The Observer's books of the year

From new voices like NoViolet Bulawayo to rediscovered old voices like James Salter, from Dave Eggers's satire to David Thomson's history of film, writers, Observer critics and others pick their favourite reads of 2013. And they tell us what they hope to find under the tree …Curtis SittenfeldNovelistMy favourite books of 2013 are Drama High (Riverhead) by Michael Sokolove, Sea Creatures (Turnaround) by Susanna Daniel, and & Sons (Harper Collins) by David Gilbert. Drama High is incredibly smart, moving non-fiction about an American drama teacher who for four decades coaxed sophisticated and nuanced theatrical performances out of teenage students who weren't privileged or otherwise remarkable and in so doing, changed their conceptions of what they could do with their lives. Sea Creatures is a gripping, beautifully written novel about the mother of a selectively mute three-year-old boy; when she takes a job ferrying supplies to a hermit off the coast of Florida, her world is upended. & Sons is a fabulously clever, warm-hearted novel about fathers, sons, literature, art, lust, envy, fraudulence, and Manhattan.As for a book I'd love to be given, Mohsin Hamid has recently been writing wonderful columns for the New York Times that make me curious about his novels. If Santa's reading this, I believe I'll start with How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (Hamish Hamilton).Hilary MantelNovelistTime to recall the more energising parts of the year's reading: Kate Atkinson's... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-11-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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U.S. Sues Apple, Publishers Over E-Book Pricing

The U.S. filed an antitrust lawsuit Wednesday against Apple Inc. and five of the nation's largest publishers, alleging they conspired to limit competition for the pricing of ebooks. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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US Sues Apple and Publishers Over e-Book Prices

The US accuses Apple and Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Simon and Schuster and Penguin of colluding over the prices of ebooks they sell. This lawsuit is over the firms' move to the agency model where publishers rather than sellers set price ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple, Major Publishers Sued Over E-Book Pricing

The Department of Justice is accusing the companies of colluding to raise ebook prices by using the 'agency' model of ebook pricing. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2012-04-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Candlelit readings to be held for World Book Night

  This year's volunteer givers for World Book Night (23rd April) are being encouraged... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Consumer Group: E-book Price Fixing Costs Big Bucks

E-book price fixing will cost consumers more than US$200 million this year, and U.S. antitrust authorities should take action against Apple and a group of... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2012-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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10 most challenged books on the American Library Association's 2011 list

The 'ttyl' series by Lauren Myracle and 'The Color of Earth' by Kim Dong Hwa top the 2011 rankings of most challenged books. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-04-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book review: 'No Time Like the Present' by Nadine Gordimer

An interracial couple navigates modern life in South African in 'No Time Like the Present,' by Nadine Gordimer.No Time Like the Present Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book review: 'The Selected Letters of Charles Dickens'

The author's exuberant use of words in private is as vivid as in public.The Selected Letters of Charles Dickens Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book review: 'Suddenly, a Knock On the Door' by Etgar Keret

The author goes from one extreme to another in this wonderfully absurdist short-story collection.Suddenly, a Knock On the Door Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book reviews: 'Free Will,' 'Religion for Atheists'

The necessity of self-improvement and social betterment is thoughtfully explored in Sam Harris' and Alain de Botton's books.Free Will Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New Reports Chart the Rise of E-books

Two new reports released in the past 10 days document the ebook market’s rapid growth in the U.S. and the U.K., and suggest that a significant global spike is close at hand. Among the major takeaways from the “Bowker Market Research Global eBook Monitor” or GeM, study, ebooks are beginning to... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Publicists Step into Publishing

Publishing companies typically incorporate publishing and marketing departments into their business models. February Partners, however, is doing things a little differently: the Manhattan boutique book publicity and marketing firm founded in the fall of 2010 by two industry veterans has just... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Incendio! Pottermore E-Book Sales on Fire.

$1.5 million worth of Harry Potter books sold in Pottermore's first three days online. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-book price probe 'approaching resolution'

The European and US investigation into ebook pricing may be approaching resolution, say US press... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Independents 'fight back' with London book market

A London book market founded by independent booksellers is to launch in Hackney, selling new and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-book revolution: We're reading more than ever

A study by the Pew Internet Project finds that consumers who use e-readers are buying more books. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Settlement Near on E-Book Pricing

Talks to resolve U.S. and European price-fixing probes into ebooks are heating up, with three international publishers inclined to settle the matter, according to people familiar with the matter. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-04-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book review: 'Sailor' by Tom Epperson

A mob wife fleeing her past — and a dirty U.S. marshal — gets a little help from a mysterious stranger in Epperson's modern noir tale of revenge and greed.If I were a damsel in distress fleeing a past and people who wanted me dead, like Gina Cicala in the modern noir thriller "Sailor" by Tom... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tate launches e-commerce site for books, gifts

London’s Tate Group has launched a new e-commerce site selling books and other items... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fewer new magazines, fewer closures this year

and Matthew Flamm - The magazine industry saw slightly fewer launches in the first quarter of 2012, compared to a year ago, but—on the positive side—there were many fewer closures, according to a survey released Monday by MediaFinder, the online database of U.S. and Canadian publications. Not... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2012-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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