For eight years, the journalist Roberto Saviano has faced constant threat of death for exposing the secrets of the Naples mafia in his book Gomorrah. Is the price of life under armed guard too much for a writer to pay?As a young writer growing up in Caserta, a suburb of Naples, I felt myself getting more and more angry. There was a war going on between two mafia clans for control of the territory, and violence between them spilled into the streets. I wanted to tell the world what this war zone was like: the victims’ families tearing their clothes, the stink of piss from a man who knew he was going to die and couldn’t control his fear, people shot in the street because they looked like the intended victim. I got to know the workers in industries run by the Camorra. I got to know the messengers, the look-outs who worked for the clan. I read court records, news reports, trial transcripts. I pulled their stories together, the stories of my neighbourhood, and published a book called Gomorrah. Something about it touched a nerve. It became an instant bestseller – so many people bought it that the Camorra couldn’t ignore it.Not long after the book came out in 2006, someone left a leaflet in my mother’s postbox. I was living in Naples, but she was still in Caserta. It showed a photograph of me, with a pistol to my head, and the word “Condemned”. Soon afterwards, I was invited to give an address at a gala to inaugurate the new school year in the town of Casal di Principe, home of... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2015-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with:
#instant bestseller
#school year
#public transport
#international bestseller
#huge number
Bloomsbury is expanding internationally, with the launch of Bloomsbury India today (21st... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#expanding internationally
Author Zadie Smith has spoken out about the importance of libraries, saying she owes her "... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-08-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#zadie smith
Kobo is to up the level of royalties self-published authors earn on its Writing Life platform by... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
The television star mines childhood fascination in writing 'The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell.' When Chris Colfer was just 20, he'd already been named one of GQ magazine's men of the year, having sung and acted his way into the hearts of America as Kurt, the high-pitched, openly gay brunet... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-07-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#writing life
#chris colfer
#fairy tales
#good sense
J.K. Rowling's 'Book of Spells' will allow players to wave wands and cast spells using Wonderbook technology. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#cast spells
#harry potter
Wenguang Huang's memoir about his childhood in Mao's China tells a universal story of the bonds of love – and the pangs of regret – which can shape a family. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Diane Banks at Diane Banks Associates has sold the memoirs of a 95-year-old former domestic... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
A coming-of-age story by former Angels pitcher Abbott is at its best when describing his influence as a role model off the field.Imperfect Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#book review
#coming-of-age story
#role model
This is a brilliant collection of writings on politics, social and cultural engagement and literary life.Reading for My Life Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#literary life
#book review
Waterstones in Ireland made a loss after tax of €12.9m up to April last year, as sales... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
As Barnes & Noble fights for its future, the publishing industry is holding its breath. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2012-01-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#barnes noble
#publishing industry
American book chain Barnes & Noble is reportedly seeking bids for its publishing arm Sterling... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Mainstream has bought a book aimed at guiding modern single girls on their search for love, to be... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#single life
#book aimed
Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 28/10/2011 - 08:40 Kobo will move into publishing, its c.e.o. has announced, with plans to offer complete publishing services directly authors, Canadian CBC News reports. C.e.o. Michael Serbinis told the network that Kobo will roll out its... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#publishing arm
Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Thu, 22/09/2011 - 08:48 Simon & Schuster has signed a deal with Country Life magazine to publish a new series of tie-in books, beginning this autumn with Curious Observations: A Country Miscellany. The book will comprise writings, articles and... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#simon schuster
Oh boy, do I have a contest for you long-winded Facebookers and personal bloggers. It's called, "Your Life: The Reader's Digest Version." The venerable magazine is willing to shell out $25,000 if you can keep The Story of You to a crisp and compelling 150 words (words, not charactersthis isn't... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2011-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#award-winning actress
#role models
#tender age
#acting career
#good things
#stay open
Jay Hancock: Is the death of Borders a bell that tolls for the book trade? Or a business opportunity? Continue reading at Baltimore Sun
[ Baltimore Sun | 2011-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#independent bookstores
#book trade
#business opportunity
Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Thu, 16/06/2011 - 09:29 Ingram has opened Lightning Source Australia, its fifth international print on demand facility. Lightning Source already operates print on demand facilities at its Tennessee headquarters as well as in Pennsylvania in the United... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#lightning source
#milton keynes
#joint venture
Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 11/04/2011 - 15:45 Sphere believes it has a smashing winner with the acquisition of the autobiography of Rafael Nadal, the Spanish tennis ace and current world number one. Non-fiction publishing director Adam Strange bought UK and... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#rafael nadal
#anne edelstein
Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Tue, 05/04/2011 - 15:10 Pan Macmillan has signed a six-book deal with London self-help bookshop The School of Life. Editorial directors Liz Gough and Cindy Chan bought world rights in the series directly from The School of Life. The intelligent,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#six-book deal
#authors including
#discuss issues