S. by JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst – review

Mark Lawson finds authorial controversy and romantic scrawl in an imitation library bookCreators of popular television have often invoked comparisons with written fiction: Dennis Potter and Steve Bochco both used the term "TV novel" to describe series such as Potter's The Singing Detective and Bochco's LA Law and NYPD Blue. Both screenwriters also published novels, and this switchover tradition continues with JJ Abrams, the power behind Alias and Lost.Perhaps surprisingly, writers who rethought the structures of television often became reverentially conventional on the page: Potter's Ticket to Ride and Bochco's Death by Hollywood had impressive plot and dialogue, as you might expect, but an Edwardian reader would be at ease with the novels' approach to narrative and chapters.Abrams, though, has come up with a novel of such structural daring that the first task of the audience is to work out a way of reading it. And I say "come up with", rather than "written", because one of the conventions challenged is that of authorship. On programmes such as Lost and Alias, Abrams operated as what American TV calls a "showrunner", overseeing every decision and episode but not writing every episode himself. With S., Abrams is a sort of "novelrunner", having conceived the project but left the prose to someone else: Doug Dorst, a US novelist and creative writing tutor.You suspect that this collaboration with Abrams must have taught Dorst a few things about the nature and creation of... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #mark lawson

Other Publishing stories related to: 'S. by JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst – review'


Book Review: ‘There Is No Ethan,’ by Anna Akbari

Reading Anna Akbari’s memoir of online manipulation, you think you’ve seen it all — then you keep reading. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-06-04 14:30:08 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #memoir


May’s Best Reviewed Nonfiction

Adam Higginbotham’s Challenger, Daniel Handler’s And Then? and Then? What Else?, and Kathleen Hanna’s Rebel Girl all feature among the best reviewed fiction titles of the month. Brought to you by Book Marks, Lit Hub’s home for book reviews. * 1. Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-05-31 08:57:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reviewed nonfiction #adam higginbotham #daniel handler #book marks #lit hub #book reviews #true story #fiction titles


Kobo Clara Colour review: Judging books by their covers is now more fun

Kobo isn’t the first on the color-ereader scene; Boox and Pocketbook have had color ereaders and tablets for years. Both of those companies make beautiful, premium devices that are highly capable and customizable — but they don’t offer the plug-and-play ereader experience of a Kindle or Kobo. Of... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2024-05-23 13:00:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #extra steps #faster processor #price hike #ebooks #major publisher #comic book #kindle


Abrams Buys Taunton Books

Following its acquisition of Taunton Press in December, the enthusiast magazine publisher Active Interest Media has sold the Taunton Books imprint to Abrams. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-05-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #taunton press #books imprint #magazine publisher


Book Review: ‘Early Sobrieties,’ by Michael Deagler

Michael Deagler’s first novel follows a young man who is piecing his life back together and trying very hard not to drink. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-05-06 09:00:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #young man #first novel


Kobo Libra Colour Review: A Color E Ink Screen

Kobo’s latest e-reader introduces a color E Ink screen that brings graphic novels, children’s books, and your favorite book covers to life. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2024-04-30 13:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #favorite book


Abrams to Launch Manga Imprint, Kana

Abrams ComicArts is launching a new imprint, Kana, focusing on manga series translated into the English language for the U.S. market, primarily catering to adult audiences. Its first titles, including 'Leviathan' by Shiro Kuroi and 'Manhole' by Tetsuya Tsutsui, are due this fall. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #abrams comicarts #english language #manga


Book Review: Joseph Epstein’s New Memoir and Book of Essays

The editor and essayist Joseph Epstein looks back on his life and career in two new books. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-04-22 09:03:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #memoir


PEN President Jennifer Finney Boylan Announces Plans to Review PEN’s Work Going Back a Decade

PEN America has faced an enormous amount of criticism from the literary world for, among other things, failing to call Israel’s six-month assault on Gaza a genocide, and is now facing a wave of withdrawals from two of its signature events, the literary awards and the World Voices Festival. In... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-04-18 14:26:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pen america #enormous amount #literary awards #literary world


Book Review: ‘The Band,’ by Christine Ma-Kellams

In the debut novel “The Band,” a burned-out pop idol meets a disillusioned professor, raising the question: What if the dangers of fame resemble white-collar ennui? Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-04-13 09:02:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #debut novel


March’s Best Reviewed Nonfiction

Marilynne Robinson’s Reading Genesis, Tessa Hulls’ Feeding Ghosts, and Kristine S. Ervin’s Rabbit Heart all feature among the best reviewed fiction titles of the month Brought to you by Book Marks, Lit Hub’s home for book reviews. * 1. Reading Genesis by Marilynne Robinson (Farrar, Straus and... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-03-29 08:55:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #marilynne robinson #tessa hulls #feeding ghosts #book marks #lit hub #book reviews #fiction titles


Book Review: ‘Great Expectations,’ by Vinson Cunningham

Vinson Cunningham’s impressive debut novel finds a watchful campaign aide measuring his ambitions on the trail of a magnetic presidential candidate. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-03-12 09:00:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #great expectations #debut novel


Book Review: ‘Victim,’ by Andrew Boryga

In Andrew Boryga’s debut novel, a young writer creates a career for himself by exaggerating, or sometimes completely manufacturing, stories of tragedy. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-03-09 10:00:20 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #young writer


Book Review: ‘The Enigma Girls,’ by Candace Fleming

Britain’s youngest code-breakers, brought to life in a new nonfiction book by Candace Fleming, were normal teenagers: playing pranks, attending dances. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-03-08 10:01:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #nonfiction book


Book Review: ‘Slow Productivity,’ by Cal Newport

In his eighth book, the best-selling author Cal Newport offers life hacks for producing high-quality work while working less. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-03-06 10:03:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #eighth book #best-selling author


Book Review: ‘The House of Hidden Meanings,’ by RuPaul

Chronicling the high-heeled path to drag-queen superstardom, the new memoir also reveals a celebrity infatuated with his sense of a special destiny. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-03-05 10:00:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #memoir


Audiobook Review: ‘Surely You Can’t Be Serious,’ by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker

In the audiobook oral history “Surely You Can’t Be Serious: The True Story of ‘Airplane!,’” a cast of dozens fondly revisits a now-classic film. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-03-01 14:12:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #audiobook review #true story #audiobook