The comic novelist takes aim at the industry’s elitism, but his story of a farcical literary festival is dated – and overly focused on Will SelfFunny ha-ha is tricky. For every reader who cackles with laughter at an author writing “this person was making plans to micturate upon one’s pommes frites”, there’s one who will wince. Some will feel the universe joyfully lighten as they read: “There’s a personage at the parsonage.” Or: “I believe it was Roland Barthes who said I love it when a plan comes together.” I can’t pronounce this unfunny, since funny is so largely in the hi-de-hi of the beholder. I cannot, however, report that any laughter issued from my own personal hilarity hole.Dan Rhodes’s half-dozen comic novels have their fans, and he is upfront in Sour Grapes that a falling-out with his publisher (what he calls his “ongoing scrap with the biz”) prompted a satire on the industry. Some of the barbs here, about publishing’s exploitation of young workers and the inertial classism, hit home. But the actual story, concerning a literary festival in a picturesque English village, feels like something out of the 1950s. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2021-11-12 09:00:32 UTC ]
After a six-week battle with coronavirus, the Chilean author Luis Sepúlveda has died at the age of 70. The government of Asturias, where he was living in Spain, confirmed his death today. The author had been hospitalized in late February soon after attending a literary festival in Portugal. He... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-04-16 18:35:05 UTC ]
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A couple of weeks ago, John Howkins wrote a piece for us on the value of invisible work. Ever since, as news of one cancelled literary festival after another has hit my inbox, it's been resonating hard. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-03 13:14:19 UTC ]
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While German publishers are still reeling from the cancellation of the major spring fair Leipziger Buchmesse last week, the industry has been dealt two more blows in the wake of the coronavirus crises. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-11 07:50:07 UTC ]
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Annual literary festival The Laugharne Weekend has been saved thanks to a crowdfunding appeal and assistance from the Welsh Assembly, with this year's festival boasting a packed line-up featuring authors such as Max Porter and Eimear McBride. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-03 20:52:10 UTC ]
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EBay Inc. is making plans to sell its international classifieds arm, eBay Classifieds Group, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing unnamed sources. According to the Journal, Classifieds could be worth around $10 billion. The private equity firms TPG and Blackstone Group Inc., as well... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal
[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2020-02-21 21:52:59 UTC ]
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IT’S LATE ON the first night of a literary festival in Kampala, Uganda, and I use my phone to order an Uber. Pickup location: Kampala National Theatre. I drop the pin on the street entrance nearest my location’s the pulsing blue dot: Siad Barre Avenue. I’d glimpsed the street name when I... Continue reading at Los Angeles Review of Books
[ Los Angeles Review of Books | 2019-12-27 20:00:19 UTC ]
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Grand Marais, Minn., held its third North Shore Readers & Writers Festival early last month, attracting literary types from across the state. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-11-29 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The Cliveden Literary Festival returned for a third time last weekend with Ian McEwan, Howard Jacobson and Elif Shafak among the authors taking part in a busy event that saw speakers discuss topics from feminism to Russian spies, cyberwarfare and conspiracy theories to secrets of the universe. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-30 13:22:16 UTC ]
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After a four-year absence, the free literary festival will be back in Los Angeles in October with 40 leading Latin-American writers and artists. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
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More than 30 publishers will join authors including Reni Eddo-Lodge and Merve Emre at the New Suns feminist literary festival at the Barbican next month. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-15 18:11:32 UTC ]
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The Jaipur Literary Festival has New York City, Houston, and Boulder on its itinerary, having been to London and Belfast earlier this summer. The post India’s Jaipur Literary Fest Announces New York Stop on International Tour appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-08-19 06:30:42 UTC ]
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Often lauded as the world’s first literary festival, Cheltenham is to celebrate seven decades of programming with a series of events based around septets. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-08-16 04:54:48 UTC ]
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Former bookseller Sheila O’Reilly is helping to launch a new literary festival, 'Dingle Lit', on the Dingle Peninsula this November. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-08-02 06:32:46 UTC ]
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Part of the programming for the 'Noirwich' literary festival at Norwich is a focus on 'crimes against nature' and our stewardship of the environment. The post UK’s National Centre for Writing Turns to Eco-Crime for ‘Noirwich’ Fest appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-07-26 05:30:50 UTC ]
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With robust programming already this year, 1455 (previously Virginia Center for Literary Arts, or VCLA) continues to establish the Shenandoah Valley as a hotbed of creativity and community. After the success of 1455’s monthly Author Series at Handley Library and a number of workshops at both... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2019-07-17 14:19:45 UTC ]
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The organisers of Stratford Literary Festival are extending their Bedtime Stories project, which helps families in areas of disadvantage read with their children, thanks to a £15,000 Arts Council England (ACE) grant. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-15 08:55:07 UTC ]
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Novelist Ian McEwan, BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis and Tory backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg are among the authors on this year's Cliveden Literary Festival line-up. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-06-27 13:12:57 UTC ]
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PEN World Voices marks 15 years of hosting literary events with a human rights focus. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Last year, nine months after Hurricane Irma tore through the Caribbean, I traveled from my home in North Carolina to Anguilla to teach writing workshops to children and adults as part of a literary festival. As a prompt, I asked them to describe what they could not forget about the storm. When... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Today in Entertainment: New Kendrick Lamar song; Harry Potter ride gets an upgrade March 24, 2017, 12:05 p.m. With the arrival of spring, blockbuster movie season has gotten an early start with "Beauty and the Beast" and other films, music fans are making plans for recently announced summer... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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