As publishers vie to persuade us to pack their titles for the holidays, we chart the evolution of the ’beach read’Summer reads, beach reads, holiday reads … at this time of year, the publishing world works itself into a sweat trying to force its novels into our carry-on luggage, or over the ether on to our Kindles. There are more books sold in the summer than during any other season: the well-established publishing calendar tends to see hardbacks released in the autumn to be given as gifts at Christmas, then repackaged as paperbacks in late spring. As Donna Harrington-Lueker sets out in her history of the beach read, Books for Idle Hours, the summer publishing rush is at least a century old, and has typically aimed “airy and froth-like” books on “young ladies” (the quote is from an 1888 work on summer books by Arlo Bates). The summer fiction market is changing, though, with more and more “serious”, “literary” novels showing up where once there were only thrillers and crime novels, bonkbusters and romances. So it is that Normal People by Sally Rooney is currently piled high on the tables of WH Smith’s Travel alongside Lee Child, Jodi Picoult and Bernard Cornwell.I’m aware of how contentious and porous discussions of genre can be. Generic labels, though, are the terms that booksellers and publishers think in and for literary novels, the chances of summer success are still relatively slim. Tom Tivnan, managing editor of the Bookseller, points to Nielsen BookScan data that... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2019-07-14 07:00:23 UTC ]
Fall's most anticipated books include novels from Rachel Kushner, Sally Rooney, Danzy Senna, Michael Connelly and Richard Price. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2024-09-03 10:00:18 UTC ]
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Apple is gearing up to launch the iPhone 16 on September 9th, so we've brought on Bloomberg's Mark Gurman to chat about his scoops around Apple's upcoming hardware. We should expect some notable additions, like a dedicated camera button, as well as slightly larger screens on the Pro models.... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-08-30 11:30:00 UTC ]
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Jo Hamya’s The Hypocrite, Elif Shafak’s There Are Rivers in the Sky, Yoko Ogawa’s Mina’s Matchbox 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. The Hypocrite by Jo Hamya (Pantheon) 6 Rave • 8 Positive “Glides... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-08-30 08:56:43 UTC ]
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Jodi Picoult has the #3 book in the country with ‘By Any Another Name,’ a fictional exploration of the theory that poet Emilia Bassano ghostwrote Shakespeare’s works. Plus Adalyn Grace wraps her Belladona YA romantasy trilogy, and William Kent Krueger makes a ‘Spirit Crossing’ onto our list. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-08-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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New novels by Sally Rooney and Richard Powers, a memoir by the first Black woman on the Supreme Court — and more. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2024-08-27 09:01:50 UTC ]
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I feel a cultural shift in the way the publishing world is accepting Cambodian American stories. In 2021, Ecco Press posthumously published the groundbreaking story collection, Afterparties, by Anthony Veasna So, opening new doors for Khmer American writers. The next year the University of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-08-26 08:55:20 UTC ]
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This week, Devindra and Cherlynn dive into Engadget's reviews on Google's Pixel 9 and 9 Pro phones. Are they really a step up from last year's devices? And how do they compare to Samsung's latest? Also, we chat about a few stories from Gamescom 2024, including Microsoft's Indiana Jones game... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-08-23 11:30:03 UTC ]
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The Irish literary scene is thriving, which makes choosing just five other Irish writers likely to appeal to fans of Rooney a daunting task. Continue reading at The Conversation
[ The Conversation | 2024-08-22 11:49:16 UTC ]
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Letter to Mohamed Choukri: Writing between Silence and Prattle, by Mohamed Berrada Cultural Cross Sections [email protected] Wed, 08/07/2024 - 15:25 Mohamed Choukri (left) and Mohamed Berrada / Photo courtesy the estate of Mohamed ChoukriIn the... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2024-08-07 20:25:04 UTC ]
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Queer-Feminist Writing from 1970s Turkey: A Conversation with Maureen Freely on Sevgi Soysal, by Ipek Sahinler Interviews [email protected] Tue, 08/06/2024 - 16:31 Maureen Freely (left) & Funda Soysal (right)Maureen Freely is an author,... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2024-08-06 21:31:04 UTC ]
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From fairy porn to romantasy via the Omegaverse, publishing is sexier than ever. The reason? A big shift in gen Z and millennial attitudes to respectability and shame ...I spent a fortnight reading nothing but smut and I don’t need to give you a reason. But since there is one, here it is:... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2024-08-06 04:00:33 UTC ]
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Samsung's Galaxy Ring is here, and honestly it's just a bit basic. This week, Cherlynn and Devindra dive into what does and doesn't work with Samsung's latest wearable. Also, we discuss Friend's new AI gadget, which listens to your conversations and sends text messages to help you feel less... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-08-02 11:30:09 UTC ]
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Kevin Barry’s The Heart in Winter, Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword, and Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s Long Island Compromise 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. The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-07-31 12:18:55 UTC ]
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No Sally Rooney, one clear favourite and a novel set in space - this is a longlist of unexpected discoveries and big ideas• Three British novelists make Booker 2024 longlist among ‘cohort of global voices’It is 10 years since the Booker prize expanded its remit to include American novelists. The... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2024-07-30 13:04:15 UTC ]
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The 13-strong longlist for this year's 2024 Booker Prize has been announced. Among those listed are three debut novelists and several marquee names, including Percival Everett, Rachel Kushner, and Richard Powers. Six Americans made this year's list. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-07-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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While reading a debut novel, oftentimes, there exists a momentary thrill of forgetting about craft. Instead, it can feel as if these writers grew up alongside their stories—in parallel lines and lives, naturally accumulating sentences with every inch they grew. There is a tender, literary... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2024-07-17 11:00:00 UTC ]
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The National Arts Club recently awarded Colm Tóibín the Medal of Honor for Achievement in Literature. Read remarks by novelists Jeffrey Eugenides and Yiyun Li, who spoke about Tóibín’s influence and friendship. Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-07-17 08:55:27 UTC ]
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A Conversation with Translators Charlotte Collins and Ruth Martin, by Aitana Bellido Interviews [email protected] Mon, 07/08/2024 - 15:14 Charlotte Collins (left) and Ruth Martin (photo courtesy of Michael Jershov)With the Open University of... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2024-07-08 20:14:29 UTC ]
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Motorola is still trying to reclaim the glory of its original Razr phone with its latest foldables. The new Razr and Razr+ are more stylish than the previous models, and at $700 and $1,000 respectively, they're surprisingly affordable for devices with massive folding OLED screens. In other news,... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2024-06-28 11:30:27 UTC ]
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Print book sales were up in May, books by Stephen King, Kristin Hannah, Emily Henry, and Dr. Seuss. Check out the top 10 books sold in the adult and children's markets. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-06-20 13:30:00 UTC ]
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