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 ]
Britney Spears’s younger sister has had her offer to give proceeds from her forthcoming book to the non-profit organisation This Is My Brave turned downJamie Lynn Spears’s offer to donate some of the proceeds from her forthcoming memoir to a mental health organisation has been declined after a... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2021-10-20 11:37:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Australian dramatist David Williamson’s new book is a mash up of memoir and autobiography, which casts himself as a former ‘plunderer’ of other’s lives. Continue reading at The Conversation
[ The Conversation | 2021-10-20 03:57:12 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Schiff’s “Midnight in Washington” is that rare memoir by a politician that actually has something to say. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2021-10-19 18:00:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this
In his memoir “Unprotected,” Billy Porter recounts his lifelong struggle to heal the deep wounds buried under the sheen of his charismatic presence. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2021-10-19 09:00:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this
A book that takes place in one day offers immersion in a character’s life and consciousness, with the added resonance of a creative constraint that mirrors our own lived experience of 24 hours with changing light, ticking numbers, and the book-ends of sleep. My attempt to try this in... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2021-10-19 08:50:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Scholastic has swooped on Welcome to St Hell, a "groundbreaking" YA memoir about being a trans teen, written and illustrated by influencer and filmmaker Lewis Hancox. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-18 19:31:24 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Dave Grohl's memoir The Storyteller (S&S) was one of the critics most reviewed this week, picking up mentions in The Bookseller, the Observer, Guardian, Times, Sunday Times and Irish Times. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-17 21:25:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The longtime anchor’s memoir settles scores and reexamines some regrettable choices. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2021-10-15 07:39:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Amor Towles’s 'The Lincoln Highway,' which became this month’s Read with Jenna pick for the Jenna Bush Hager Book Club, hit #1 overall. Plus Grunge god Dave Grohl, the Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman, has the #2 book in the country this week with his memoir The Storyteller'. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-10-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Like the complex Philippine history the book aims to depict, there is no single sentence that can sum up Albert Samaha’s Concepcion, especially when he renders that history through the lens of his own diasporic family, dating back to his ancestors’ first encounter with Europeans. Though... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2021-10-13 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
In “Those We Throw Away Are Diamonds,” Mondiant Dogon, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, recounts a saga of horror, frustration and hope. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2021-10-12 09:00:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this
“Concepcion,” by Albert Samaha, combines the epic sweep of global history with an intimate family narrative. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2021-10-12 09:00:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Scout signs a buzzed-about novel by a Swedish journalist, Norton nabs a memoir by South African Olympic gold medalist Caster Semenya, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-10-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
PRH imprint #Merky Books has landed the "powerful and deeply moving" memoir by Olympic champion and elite runner Caster Semenya. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-06 10:43:15 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Farshore has adopted a "total audio" strategy which will see the imprint publish an audiobook for every narrative book published in print. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-05 22:40:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this
‘When we woke up, the whole ocean was full of broken ice.’ An excerpt from Notes from an Island, with artwork by Tuulikki Pietilä and memoir by Tove Jansson, translated by Thomas Teal. The post Notes from an Island appeared first on Granta. Continue reading at Granta
[ Granta | 2021-10-04 05:36:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The actor’s new memoir “Taste” explains how a bout with cancer took his passion for ragù and risotto, but also Cuban-Chinese stews and minke whale, to new heights. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2021-10-02 09:00:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The actor’s new memoir “Taste” explains how a bout with cancer took his passion for ragù and risotto, but also Cuban-Chinese stews and minke whale, to new heights. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2021-10-02 09:00:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Review of "There Is Nothing for You Here: Finding Opportunity in the 21st Century" by Fiona Hill Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2021-10-01 14:45:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Dave Grohl has visited London to promote his memoir, The Storyteller, (Simon & Schuster) ahead of its publication on 5th October. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-01 02:55:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this