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 ]
BookLife talks with Renee Harleston, founder of Writing Diversely, about the value of sensitivity readers Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-03-08 05:00:00 UTC ]
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“I Don’t Want To Die Poor” author Michael Arceneaux discusses his upcoming book and his fight for representation. Continue reading at HuffPost
[ HuffPost | 2024-03-04 10:45:07 UTC ]
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Books to read in March include "James" by Percival Everett, "Wandering Stars" by Tommy Orange and "Age of Revolutions" by Fareed Zakaria. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2024-03-01 11:02:40 UTC ]
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Every Tuesday, a wave of new books is published, fresh off the printing press onto the shelves of bookstores around the world. Even for a book editor like me, it gets overwhelming to keep track of all the forthcoming titles. So we’ve turned to our most trusted source for recommendations: indie... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2024-02-29 12:00:00 UTC ]
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The criticism comes after the Autauga-Prattville Public Library’s newly appointed board enacted a new policy suspending the purchase of children’s or young adult books that include "sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender discordance," a move the National Coalition Against Censorship... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-23 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The “Netflix model” of leasing e-books to public libraries is expensive, full of limitations, and potentially a boon for censorship, librarians say. It’s a growing business model that shifts power to publishers and makes access harder for patrons. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2024-02-22 16:28:54 UTC ]
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From one girl’s aspiration to Olympic gymnastics glory, to a boy’s stint living in the Idaho wilderness in hopes of fixing his unruly behavior, something that remains a guiding principle in Black storytelling is the breadth of our lives. These stories, a collection of some of EL’s most-loved... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2024-02-22 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Read an excerpt of Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana, a YA novel about a Muslim girl who writes a protest poem that goes viral, changing her whole life. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-02-21 12:30:00 UTC ]
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Workers at the Barnes & Noble on West 82nd St. in Upper Manhattan are seeking representation with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union in the third unionization effort launched at a B&N location in New York City this past year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-20 05:00:00 UTC ]
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This was a regular feature of my childhood, though it feels so long ago and far away, conceptually as well as literally, that I nearly forgot it ever happened: I’d go into town to the mall with my mom, and she’d drop me at the doors of the Borders or Barnes and Noble while she […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2024-02-19 09:55:59 UTC ]
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The Ripped Bodice knows the romance genre inside and out — and they revealed the swoon-worthy books to read right now. Continue reading at HuffPost
[ HuffPost | 2024-02-13 10:45:18 UTC ]
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Challenges cited allegations of racism and hatred, as well as supposedly inaccurate or age-inappropriate content, but all were rejected. Continue reading at CBC
[ CBC | 2024-02-10 09:00:00 UTC ]
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Thanks to algorithms, our digital worlds are created for us, not by us. As a result, libraries are seen by some as scary because they reach an entire community—not just an individual. That, plus this week's book censorship news. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-02-09 12:30:00 UTC ]
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Our book reviewers offer up bouquets to unexpected tales of love and affection, from a long marriage to a passion for the movies. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2024-02-08 20:38:00 UTC ]
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These books by Black authors include moving explorations of the past, bold visions of the future, and sage advice for the present. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-01 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The best historical fiction set in Italy, like these nine titles, explores the complex and even chaotic history of the country. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-01-18 11:31:00 UTC ]
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Solstice has come and gone, but in addition to the returning of the light, we can also herald another excellent small press publishing season. What I love about these titles is the richness of imagination and inquiry, leading to inventive plots in fiction and deep emotional honesty in... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2024-01-15 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Short stories and anthologies can open up new horizons in reading. If you want to explore more short fiction, here are some tips. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2024-01-08 11:32:00 UTC ]
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