Turning literature into a numbers game makes some sense for the book trade, but none for readersWe may be halfway through January already, but the spirit of new year is still in full swing over in San Francisco, where the 2014 Goodreads Reading Challenge goes from strength to strength to strength. More than 240,000 of Goodreads' 25 million members have already committed to reading more than 14m books this year, pledging to get through them at an average of more than a book a week. And many fans of books will say hurrah for that. I reckon I'm pretty much in favour of books and literature, too, but the Goodreads Reading Challenge just sets my teeth on edge.It starts right there in the name. Since when was reading any kind of challenge? Isn't it supposed to be fun? Maybe not for children still learning to differentiate their Perfect Peters from their Horrid Henrys, or for the one in six UK adults who still struggle with literacy, but Goodreads is a site for people who are already "readers" . I don't think they have schoolchildren in mind when they suggest you should "raise your reading ambitions" and it certainly doesn't look like a scheme designed to help adult learners "make it to the final chapter". All this talk of pledging, of targets, of tracking your progress, is just another step in the marketisation of the reading experience, another stage in the commodification of literary culture.We know that literacy correlates with better social outcomes, that literary fiction... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2014-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
Turning literature into a numbers game makes some sense for the book trade, but none for readersWe may be halfway through January already, but the spirit of new year is still in full swing over in San Francisco, where the 2014 Goodreads Reading Challenge goes from strength to strength to... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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One in three parents say regular reading with their children slips in the summer holidays, according to a Reading Agency survey ahead of this year's Summer Reading Challenge. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-07-12 00:23:25 UTC ]
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The Reading Agency is planning an evaluation of the Summer Reading Challenge after receiving an award of £120,000 from Arts Council England. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-01-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Reading Agency is hoping to maintain participant numbers in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, the theme of which is The Beano. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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From cancelled books to ‘review bombing’, it might seem as though the website can make or break a career. But how influential is it really?Something dramatic happens on a social media platform every day. On Goodreads, the anachronistically designed website for logging, rating (out of five) and... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2024-02-17 09:00:10 UTC ]
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By instinct and intention, I have been reading books about New York or set in New York since I was a kid. Each one uncovers a facet of the city. Together they form my picture of the life that is hidden inside its buildings or around the corner. Some of these titles, I read when […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-12-14 09:51:18 UTC ]
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Launched in 2017, the essay series celebrates literature of “unsung, under-recognized genius.” Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2021-06-10 12:53:00 UTC ]
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Children's publisher Knights Of is partnering with The Reading Agency for this year's Winter Mini Challenge programme encouraging youngsters to keep up their reading during the winter holidays. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-03 15:42:21 UTC ]
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The fact that these insightful, helpful and encouraging books are meeting such resistance is a distressing sign. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2020-09-28 12:00:00 UTC ]
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The Reading Agency has launched an online reading challenge for teachers in partnership with the Open University. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-08-14 04:47:32 UTC ]
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Wondering what you should read this summer? Here are some of the top-trending escapist books to help you unplug. Continue reading at The Huffington Post
[ The Huffington Post | 2020-06-08 17:23:32 UTC ]
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The Reading Agency, Libraries Connected, Arts Council England and ASCEL have confirmed they will not be able to deliver the Summer Reading Challenge in its usual physical format this year. However, they have said a "high-quality digital offer" is in the pipeline. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-02 12:08:57 UTC ]
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Some suggestions of what booksellers should read this year, and what they might avoid. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-01-01 13:00:01 UTC ]
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Ready to dig into this fascinating nonfiction read? Here's your reading guide and BAD BLOOD book club questions to get the conversation going. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-12-23 11:35:34 UTC ]
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The Reading Agency has reported 722,731 children took part in public libraries’ Summer Reading Challenge this summer, representing a 2.64% increase on last year’s participation. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-22 10:29:12 UTC ]
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The Reading Agency is challenging people to ditch their phones and rebuild their reading habits to mark World Book Night. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Reading Agency has reported an 8% drop in take-up of its Summer Reading Challenge, with 699,076 children across the UK taking part in 2018's Beano-themed challenge compared to more than 760,000 last year. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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More than 760,000 children across the UK took part in the 2017 Summer Reading Challenge, with 6,550 more children talking part than in 2016. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-11-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Libraries are “bracing for a book loan boom” as the Summer Reading Challenge launches this week, headed by presenter Dermot O'Leary. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-07-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The number of children taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge fell 4% this year, although percentage of under-4s participating rose 12%. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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