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 ]
Rethinking old myths and accepted narratives comes with risks, but the results can be thrilling. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2022-05-27 20:30:15 UTC ]
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Whether you’re headed to a far-flung beach or a nearby couch, these books are worthy additions to your summer reading list. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-05-26 13:34:50 UTC ]
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One way to connect with your kids: Read their books. Two librarians offer some suggestions. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-05-26 13:30:00 UTC ]
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When she was ten, she read O. Henry in hardback. In high school, Orwell was on the summer reading list. Now, it’s "Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel" with her grandsons. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-05-26 13:30:00 UTC ]
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These 13 new romance books — one for each week of your Happily Ever After Summer — will replenish your serotonin reserves. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-05-26 13:30:00 UTC ]
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I grew up with two sets of amicably divorced grandparents. That meant I had three grandmothers—whip-smart, accomplished, fans of flowers and capital-c Culture—and four grandfathers: a Civil War-obsessed lawyer who loved opera and plaid; an intimidating, accomplished doctor with a collection of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-05-26 08:50:43 UTC ]
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Jen Silverman’s novel, We Play Ourselves, is out now in paperback from Random House, so we asked about her favorite books to give to friends, the best stories to revisit, and how she procrastinates. * What is your favorite book to give as a gift? I am bad at many things in life, among them... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-05-24 08:51:33 UTC ]
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A book for “White Lotus” fans, a coming-of-age story in the Canary Islands, Werner Herzog’s debut novel (yes, it’s grim) and more. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2022-05-21 09:00:17 UTC ]
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The Read Harder challenge, library style! These books will help you not just Read Harder, but discover more about libraries and librarians. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-05-16 10:30:00 UTC ]
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Twist and shout: Get ready to treat yourself and mix it up with these 20 must-read genre-blending historical fiction books, including Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin! Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-05-12 10:40:00 UTC ]
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So, publishing, here’s some homework for you: Learn what manga actually is, and erase “manga-inspired” from your lexicon. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-05-12 10:36:00 UTC ]
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A staff writer at The Atlantic since 2016, Gilbert is a finalist for the 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Criticism. Continue reading at The Atlantic
[ The Atlantic | 2022-05-10 13:16:13 UTC ]
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Jason Mayden’s new book breaks down design so simply that a child can get it, so your C-suite stands a chance, too. Jason Mayden has lived many lives. Starting as Nike’s first Black industrial design intern, he went on to become lead designer of the Jordan brand, launch his own children’s shoe... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2022-05-09 08:00:37 UTC ]
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Panelist on Ingram's recent webinar said that global supply chain challenges will persist until 2023 and, with consumer behavior changing, predicting demand—and, accordingly, supply—for a book will remain difficult. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-05-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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The warnings about political violence in Stephen Marche's latest book are like something out of science fiction. Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2022-05-06 16:00:00 UTC ]
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The first time I read a book about a person who even minorly resembled me, I was 19 and teaching at a creative writing summer camp. My coworker Sophie Lee’s YA novel What Things Mean tells the story of a young Filipina girl named Olive who uses reading to cope with feelings of loneliness and... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2022-05-06 11:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon might be feeling the competition in the e-reader market for the first time since…well, ever. Kindle e-readers use their own proprietary Amazon format to display e-books, AZW3, which keeps most users from loading up a bunch of copyright-free books in the most common ePub format. But... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2022-05-03 17:38:37 UTC ]
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May is Mental Health Awareness Day. Recognize it by picking up some of these nonfiction and fiction titles about living with mental illness, including Heart Berries by Terese Marie Mailhot. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-05-03 10:36:00 UTC ]
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From cats in space to pride parades and summer fun, there are so many good May children's book releases. Check them out! Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-05-03 10:32:00 UTC ]
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Take this quiz to go on a scavenger hunt and get a fun queer YA book recommendation based on what you find! Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-05-03 10:30:00 UTC ]
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