Should We Teach Literature Students How To Analyze Texts Algorithmically?

When the U.K. newspaper the Sunday Times outed J.K. Rowling as the author of detective novel The Cuckoo's Calling earlier this year, computer scientists were among the first people called in. Although the novel was published under the pen name Robert Galbraith, two computational scholars––including Duquesne University's Patrick Juola––were tasked with confirming or denying whether the novel belonged to the Harry Potter author, or one of three other possible writers. That Juola succeeded (his conclusions were later confirmed by Rowling herself) speaks volume about the the potential that algorithms and computer science can have, even with application to a field as notoriously subjective as literature. Which raises an interesting question: Can we use software to help us think about literature? Reverse Engineering J.K. Rowling To explore that question, we should first look at how the Juola cracked Rowling's writing style. To begin the process, Juola loaded 1,000–word samples of The Cuckoo's Calling in to his self–designed Java Graphical Authorship Attribution Program (JGAAP), along with several other texts, including The Casual Vacancy, Rowling's first post–Harry Potter novel. A freely available Java–based, modular program for textual analysis, categorization, and authorship attribution, JGAAP analyzed the texts on four different variables: word–length distribution, the use of common words like "the" and "of," recurring–word pairings, and the distribution of "character... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'

[ Fast Company | 2013-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #casual vacancy #harry potter

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Should We Teach Literature Students How To Analyze Texts Algorithmically?'


Electric Literature’s Most Popular Articles of 2023

In one of Electric Lit’s most-read essays of the year, “Black Women Are Being Erased From Book Publishing,” Jennifer Baker examines the publishing industry in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. She holds the publishing industry accountable for appointing high-profile Black... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2023-12-21 12:15:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #electric literature #electric lit #black women #book publishing #publishing industry


Sakiru Adebayo on the Diasporization of African Literature

There is no denying that African literature is having a moment on the global literary stage. In 2021, African writers took the literary world by storm. It is in light of this that the South African writer Damon Galgut said in his acceptance speech at the 2021 Booker Prize ceremony that “2021 was... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-12-18 09:49:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #african literature #african writers #acceptance speech #literary world


China Literature Buys Tencent Animation and Comics

Pursuing its strategy of seeking to further leverage IP, China Literature, China's dominant online publishing and e-book company, has bought Tencent Animation and Comics for 600 million yuan (US$83.6 million). Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-13 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #china literature #e-book #online publishing


Winnie’s Wagon Supports Unhoused Students

Pittsburgh-based nonprofit Homeless Children’s Education Fund has rolled out Winnie’s Wagon, the first mobile classroom in the region dedicated to serving youth experiencing housing instability. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-12-08 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


José Donoso Saw the Future of Latin American Literature

American readers have largely forgotten the single greatest writer to come from the Latin American Boom: Chilean novelist José Donoso. The post José Donoso Saw the Future of Latin American Literature appeared first on The Millions. Continue reading at The Millions

[ The Millions | 2023-11-21 12:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #american readers #american literature


ACLU, Parents, and Students Sue Alaska School District Over Book Bans

The suit, filed on behalf of six parents of minor children and two students who are over the age of 18 in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough school district, seeks the return of 56 books said to be improperly banned from school shelves. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-11-21 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book bans #school shelves


World Literature Today to Co-host Online “RESISTIR Latin America” Poetry Event

World Literature Today to Co-host Online “RESISTIR Latin America” Poetry Event News and Events [email protected] Mon, 10/30/2023 - 15:47 On Saturday, November 18 at 10am cst, the “RESISTIR Groupe” of Latin American PEN Centers, World Literature... Continue reading at World Literature Today

[ World Literature Today | 2023-10-30 20:47:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #george henson #robin myers #colleen noland #cal paule #lawrence schimel #anthony seidman #featured poets #remarkable gathering #urgent voices #south america #seventy books #numerous awards #durn-barba directs #claude couffon #remarkable pens #american literature


World Literature Today to Co-host Online “RESISTIR Latin America” Poetry Event and Call for Peace

World Literature Today to Co-host Online “RESISTIR Latin America” Poetry Event and Call for Peace News and Events [email protected] Mon, 10/30/2023 - 15:47 On Saturday, November 18 at 12pm cst, the “RESISTIR Groupe” of Latin American PEN Centers,... Continue reading at World Literature Today

[ World Literature Today | 2023-10-30 20:47:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #george henson #robin myers #colleen noland #cal paule #lawrence schimel #anthony seidman #featured poets #remarkable gathering #urgent voices #south america #seventy books #numerous awards #durn-barba directs #claude couffon #remarkable pens #american literature


A new $25,000 book prize will recognize the best new literature about the arts.

Attention all writers who write about writing (or painting, or dancing, or music…): the Interlochen Center for the Arts and The Pattis Family Foundation have established a new annual award that seeks to recognize “outstanding works of fiction or nonfiction” that “inspire, illuminate, or... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-10-19 16:06:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #creative writing #annual award #creative process #book prize


From ancient Jewish texts to AI, a sequence of figures turns matter into meaning

Computer languages are ultimately rendered in ones and zeros, even AI programs. Though this technology is new, the concept it’s hinged on is not. Isaac Asimov’s iconic science fiction collection I, Robot, tells the story of androids created at U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men Inc. The androids... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2023-10-17 06:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ai programs #isaac asimov #science fiction


Sub-Saharan Africa Publishing and Literature Sector Study

Sub-Saharan Africa Publishing and Literature Sector Study The British Council wishes to engage a researcher to conduct in-depth research into the trade publishing and literature sectors in six countries in Sub-Saharan Africa which provides market insights and focuses on innovative practice and... Continue reading at British Council global

[ British Council global | 2023-10-06 14:19:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #professional development #proposal rfp #trade publishing


Jon Fosse Wins 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature

Norwegian author Jon Fosse has won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature “for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable.” This story is developing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-05 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #give voice


Finalists for 2023 NBA in Young People's Literature Announced

The National Book Foundation has revealed the five finalists for the 2023 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-10-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literature announced #national book award #national book foundation


How Iowa City, Hub of Literature, Became a Landmark for Cinephiles

The literary world knows Iowa City as home to America’s first creative writing program and a UNESCO City of Literature, but it’s also a landmark city for cinephiles. In the early 1960s, Refocus debuted in Iowa City as one of the largest cinematography and still photography festivals in the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-09-29 08:25:20 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #iowa city #unesco city #early 1960s #literary world


‘I didn’t think it was possible to be a novelist’: Julian Barnes on literature, loss – and his late friend Martin Amis

The Booker winning author talks about how his most recent work was inspired by Hilary Mantel, and the way the books world has changed since his debut was published more than 40 years agoToo many people have been dying lately,” Julian Barnes reflects over the phone from his home in north London.... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-09-16 08:00:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #julian barnes #martin amis #recent work #hilary mantel #books world #north london #key part


New Literature in Translation

PW spoke with the publishers bringing David Diop, Annie Ernaux, Yoko Tawada, and others to U.S. readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-15 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pw spoke #annie ernaux #yoko tawada


Here’s the longlist for the 2023 National Book Award for Translated Literature.

Today, the National Book Foundation announced the longlist for the 2023 National Book Award for Translated Literature. The ten titles were originally published in seven different languages—Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish—and were selected from a pool of 154 books... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-09-13 19:15:43 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #translated literature #ten titles #originally published #national book foundation #national book award


Here’s the longlist for the 2023 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.

Today, the National Book Foundation announced the longlist for the 2023 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. The ten titles were all written by newcomers to the National Book Awards, and were selected from a pool of 348 books submitted for consideration by their publishers. This... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-09-13 14:15:55 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ten titles #national book foundation #national book award


'Empty shelves with absolutely no books': Students, parents question school board's library weeding process

Several Peel District School Board students, parents and community members are concerned about a seemingly inconsistent approach to a new book weeding process intended to ensure school library books are inclusive, but that appears to have led some schools to remove thousands of books published... Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2023-09-13 09:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #community members


2023 NBA Longlist for Young People's Literature Announced

The National Book Foundation has revealed the 2023 National Book Award longlist for Young People's Literature. The five finalists will be named on October 3, and the winner will be announced during the awards ceremony on November 15 in New York City. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-09-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literature announced #awards ceremony #national book award #national book foundation