Pointing out racism in books is not an ‘attack’ – it’s a call for industry reform | Monisha Rajesh

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 ]
News tagged with: #inhumane treatment #current president #philip pullman #ableist tropes #memoir #book published

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-02-20 20:18:40 UTC ]
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An indictment of education reformers, and a call to fight back

Diane Ravitch offers disturbing and inspiring tales from the battle over public schools. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-01-31 04:41:30 UTC ]
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US Book Industry Study Group Announces James Daunt Keynote

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-01-14 15:25:18 UTC ]
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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-11-20 04:30:58 UTC ]
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Authors call out John Lewis for 'similarities' between Christmas ad and children's books

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-18 10:24:18 UTC ]
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NaNoWriMo Has The Writers To Solve The Book Industry’s Diversity Problem

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[ HuffPost | 2019-11-01 09:45:13 UTC ]
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MPs back PA campaign calling for end to VAT on e-books and audiobooks

Nearly 40 MPs have signed a letter calling for the Chancellor to remove VAT on e-books and audiobooks. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-21 10:27:19 UTC ]
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W H Smith's Pete Selby says lack of diversity means book industry is ‘failing’ children

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[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-22 19:12:13 UTC ]
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Emma Cline’s next book is a short story collection called Daddy, and it’s coming out soon.

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[ Literrary Hub | 2019-09-06 16:48:24 UTC ]
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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-08-15 05:30:02 UTC ]
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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-08-14 05:30:30 UTC ]
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[ The Guardian | 2019-07-18 17:51:47 UTC ]
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[ The Guardian | 2019-07-08 06:00:17 UTC ]
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Central Park Five film sparks call to boycott ex-prosecutor Linda Fairstein's books

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[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-06-06 17:45:00 UTC ]
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[ The New York Times | 2019-05-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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