The Elan Gale internet hoax sums up all that is rotten about our online lives | Hadley Freeman

When I was a teenager, I thought it would be great to be an adult and be surrounded by people who weren't mean to each other all day. Enter stage left: the world wide webBack in the early 90s, when I was still at school and words such as "friend" and "message" were nouns as opposed to verbs, a particular incident occurred. For a month or so, a book had been circling among my classmates in which we wrote anonymous mean things about each other, and the statements that were deemed the funniest – invariably, the meanest – would get (anonymous) stars of approval. One day someone wrote in the book that a classmate whom I'll call Rose had made out with her cousin. More details about this fascinating make-out session were added to the book daily, and reading about Rose and her cousin became the only reason any of us wanted to come to school in the mornings. Eventually the writer of the story, whom I'll call Charlotte, couldn't resist claiming the attention she felt was duly hers and let her involvement be known.The saga now reached peak hysteria and Rose tearfully went to a teacher. Charlotte was forced to admit that she had made the whole thing up, all because she wanted some stars. (Naturally, the most salacious story a privileged, protected 13-year-old girl could think of was someone making out with their cousin.) All of us stared down at the floor as she confessed, because even though we knew Charlotte had now laid herself open to the most deliciously sharp mockery, hadn't we... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "The Elan Gale internet hoax sums up all that is rotten about our online lives | Hadley Freeman"


Lockdown drives 'explosive' online sales across formats, says BookStat's Abbassi

The past six months have seen “explosive” online sales with print books up by 45%, e-books by 30% and audio increasing 28%, according to figures from Bookstat c.e.o. Paul Abbassi. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-19 01:00:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #print books #online sales #paul abbassi


'Strong' first-day sales of Obama memoir online, says Waterstones

Waterstones has seen "strong" online orders for A Promised Land (Viking), with the title also at number one in Amazon's bestseller charts. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-18 06:17:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #memoir #bestseller charts #first-day sales


Lockdown's online shift fuelling 'crazy' market for big name authors, Redmayne says

A “seismic shift” to online shopping during the pandemic has fuelled a “crazy” market for acquisitions of big names, HarperCollins UK c.e.o. Charlie Redmayne has said. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-17 23:24:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #harpercollins #harpercollins uk #online shopping #seismic shift #charlie redmayne #big names


Yale University Press Launches Black Lives Series

In early 2022, Yale University Press will debut Black Lives, a series of brief biographies of Black individuals who profoundly shaped history. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-11-17 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #black individuals


Doctor Who's sonic pioneers to turn internet into giant musical instrument

The BBC Radiophonic Workshop made the famous science fiction theme tune and worked with the Beatles. Now it is preparing to make historyThe Radiophonic Workshop has always broken new sonic ground, from the Doctor Who theme to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Now they’re at it again – this... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-11-15 10:00:31 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #science fiction #pink floyd #paul mccartney #influenced generations


Your next book recommendation will come from a bot living under the Bixby Creek Bridge.

The robots are coming for our jobs, but I think I was hoping they would avoid niche literary media a bit longer. Alas, our day has arrived: Booxby, an AI-driven platform that collects data from manuscripts for marketing purposes, has now launched a free book recommendation tool. Be good and... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-11-12 16:50:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #free book #literary hub #marketing purposes


Ruth Coker Burks | 'I wanted the [victims] to be counted, to have their lives matter'

"They'd put a big red plastic bag over the entire door, and all his food trays were on the floor outside. And then the nurses started drawing straws to choose who would have to go in there and check on him.” On Zoom, Ruth Coker Burks is reliving the moment in 1984 when, while visiting a friend... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-09 02:29:37 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #home town


Hachette backs bookshops' online sales of Rowling's Ickabog

Hachette Children's Books has said the publisher will be "pivoting" promotional plans for J K Rowling's The Ickabog to support closed bookshops. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-05 10:01:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #hachette #hachette children #online sales


Jacaranda launches online book festival

Independent publisher and bookseller Jacaranda is to launch an online book festival in December, celebrating a new wave of black British authors.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-05 08:45:44 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #online book #independent publisher #bookseller


With Virus Resurgent, PRH Extends Open License for Online Readings Through March, 2021

With the Covid-19 pandemic resurgent around the globe, Penguin Random House this week announced that it is extending its Open License for online story time and read-aloud videos through March 31, 2021. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #penguin random house #week announced #online readings


Online sales push Bloomsbury to best first-half since 2008

Bloomsbury Publishing has delivered its highest first half earnings since 2008, as "signficantly higher” online book sales and e-book revenues led to year-on-year profit growth of 60% to £4m in the six months ended 31st August 2020. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-26 15:50:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #bloomsbury #online book #e-book #half earnings #bloomsbury publishing


The Longest Book Series to Get You Through Winter 2020, AKA The Longest Time of All Our Lives

Get through the winter with some of the longest series on shelves, including The Guin Saga by Kaoru Kurimoto. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-10-23 10:34:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #book series


Bluebird swipes guide to online dating from ex-Facebook psychiatrist

Bluebird has swiped a guide to online dating and text communication from Facebook's former in-house psychiatrist Dr Mimi Winsberg. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-21 23:03:38 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #online dating


Books for Faithful Family Lives Proliferate

Religion publishers are addressing the modern needs of parents and couples in new books on mental health, LQBTQ issues, addiction, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #mental health #religion publishers


Obituary: David Gale

Children’s book editor David Gale, who shaped a distinguished roster of award-winning titles and proudly championed works of LGBTQ literature, died on October 9 following a long illness; he was 65. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #children’s book #long illness #award-winning titles #distinguished roster


Frankfurter Buchmesse Online: Our Publishing Perspectives Talks 2020

The trio of Publishing Perspectives Talks this year brings together some of the sharpest players in their respective sectors for agile debate. The post Frankfurter Buchmesse Online: Our Publishing Perspectives Talks 2020 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-10-12 02:42:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #frankfurter buchmesse


Porter to read Grief is the Thing with Feathers live

Max Porter is to read Grief is the Thing with Feathers live at Islington's Union Chapel later this month.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-11 19:32:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Children’s Book Begets Online Community for Grieving Kids

Author and entrepreneur Kristina Bingham Jones is using the release of her first children's book as an opportunity to help grieving children cope with their losses in a new online community. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #children's book #online community


Join Us for a Live Update on Translation From the Arab World

Presented by the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, a publisher and a translator weigh in with practical insights and observations. The post Join Us for a Live Update on Translation From the Arab World appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-09-25 19:02:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #zayed book #practical insights #arab world


Watch 'Black Poets in a Time of Unrest' live

L.A. poet laureate Robin Coste Lewis and other poets share experiences and verse with L.A. Times Book Club readers. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-09-24 20:18:48 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #times book #black poets