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 ]
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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The Reading Agency is hoping to set a new record for "most pledges received for a reading campaign" for this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, which launches tomorrow (11th July). The agency has teamed up with Guinness World Records for the challenge and, starting from this weekend, libraries... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Zuckerberg wrote that he's resolved to read more new books and is inviting Facebook users to join in. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Reading Agency said that 839,622 children took part in the 2014 Summer Reading Challenge, a 3.6% increase compared to 2013. Sue Wilkinson, chief executive of The Reading Agency, said she was pleased that the numbers were up despite cuts to library services. “Library budgets are very tight... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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England footballer Frank Lampard has become a champion of The Reading Agency’s Summer... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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More young people than ever are getting involved in reading schemes at their local libraries,... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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If you want inspiration for the new year, the nonfiction section has a self-care title that promises a meditative reading and a graphic novel about the Latinx leaders who changed the history of the U.S. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-12-13 18:42:26 UTC ]
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The world’s fastest-selling memoir is merely an episode in a soap opera in the Sussexes’ adopted Californian hometownOn the day Prince Harry’s controversial, headline-grabbing memoir Spare officially became the fastest-selling non-fiction book in history, the bookstore in his adoptive hometown... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2023-01-21 14:25:09 UTC ]
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The Right to Read Act was introduced in Congress October 6. Here's what it is and how it could impact libraries and book bans nationwide. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-10-10 14:39:31 UTC ]
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Get ready for summer with domestic suspense novels by Lisa Scottoline, Sally Hepworth, Katie Gutierrez and Amanda Jayatissa Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-05-14 12:00:14 UTC ]
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Inspired by another Rioter's bookish rituals, I'm trying my own. I wake up earlier than usual to enjoy a slow morning reading short stories. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2021-11-18 11:36:00 UTC ]
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The Reading Agency has unveiled the covers for its 2022 Quick Reads titles, written by the likes of Paula Hawkins, Graham Norton and Alex Wheatle. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-11-09 07:14:30 UTC ]
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The Bad Sex in Fiction Award 2020 has been cancelled with organisers saying people have been “subjected to too many bad things this year” already. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-12-07 20:14:15 UTC ]
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Our critic’s picks include a new edition of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and a biography of Whistler. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2020-12-02 14:00:00 UTC ]
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You will scare yourself silly with these chilling horror books published by an indie press. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2020-01-10 11:33:18 UTC ]
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Read Harder Challenge participants, and anyone looking for broader reading horizons, we've got your recommendations for the YA nonfiction book task. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-12-04 11:32:54 UTC ]
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You can make your reading experience *even better* with these great book reading accessories. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-11-15 11:38:51 UTC ]
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Books are about people. Reading while you’re around them is a useful reminder of that. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2019-09-20 12:00:00 UTC ]
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YA-themed books will feature on this year's suggested reading lists to celebrate National Poetry Day on 3rd October. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-08-22 22:42:06 UTC ]
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