Latham, a bookseller for 35 years, has put together a heady mix of history, philosophy, anecdotes and entertaining factsWhat most people know about the American librarian Melvil Dewey is his phenomenal classification technique, the Dewey decimal system, which is still used in 135 countries. Less well known is how he liked to classify people, too. In a chapter entitled “Dubious Dewey”, Martin Latham describes how the great librarian created groups from A to D, banning all in the D group – Jews, African-Americans, Cubans and the “new rich” – from his Lake Placid resort. He was also a prolific groper of women. Latham speculates that Dewey’s hypocrisy, and his “obsessively domineering persona”, were what caused his lifelong constipation and piles.This is a book that is down on banning, rigidity, abuse of power and all kinds of snobbery, bookish and otherwise. It celebrates stories, scribbling in margins and the collecting, cherishing and even kissing of books – something done with surprising frequency, apparently. Latham, a bookseller for 35 years, currently runs Waterstones Canterbury, where he proudly filed the biggest petty cash claim in the chain’s history to pay for the excavation of a Roman bath house under its floor. But this is not one of those funny “anecdotes from a bookshop” books that have recently been popular – though anecdotes there are aplenty. It is rather a history and celebration of all things bookish, from Alexander the Great’s unusual habit of reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2020-12-19 09:00:45 UTC ]
News tagged with:
#heady mix
#bookseller
From a bestselling migration memoir to an acclaimed novel of suburbia, political poetry and essays and on and on, Salvadoran writers are having a big moment. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2023-03-16 13:00:22 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#big moment
#memoir
Inclusive programming was one of the hallmarks of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs meeting, which ran March 8-11 in Seattle and drew approximately 9,500 people. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
The Aspen Words Literary Prize shortlist of five fiction titles highlights 'essential books' that each address 'a vital contemporary issue.' The post The Issue-Driven Aspen Words Literary Prize: 2023 Shortlist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-03-07 03:47:14 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#essential books
#fiction titles
#literary prize
The annual PEN America Literary Awards this year have included three career-achievement awards and 11 book awards. The post PEN America Literary Award Winners: India’s Vinod Kumar Shukla Honored appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-03-03 17:25:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#literary award
Last night, the great pens of America convened at The Town Hall in NYC as Kal Penn presided over the 2023 PEN America Literary Awards. For those felled by late-winter viruses who desire to get a taste of proceedings, a recording is available here. Below are this year’s winners: PEN/Jean Stein... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-03-03 16:54:28 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#town hall
#book award
Our Kindle Scribe review goes over pros and cons of the device, what customers say, its standout features, and more!- Jessica Pryde Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-03-02 11:36:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#kindle
Raja Shehadeh’s highly personal memoir probes a relationship that might have been. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-03-02 10:00:15 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#book review
#memoir
The scientific committee's deliberations precede the Sheikh Zayed Book Award's upcoming 17th-edition shortlist announcements. The post Sheikh Zayed Book Award: Scientific Committee Reviews Recommendations appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-02-28 16:29:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#scientific committee
#zayed book
On the closing day of the ABA's Winter Institute 2023, a keynote and idea exchange tackled book banning and other threats to the freedom to read. Stories of outrage were easy to come by, but solutions were in shorter supply. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-02-27 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#booksellers respond
#book challenges
#closing day
Distributed to the trade by Publishers Group West, the publisher will release six new books this fall, and plans to publish twelve books a year starting in 2024. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-02-22 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#year starting
Booksellers at Winter Institute tackled a variety of topics, ranging from the need for better mental health care to strategies for curation. The waste associated with stockpiling dozens of print galleys also drew attention to the need for more sustainability programs in the industry. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-02-22 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#drew attention
The news has rumbled through Giant Country that Puffin has been editing out words like “fat,” “crazy,” and “ugly” from new editions of Roald Dahl’s works. The Daily Telegraph reported that some of the changes achieved a more gender-neutral feel—boys and girls have become “children,” mothers and... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-02-21 15:13:52 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#literary giants
#roald dahl
#puffin
"I hope you like calendars that you never understand" and "Dull soup": can you match the sci-fi novel to its 1-star reviews? Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-02-21 11:37:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#1-star reviews
#book based
Sydney is hosting WorldPride 2023! The celebration began 17 February with some of the best events available at local libraries. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-02-20 11:39:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#local libraries
#libraries
A celebration of community libraries and their expanding role, and a look at the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Paul Harding. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2023-02-17 17:56:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#public libraries
#community libraries
#expanding role
#libraries
A century ago, on February 18, 1923, the first issue of Weird Tales appeared on American newsstands. Subtitled “The Unique Magazine,” it was, as the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction puts it, “the first pulp magazine to specialize in supernatural and occult fiction,” including horror, fantasy,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-02-17 09:56:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#weird tales
#century ago
#read online
#science fiction
In 2016, I was no longer interested in teaching the traditional workshop and felt that my students no longer wanted it. A poet mentioned that in their workshop, they read the poem on the spot and then discuss it together. This was mind-blowing. No reading and re-reading in the week before? No... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2023-02-17 09:53:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#traditional workshop
At a glanceExpert's Rating ProsLight weight and sharp text make for hours of comfortable readingWaterproofBuilt-in OverDrive supportBook management offers many filtering and sorting optionsConsCan only play audiobooks from KoboBattery life not quite as good as on KindleOur VerdictNot only... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2023-02-16 23:20:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#ve created
#purchased titles
#highest priority
#digital book
#libraries
#kindle
PEN America's Literary Award Finalists have been announced. They include books of by debut writers and well-known writers alike. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-02-16 18:42:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#pen america
#include books
#debut writers
#literary award
The 16th edition of Iceland's biennial Reykjavik International Literary Festival has announced its 2023 lineup of authors. The post Reykjavik International Literary Festival Names Guest Authors appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-02-15 08:10:36 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#literary festival