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 ]
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The National Coalition Against Censorship has issued a statement signed by more than 600 signatories condemning the political efforts to remove books from schools as acts of censorship that threaten the education of children while putting the safety of librarians, teachers, school administrators... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-08 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Those who have been paying attention to local education news and the critical race theory debate know that many school districts are battling over what materials can be kept in libraries and taught in classrooms. The battle is making its way to the courts: just this week a PEN America report... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2021-11-11 17:33:10 UTC ]
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UK publishers have donated more than 10,000 books through Book Aid International to the University of Mosul Library since it was destroyed by an ISIS attack. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-31 21:55:16 UTC ]
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Dorothy Koomson, Juliet Pickering and Boldwood Books are among the winners of the Romantic Novelists’ Association annual Industry Awards. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-28 05:18:16 UTC ]
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The National Book Foundation will not hold its planned limited in-person National Book Awards ceremony on November 17, opting once more for a virtual ceremony as new variants of the coronavirus continue to spread. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-09-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Increasingly, books are something that libraries do not own but borrow from the corporations that do. Continue reading at New Yorker
[ New Yorker | 2021-09-02 10:00:00 UTC ]
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An open letter, signed by more than 150 figures from the book industry, has condemned the abuse suffered by Monisha Rajesh, Professor Sunny Singh and Chimene Suleyman following their criticisms of Kate Clanchy. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-08-11 17:31:27 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House announced this morning that the upcoming collection of poetry by Amanda Gorman is now titled 'Call Us What We Carry.' It will be released on December 7, and will feature new works as well as her inauguration poem, 'The Hill We Climb.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-07-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Richard Cohen’s work, revised after criticism of its viewpoint, will not be published this week after a new row over its titleBilled as an “epic exploration of who writes about the past”, The History Makers was due out this Friday before being serialised on Radio 4 in the UK. But publication has... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-06-19 18:20:01 UTC ]
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The program opens its 16th prize cycle with a call for submissions in all nine of its categories, with translation funding expanded. The post Sheikh Zayed Book Award: A Call for 2022 Submissions appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-06-15 18:39:45 UTC ]
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In a paper released this week, the American Library Association’s Joint Digital Content Working Group offered a frank assessment of the state of the library e-book market and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-06-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
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'We are proud to stand with our author,' said the head of Portfolio Books, promising that the memoir 'Flamin' Hot' will still be released June 15. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-05-19 00:04:48 UTC ]
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Ben Philippe pitched "Sure, I'll Be Your Black Friend" as a humorous guide. But as the world changed, he allowed himself to explore his own anger. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-04-26 18:53:10 UTC ]
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Denouncing 'systemic exploitation of creators’ and publishers,’ Access Copyright cites more than C$150 million lost in unpaid royalties. The post World Book Day: Publishers Call for Canada’s Copyright Law To Be Fixed appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-04-25 22:48:58 UTC ]
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Ingram Content Group seeds Binc's 'Survive to Thrive' bookstore grant program, with additional major support from publishers and Bookshop.org. The post US Book Industry Charitable Foundation Raises $1 Million for Bookstores appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-04-01 14:26:57 UTC ]
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Publisher Scholastic says it will no longer distribute The Adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen from the FutureCaptain Underpants author Dav Pilkey has apologised for “harmful racial stereotypes and passively racist imagery” in one of his graphic novels for children, which has been... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-03-29 12:33:28 UTC ]
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Surprisingly, despite the heavy toll taken by the COVID-19 pandemic on brick and mortar bookstores (especially independent brick and mortar bookstores) nationwide, US book sales actually increased by 8 percent in 2020. What demographic is responsible for keeping the industry alive and thriving... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2021-02-23 19:04:39 UTC ]
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Children's indie Nosy Crow is mounting an open call for submissions from writers of colour to broaden its picture books list. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-21 11:03:39 UTC ]
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Five prominent figures from the literary world discuss the vexed debates surrounding cultural appropriation, authenticity and the growing trend for sensitivity readers. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-15 06:28:34 UTC ]
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In an open letter, more than 250 authors, agents, booksellers, and publishers urged publishers not to sign book deals with members of the Trump Administration or anyone "who incited, suborned, instigated, or otherwise supported the January 6, 2021, coup attempt." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-01-15 05:00:00 UTC ]
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