The bad side of Goodreads' Reading Challenge

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 ]

Other news stories related to: "The bad side of Goodreads' Reading Challenge"

Still stuck at home? Read these 7 books in which . . . very little happens.

I started writing this post as a counterpoint to the “describe your favorite book in the most boring way possible” trend. It was meant to be something along the lines of “describe a plotless book in the most exciting way possible.” But more I thought about the books below, initially attempting... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-07-16 20:13:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #favorite book #started writing

Freedom of expression is complex, challenging - and crucial

It feels as if we’re at a critical moment regarding discussion of free expression in the UK and the US. #cancelculture has been trending on Twitter; a letter signed by major literary figures warns of ‘rising censoriousness’; individuals are being stripped of titles and posts. With so much... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-15 10:13:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #big picture #letter signed #critical moment #free expression

The Complexities and Joys of Adult Female Friendship: A Reading List

Women’s friendships have always been fertile ground for literary exploration. One reason we wanted to write a memoir of our own decade-long friendship is that books are one of the few places that have always reflected the intensity and complexity of platonic relationships. The world at large... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-07-14 08:48:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir #platonic relationships #literary exploration #fertile ground

Why the President Didn’t Want the World to Read Mary Trump’s Story

The new memoir takes you inside a dysfunctional American family—and into Donald Trump’s mind. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2020-07-09 19:25:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir #memoir takes

Black journalists face challenges that stem from systemic racism

The fallout from recent protests over the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor have reignited long-standing concerns on the part of many Black journalists about their roles in the newsrooms they work in, and the value they are given (or not given) by the media companies... Continue reading at Columbia Journalism Review

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2020-07-09 11:50:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #protest #journalism #tucker carlson #news conference #national lockdown #print magazine #stanford university

Canada Could Be Next in Challenging Google to Pay Publishers | News & Notes

In April, French regulators ordered Google to help develop a system to reward the country's news outlets with licensing fees when portions of their stories are displayed on the tech giant's news tab or in its search results. The decision was hailed as a triumph for publishers by those favoring... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-07-08 17:40:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #digital content #publisher announced #challenging times #pays tribute #print magazines #sexual orientation #social justice

Your Francophile kids will want to read the winners of the Prix Albertine Jeunesse.

The Prix Albertine Jeunesse is a prize chosen for children, by children—that is, a reader’s choice award in which people between the ages of three and fourteen vote on their favorite book from a selection of Francophone literature. This award aims to facilitate a cultural exchange as well as... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-07-08 16:56:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #favorite book #cultural exchange #award aims #choice award

In Lieu of the Olympics: A Reading List For Your Sports Fix

With the Olympics postponed, you might be missing your sports fix. In case you need a taste of the thrill of victory and agony of defeat, I’ve compiled a collection of sports books to read this summer while we wait for news about the Tokyo Games. Instead of a torch, light a candle and let […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-07-08 08:48:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #sports books #ve compiled

What we've learnt about lockdown reading

The past few months have restricted physical access to bookshops, interrupted supply chains and created a raft of logistical complexities for the publishing industry. Even with restrictions easing, traditional consumer marketing and PR are trickier to execute safely. However, our data at The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-07 15:24:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #publishing industry #lockdown reading #ve learnt

ACE and British Library to feature in Reading Together Day

Arts Council England and the British Library are among collaborators participating in Reading Together Day, scheduled to take place on 16th July. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-06 10:30:56 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #16th july #british library

Behind the Mic: On The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins, Read by Santino Fontana

Every Monday through Friday, AudioFile’s editors recommend the best in audiobook listening. We keep our daily episodes short and sweet, with audiobook clips to give you a sample of our featured listens. On today’s episode, host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Michele Cobb revisit the Hunger Games, this... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-07-03 08:06:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #audiobook #hunger games #featured listens #audiobook clips #audiobook listening #editors recommend #suzanne collins

Humble Bundle Rises to New Challenges

The platform, which sells DRM-free digital content and gives some of the proceeds to nonprofits, has helped raise $450,000 for indie booksellers and comics retailers since the start of the year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-07-03 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #digital content #comics retailers #indie booksellers

PA compiles audio reading list for parliamentarians

The Publishers Association has compiled a summer audio reading list for parliamentarians as it urges them to remove VAT on audiobooks. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-07-02 16:39:44 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #publishers association #remove vat

Take a Walk on the Wild Side With These Animal Centric Manga Series

Do you want more animal manga series in your life? Check out this list of titles, which ranges from the cute to the downright weird. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-07-02 10:33:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #manga

One critic’s summer reading list: From a scandalous memoir to obscure literary journalism

Michael Dirda is taking a vacation next month, and he’s already getting his to-be-read pile in order. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-07-01 16:17:23 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir #to-be-read pile

'Why We Swim' by Bonnie Tsui is July's book club read

Journalist Bonnie Tsui, author of "Why We Swim," joins the L.A. Times Book Club for a July 28 virtual meetup. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-07-01 14:00:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #book club #times book

Best Comics We Read April–June 2020

Find your next comic on this list of Rioters recent favorite graphic novel reads. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-07-01 10:39:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #graphic novel

Here’s what Bill Gates is reading and binging during the COVID-19 pandemic

After months of reading only coronavirus-related research, Gates is back to enjoying a good book and binging a good show every now and then. Yesterday Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates sat down with Fast Company’s editor-in-chief Stephanie Mehta to talk about a range of topics... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2020-07-01 07:10:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #good book #fast company #covid-19 pandemic #bill gates