The best journalism of 2020: Covering the pandemic

A year has passed since the novel coronavirus first emerged. Even with mass inoculation efforts underway, it continues to rage on, with little sign of abating.  Throughout this year, we’ve relied on journalism to make sense of it all—especially as the virus’s spread frequently outpaced our abilities to comprehend and respond to it. Below, CJR has compiled some of the year’s most illuminating, hard-hitting, and enduring coverage of the pandemic.   Looking ahead The Coronavirus in America: The Year Ahead  By Donald G. McNeil, Jr. From the early days of the outbreak, McNeil Jr.’s prescient stories for The New York Times demystified and narrativized a virus that, to this day, continues to evade grasp. In a time of frenetic news cycles, such clear and careful writing served as a much-needed antidote to protracted uncertainty. (McNeil, Jr.’s recent story, about the toll covid-19 may yet take even as vaccinations and an administration change draw near, is another sobering account of what lies ahead of us.)   How the Pandemic Defeated America  By Ed Yong Another marquee reporter on the science beat, Yong, of The Atlantic, wrote prodigiously about the pandemic. Among his anthology of indispensable works, this unsparing account of America’s abject failure to meet the coronavirus when it arrived at its shores stands out. One sentence—comprising 212 words, punctuated by 7 semicolons, and beginning with “No one should be shocked…”—must be the most incisive of the year.    Putting... Continue reading at 'Columbia Journalism Review'

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2020-12-15 13:02:41 UTC ]
News tagged with: #climate change #personal tragedy #jesmyn ward #vanity fair #anthology

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The best journalism of 2020: Covering the pandemic'


The best journalism of 2020: Covering the pandemic

A year has passed since the novel coronavirus first emerged. Even with mass inoculation efforts underway, it continues to rage on, with little sign of abating.  Throughout this year, we’ve relied on journalism to make sense of it all—especially as the virus’s spread frequently outpaced our... Continue reading at Columbia Journalism Review

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2020-12-15 13:02:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #climate change #personal tragedy #jesmyn ward #vanity fair #anthology


The best journalism of 2020: Covering Trump

With our regular newsletter author on a much-needed holiday break, today we begin a week-long series highlighting some of our favorite stories of the year. We’ll remind you of exemplary reporting on Covid-19 and racial justice, and reprise some of our own favorite work from CJR. But first up,... Continue reading at Columbia Journalism Review

[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2020-12-14 13:48:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #real time #chris wallace #jonathan swan #cut short #foreign policy


Phaidon made further loss in 2020 as pandemic hit revenue

Phaidon made an operating loss of £1.3m in the year ending June 30th 2020, a 33% bigger loss than the previous year, due to the "adverse effects" of multiple national lockdowns, according to accounts filed at Companies House.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-07-16 04:54:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #operating loss #accounts filed


Pandemic Love (in 13 Romance Tropes) March 2020–2021, by Laura Bernstein-Machlay

Pandemic Dispatches Photo by Daniel Tafjord / Unsplash Unrequited love I download a book. One of those books—for women. Certainly not porn, but you know. Never mind the shirtless guy gracing its cover (his lumpy, bumpy abs—oh my!), or the wanton... Continue reading at World Literature Today

[ World Literature Today | 2021-06-16 13:40:35 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary fiction


UK book sales soared in 2020 despite pandemic

New figures from the Publishers Association show fiction and audiobooks did particularly well, with value of consumer sales up 7% on 2019 despite bookshop closuresFiction sales in 2020 soared by more than £100m for UK publishers, as readers locked down at home made their escape into books, with... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2021-04-26 23:01:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #uk publishers #audiobook sales #fiction sales #douglas stuart #richard osman #cosy crime #bernardine evaristo #delia owens #crawdads sing #bestselling title #charlie mackesy #bookshops reopening #picture book #audiobook #bookshop #publishers association


International markets showed mixed response to pandemic in 2020

While the pandemic sent shockwaves across the world’s publishing industry in 2020, some international markets reported strong performances with the US posting record-breaking sales while Australia also saw a major boost. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-02-25 01:03:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #major boost #publishing industry


Debut fiction did well in pandemic-hit 2020

Debut novelists performed solidly last year, despite widespread fears that they would lose out to more established authors due to 2020's pandemic-hit publishing schedules.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-01-14 13:16:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #debut fiction #novelists


Help Us Pick the Best Book Cover of 2020

This hasn’t been an easy year for sustained, careful reading. But you know what doesn’t take any attention at all? Judging a book by its cover! That’s why we’re doing our first ever “best book cover of the year” tournament—and we want you to weigh in. Vote for your favorites on Electric... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2020-11-30 12:00:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #electric literature #book cover


2020 is the year of enormous pink lady faces on book covers.

This year has brought a lot of things, and most of them have been bad. One good thing, though, is there has been quite been a lot of innovative, beautiful, and fascinating book cover design, including, I’ve recently noticed, a book cover trend that I’d like to call “enormous pink lady faces.” In... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-10-01 15:33:42 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book covers #good thing #book cover


Despite Global Pandemic, Journalists Celebrate 2020 Pulitzer Prizes

On May 4, Pulitzer Prize administrator Dana Canedy announced this year’s winners from her living room with some technological help Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2020-07-02 07:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #global pandemic #living room #pulitzer prize


BookExpo 2020: Public Libraries and the Pandemic

As states begin lifting stay-at-home restrictions, public libraries face a wide range of short- and long-term issues. How do we keep library workers safe, and employed? How will buildings be redesigned to support physical distancing? Amid the economic damage wrought by the pandemic, how will... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-05-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #wide range #public libraries


China Bestsellers March 2020: Bookstores Buck the Pandemic’s Paralysis

One bookstore company has offered medical workers a lifetime 20-percent discount in China, as the virus pressures normal sales. The post China Bestsellers March 2020: Bookstores Buck the Pandemic’s Paralysis appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-04-28 14:51:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookstore


This Italian HARRY POTTER Cover Is Quite the Choice: Critical Linking, April 24, 2020

An awesome daily roundup of the most interesting bookish links from around the web! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-04-24 10:30:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #critical linking #harry potter


PW Star Watch 2020 Partnership Will Contribute to Binc’s Pandemic Response

PW Star Watch, honoring leadership in the North American markets, will contribute to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation's pandemic-related efforts. The post PW Star Watch 2020 Partnership Will Contribute to Binc’s Pandemic Response appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-04-21 12:30:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book industry


In Wake of Pandemic, the 2020 Texas Library Association Annual Conference Moves Online

Like many conferences, this year's TLA annual conference has been canceled due to concerns over the spread of Covid-19. But organizers say they will use the setback as an opportunity to up their virtual programming game, and vow to come back strong in San Antonio next year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-03-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #san antonio #library association


2020 YA Book Covers Bring Disability Representation to the Forefront

These 2020 YA book covers showcase disability representation -- and may be the start of the sea change we need. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-01-13 11:37:47 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sea change #ya book


2020 Pulitzer Prize Contest Open to Journalism Entries

The Journalism entry site is now open for the 2020 cycle. As entrants begin to take stock of their eligible Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2019-12-18 15:50:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pulitzer prize


Book Cover Design Trends for 2020

Maybe you can't judge a book by its cover but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy one and anticipate upcoming book cover trends. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-11-07 11:41:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #upcoming book


Cover Reveal: See the cover for Greg Wrenn’s memoir Mothership.

Literary Hub is pleased to reveal the cover for former Stegner Fellow and Jones Lecturer at Stanford University, Greg Wrenn’s memoir, Mothership: A Memoir of Wonder and Crisis forthcoming from Regalo Press. Here’s a bit about the book from the publisher: Mothership: A Memoir of Wonder and Crisis... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-08-30 14:30:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary hub #stanford university #memoir


Anatomy of a Book Cover: The Process of Book Cover Design

How does book cover design work? Find here an introduction to the process, both in self- and traditional publishing. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-07-10 10:30:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #traditional publishing #book cover