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 ]
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The Thai American heroine of Christina Soontornvat’s graphic novel wrestles with anti-Asian racism while auditioning for the cheerleading squad. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2022-08-26 06:47:33 UTC ]
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This season’s regional shows mark the first time that many booksellers have been able to get together in person since the start of the pandemic. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-08-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
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In the absence of in-person regional trade shows and conferences the past few years, two Midwestern booksellers who craved connection began organizing in-person bookseller gatherings on their own. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-08-26 04:00:00 UTC ]
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I think every aspiring writer should work in a used bookstore. For a little while, at least. If nothing else, the ego death is electric. * I am lucky. A fellowship after my MFA has left me with all kinds of time to write and live out this romantic dream job. Ensconced in an Ann […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-24 08:53:03 UTC ]
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Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault’s sequel to their graphic novel “Louis Undercover” turns the music up a notch. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2022-08-19 06:22:04 UTC ]
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The first major review for Breaking History—odious lickspittle Jared Kushner’s memoir about his tenure at the Trump White House—has dropped, and it is a doozy. Published by Broadside Books (a lamentable neocon imprint of Harper Collins which boasts a stable full of prize grievance ponies like... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-17 15:19:36 UTC ]
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Alice Sedgwick Wohl's 'As It Turns Out,' on power duo Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick, is not a memoir but an investigation of a cultural obsession. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-08-17 13:00:01 UTC ]
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A debut novel views a middle-aged organic farmer through the eyes of a 21-year-old woman he preys upon. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2022-08-15 19:37:36 UTC ]
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Half Price Books, a Texas-based company, has firmly established itself as the nation’s third-largest bookstore chain with 121 stores. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-08-12 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Richard Charkin offers 'a heartfelt apology,' writing that he now finds literary agents 'trusted go-betweens and understanding partners.' The post Richard Charkin: Dear Literary Agent appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-08-10 17:00:17 UTC ]
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Close to 600 titles will be part of the new, accessible 'Ebooks for Everyone' initiative from the Literary Press Group of Canada. The post Canada’s Literary Press Group: Accessible Ebooks appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-08-09 14:58:40 UTC ]
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Lynne Tillman’s taut memoir of caring for an aging parent runs an emotional gamut. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2022-08-08 19:30:06 UTC ]
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Her first short-story collection, "The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing," was translated into more than 30 languages and became a best-seller. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-08-05 16:41:12 UTC ]
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In 2008, after 13 years together, my literary agent and I parted ways. (To preserve her anonymity, let’s call her Michael Ovitz.) Between 1995 and 2002, Michael Ovitz sold two of my novels, including my debut, Hunger Point. By any measure, our partnership was a terrific success. Michael Ovitz... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-05 08:53:09 UTC ]
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At a glanceExpert’s Rating ProsFast CPUGorgeous 3.5K OLEDGreat audioConsOnly two USB-C PortsMiddling battery performanceNo headset jackOur VerdictDell’s XPS 13 Plus once again tries to set standard for all laptops and largely succeeds, but its battery life and lack of ports don’t... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2022-08-04 10:45:00 UTC ]
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In his latest book, the French author celebrated for his deeply personal accounts of tragic events embraces meditation as a means of learning to write “without fabrication.” But telling the truth is complicated. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2022-07-31 09:00:08 UTC ]
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July 30 is officially Paperback Book Day! It’s apparently the day that Penguin started publishing paperbacks, way back in 1935. And what a glorious day it was! Who doesn’t love paperbacks? They feel so nice in your hands! They fit so conveniently into your bag! Curious about the history behind... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-07-29 13:00:35 UTC ]
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Noir has long been obsessed with books—books as objects, as evidence, as repositories of the past, and occasionally as glimpses into other worlds of possibility. It’s no wonder, then, that booksellers often turn up in fiction, and especially in mystery. There’s something intoxicating about the... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2022-07-29 11:00:00 UTC ]
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'Yoga' charts true-crime master Emmanuel Carrère's journey from intensive meditation to mental breakdown — but leaves out the divorce that derailed him. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-07-26 13:00:18 UTC ]
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Following the "Don't Say Gay" bill, Florida teachers have been told to pull their classroom libraries until each title has been approved. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2022-07-25 17:58:04 UTC ]
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