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 ]
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Dear Reader by Paul Fournel review – an elegy for the printed book

A charming French novel about an old-school publisher trying to get to grips with the digital ageAt more than one point in this novel I found myself asking: could this be any more French? Early on we meet a character described thus: “She used to be incredibly good-looking and now at... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'The Crew': The Joystiq Review

In the course of the last console generation, Ubisoft has gone from "the French publisher behind the Tom Clancy games" to the world's leading creator of lucrative open-world sandbox franchises (by quantity, if not quality). This success hinges on a s... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-12-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reviews of New and Forthcoming Religion and Spirituality Books, December 10, 2014

New titles include a look at how the experience of Holocaust survivors has influenced the faith of their descendants. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ad Review: Why Poo-Pourri's Stinky Santa Belongs on the Nice List

Everyone poops.It's not just the name of a children's book by Taro Gomi, it's a simple fact of life. But it's not something you'd pick up if you watched toilet-related advertising. Take toilet paper, for example. If you were an alien anthropologist who sat through three decades of toilet paper... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Review: Eureka! Discovering Your Inner Scientist

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[ Wired | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Seeing Stars: A Look Back at Select Starred Reviews in 2014

PW reviewers were impressed with these spirituality and religion books published in 2014. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Chancellor 'to promise business rates review'

George Osborne is to pledge to overhaul business rates in a review in his Autumn Statement later today (3rd December). The Chancellor is expected to announce a review of business rates in the pre-budget statement in the House of Commons at 12.30pm, although it won’t be completed until early 2016. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Literary Review launches digital archive

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[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sieghart Review to recommend task force for libraries

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[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The new Kindle reader -- bang for your buck [Review]

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[ Betanews | 2014-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reviews of New and Forthcoming Religion and Spirituality Books, November 12, 2014

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Popular messaging apps fail EFF's security review

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[ PC World | 2014-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A supermarket turned tablet maker doesn't sound like the wisest of career progressions. Tesco's not your average supermarket, though. When you consider the Tesco machine also operates video- and music-streaming services, an ebook store and an online... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-10-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Kindle Voyage Wi-Fi + free 3G and Leather Origami Cover [Review]

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[ Betanews | 2014-10-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reviews of New and Forthcoming Religion and Spirituality Books, October 22, 2014

A starred review for Rob and Kristen Bell's new book on marriage; the best examination to date of Pope Francis, who he is, and what to expect. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reviews of New and Forthcoming Religion and Spirituality Books, October 8, 2014

Country musician Jimmy Wayne tells the affecting story of his own youth as a foster kid; American Christian men examine their approaches to faith and fatherhood. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Folio Top Women: Michela O'Connor Abrams

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[ Folio Magazine | 2014-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lena Dunham's upcoming memoir: What are reviews saying?

Dunham's book 'Not That Kind of Girl' is being praised for its voice and humor, though some critics note her show 'Girls' isn't mentioned much. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Karl Miller, founding editor of London Review of Books, dies at 83

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[ The Guardian | 2014-09-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Reviews of New and Forthcoming Religion and Spirituality Books, September 24, 2014

A dying woman writes a book about life's end; a psychotherapist explores the untapped power of the will. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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