The literary life of Michiko Kakutani: the book critic's best feuds and reviews

The New York Times writer is stepping down from her role, leaving behind a remarkable career characterized by razor-sharp reviews and intra-literary rowsMichiko Kakutani, the New York Times’ revered chief book critic, announced she was stepping down from her post on Thursday after 38 years, marking the end of a career that inspired both admiration and fear in the hearts of the writers whose books she reviewed.Kakutani was America’s most powerful literary critic, someone who, with the stroke of a pen, wielded immense influence over the careers of both budding and established novelists. Over the course of her tenure at the Times, Kakutani was remarkably guarded, making few appearances in public and allowing her reviews to speak for themselves. In honor of a critic so widely celebrated – the scribe behind pieces that launched the careers of David Foster-Wallace, George Saunders and Zadie Smith and angered quite a few others – here are her best feuds and reviews, broken down. Related: In defense of Jonathan Franzen – the internet's collective punching bag “Writing in prose that is at once visceral and lapidary, Mr Franzen shows us how his characters strive to navigate a world of technological gadgetry and ever-shifting mores, how they struggle to balance the equation between their expectations of life and dull reality, their political ideals and mercenary personal urges. He proves himself as adept at adolescent comedy (what happens to Joey after he accidentally swallows his... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #greek mythology

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The literary life of Michiko Kakutani: the book critic's best feuds and reviews'


Dahl in R&J Children's Christmas Book Club

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 29/09/2011 - 09:37 Titles by Roald Dahl, Rod Campbell and Janet and Allan Ahlberg are included in the selection for the third Richard and Judy's Children's Christmas Book Club, launched today in W H Smith stores. The 12 Richard and Judy... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #roald dahl #rod campbell #allan ahlberg #launched today


Book sales pass the £1bn mark

Written By: Philip Stone Publication Date: Thu, 29/09/2011 - 09:30 Printed book sales in 2011 have passed the £1bn mark two weeks later than in 2010 with David Nicholls' One Day the biggest selling book of the year to date. In total, £29.5m was spent at UK booksellers in the week ending 24th... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #1bn mark #david nicholls #uk booksellers #11th september


Casey to tackle kids' books for RH

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 29/09/2011 - 08:15 Ebury Press and Random House Children's Books have signed two separate three-book deals with crime writer Jane Casey. Editorial director for fiction at Ebury Gillian Green acquired UK rights, including Europe and British... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Lord Sugar to hold Twitter book signing

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Wed, 28/09/2011 - 08:39 Pan Macmillan will be holding the world's first live Twitter book signing to launch Lord Alan Sugar's book The Way I See It: Rants, Revelations and Rules for Life. The signing will be held over www.lordsugar.tv at 1pm... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lord sugar #twitter followers


Bezos tops Guardian book trade power list

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 26/09/2011 - 08:50 Amazon c.e.o. Jeff Bezos has been named as the most powerful man in books in a Guardian and Observer "power list" of the 100 key people in the trade. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jeff bezos #powerful man #power list


More Readers, Sales for E-books

There are almost as many ebook surveys as there are digital conferences. Two new surveys released last week provided more information, one on the impact digital readers have had on consumers' reading and book-buying habits, while a second examined the impact of digital publishing on the industry. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book-buying habits #digital publishing


Simon & Schuster to publish Country Life titles

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Thu, 22/09/2011 - 08:48 Simon & Schuster has signed a deal with Country Life magazine to publish a new series of tie-in books, beginning this autumn with Curious Observations: A Country Miscellany. The book will comprise writings, articles and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #simon schuster


Book Warehouse takes over Travel Bookshop site

Written By: Benedicte Page and Philip Jones Publication Date: Tue, 20/09/2011 - 10:14 The Travel Bookshop premises in Notting Hill will reopen as a bookshop this week after The Book Warehouse acquired the lease to one-half of the building from the Travel Bookshop's founder Sarah Anderson. read... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #travel bookshop #benedicte page #notting hill


Pan Mac pre-empts literary debut

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 20/09/2011 - 13:00 Pan Macmillan has pre-empted rights in a debut novel about a young black hairdresser called Dorrie in present-day Texas, for a five-figure sum. Editorial director for fiction Jenny Geras bought UK and Commonwealth rights... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pre-empted rights #five-figure sum #jenny meyer #pan macmillan


In E-Books, Publishing Houses Have a Rival in News Sites

Swiftly and at little cost, newspapers, magazines and sites like The Huffington Post are publishing their own version of ebooks. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2011-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing houses #news sites #huffington post


Bertrams completes Dawson Books acquisition

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 19/09/2011 - 09:32 Bertrams has made three management team appointments, with Nick Harknett joining as group commercial director as parent company Smiths News Group completes its purchase of the Dawson Group. Smiths News now owns the Dawson... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #smiths news


‘Business as usual’ for Frankfurt Book Fair

Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 16/09/2011 - 16:21 Publishers are predicting a busy Frankfurt, reporting full meeting schedules. However, given the tough economic climate, there was a prevailing mood of caution. Hachette UK rights director Jason Bartholomew said: “Every year... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Six on "stimulating" business book shortlist

Publication Date: Thu, 15/09/2011 - 08:45 Titles exploring the rise and fall of the American dollar, the boom in cities and the economics of poverty have been shortlisted for the Financial Times and Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year Award. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #american dollar


Discussions Continue in Google Books Lawsuit, Attorneys Say

Google and representatives for authors and publishers told a U.S. District Court judge Thursday that they would like to continue discussions on a revised... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-09-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishers told


Waterstone's add new categories to children's book prize

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Wed, 14/09/2011 - 09:28 Waterstone’s has extended its children’s book prize to include teen fiction and picture books, in addition to books for five to 12 year olds. Waterstone’s spokesman Jon Howells said: “The children’s award had done very well... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #picture books #book prize #childrens award #childrens publishing


Waterstone's adds new categories to kid's book prize

Written By: Caroline Horn Publication Date: Wed, 14/09/2011 - 09:28 Waterstone’s has extended its children’s book prize to include teen fiction and picture books, in addition to books for five to 12 year olds. Waterstone’s spokesman Jon Howells said: “The children’s award had done very well... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #picture books #book prize #childrens award #childrens publishing


Disney 'Furious' at NBC for Breaking Embargo on Kennedy Book

Disney execs are “furious” that the world exclusive on the embargoed Jackie Kennedy book and audiotapes was broken by NBC, and not ABC, according to the New York Post’s Keith Kelly. Both ABC and the book’s publisher, Hyperion, are owned by Disney. The book, “Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2011-09-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tuesday morning #bookstore owner #exclusive rights #day ahead #diane sawyer


Six Ways Amazon Book Streaming Could Help Small Business

Amazon's rumoured streaming-book service would be great for businesses, students, and educators. Here's why. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #small business


Sales surge for Man Booker shortlist books

Written By: Tom Tivnan Publication Date: Tue, 13/09/2011 - 16:30 A D Miller and Carol Birch's novels are the big winners of the Man Booker Prize shortlist so far, with sales across the six books surging 290% by volume on last week. The six books on the list shifted 18,496 copies for the week... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sales surge #carol birch #big winners


Authors Guild Sues Universities Over Google Book Scanning

The Authors Guild has sued five universities and a library partnership organization alleging copyright infringement over their use of certain digitized copies of... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #authors guild #digitized copies