with a distinct moustache”, and another “looked brilliant because she has such a strong skull shape”, which sounds more like something a eugenicist might observe than a trusted teacher. There is a troubling exchange where Clanchy is baffled by a boy who,... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2021-08-13 13:51:20 UTC ]
Mark Kuyper, current president and CEO of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, will replace Len Vlahos, who will step down June 12. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series is released today (5th March) in ebook format for the first time. Penguin Random House, which owns the digital rights to the trilogy, is publishing Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass as ebooks, priced at £5.49 each. It is also... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-03-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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J.K. Rowling, Philip Pullman, Julian Barnes, and others expressed delight when a high court in the United Kingdom struck down a ban on sending books to prisoners. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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YouTuber Alfie Deyes is to write two more books for Blink Publishing, including a sequel to his bestselling debut The Pointless Book. The sequel to The Pointless Book, which has sold more than 100,000 copies through Nielsen BookScan, will be published in April 2015. This will be followed by a... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Prime minister gave News Corp boss full rundown of scheme before he announced policy to party roomTony Abbott gave Rupert Murdoch a full rundown on his planned paid parental leave scheme before announcing the policy in 2010, in a marked contrast with his decision not to consult the party room, a... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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JK Rowling, Philip Pullman, Jeanette Winterson and tens of other authors have signed a... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Philip Pullman has spoken out in defence of school libraries, saying it is "very important... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A debut novelist who spent nine years trying to get her first book published is rewarded for her persistence with a £10,000 literary prize for original fiction. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2013-11-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In October Amazon launches Kindle MatchBook, an arrangement that lets you purchase the Kindle edition of books you've already bought from them in print for $2.99 or less. The agreement currently covers about 10,000 books from a variety of publishers, and the prices are valid for any book... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2013-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A book published during the presidency of Chester A. Arthur has a greater chance of being in print today than one published during the time of Reagan. Continue reading at The Atlantic
[ The Atlantic | 2013-07-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A book published by one-man band Prospect Books has won the prestigious André Simon... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Every book published each season is its own startup. By adopting some of the principles that drive Silicon Valley, publishers really don't have anything to lose. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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American author Jack Kerouac's first ever novel, which was thought to be lost, has been published 40 years after his death. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2011-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 22/08/2011 - 11:39 An autobiography by Only Fools and Horses star John Boycie Challis will be the first book published by new company Wigmore Books, set up by writer Peter Burden. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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I've been lucky enough to have my book published in a few countries now, and despite the universal subject matterthe periodic tableeach country has had a different take on it. Some publishers merely tweaked the book: The British, for instance, re-imagined the cover. More drastically, the... Continue reading at Slate
[ Slate | 2011-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Wed, 30/03/2011 - 09:15 Three authors from the UK have made it onto the list of finalists for the Man Booker International Prize 2011. James Kelman, Philip Pullman and John le Carré have joined the list of 13 for the biennial £60,000 award, which... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Lisa Campbell and Philip Stone Publication Date: Fri, 11/03/2011 - 16:27 Sales of the selected 25 World Book Night titles soared by over 100% at W H Smith, amid a wider trade sales boost, following television coverage, events and book giveaways to mark its inaugural year. On 5th... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 23/02/2011 - 09:34 Margaret Atwood, Alan Bennett and John Le Carre will be among the authors headlining the World Book Night launch event in Trafalgar Square on 4th March. Graham Norton will compere the event, with Philip Pullman, Sarah... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 11/02/2011 - 08:28 An open letter to culture secretary Jeremy Hunt and culture minister Ed Vaizey calling for a halt to library closures after the success of last weekend's protests has been signed by high-profile authors including Sarah... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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