Track Changes: A Literary History of Word Processing review – did tech change literary style?

Frank Herbert on his Boeing, Stephen King on his Wang, and Philip Roth worrying that writing would become too easy … Matthew Kirschenbaum’s account of literature in the digital ageIn a photograph taken in his high-tech home office at 29 Merrick Square, London, in 1968, thriller writer Len Deighton is hard at work on his next novel, Bomber. An electric typewriter is perched atop a desk, a huge telex machine extrudes paper coils on to the florid carpet, and a video camera on a tripod is pointed at the author’s face. In the foreground is another, bulkier, typewriter connected by a fat cable to a cabinet or console. The author of Billion Dollar Brain had lately taken delivery of a magnetic tape selectric typewriter (MT/ST) (marketed in Britain as the IBM 72 IV). It was first posited at IBM’s main offices in Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1957; the finished product weighed 200lb and cost $10,000. And with it Deighton was about to compose the first novel ever written on a word processor.In fact, as Matthew Kirschenbaum points out in his unexpectedly engaging history of word processing, it was Deighton’s sedulous assistant Ellenor Handley who did most of the typing (until 1968 she’d had to redraft each novel dozens of times). As she typed, her keystrokes were saved to tape, and corrections could be made before a final printout. It was a vexing process in which writing happened both on paper and in the typist’s harried imagination; IBM’s literature commanded the user to “visualise... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Windows File History review: Free, effective continuous data protection

At a glanceExpert's Rating ProsExcellent continuous data protection with versioningEasy, timeline browsing of backed-up filesIntegrated into WindowsBacks up user-created librariesConsEasy “Add folder” function removed from Windows 11Our VerdictWindows File History is still the easiest,... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2022-09-06 14:30:00 UTC ]
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Dawnie Walton Wins the 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize

The fifth iteration of the US$35,000 Aspen Words Literary Prize goes to journalist Dawnie Walton for 'The Final Revival of Opal and Nev.' The post Dawnie Walton Wins the 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-04-22 00:42:05 UTC ]
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Place History: How an L.A. bookshop became the house bar of a literary golden age

L.A. transplant Stanley Rose's short-lived 1930s bookstore and boozy backroom became a literary haven for Chandler, Fante, Faulkner, West and many more. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-04-14 13:00:44 UTC ]
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Place History: How Vroman's made Pasadena a literary capital

The oldest bookstore in SoCal has always known its customers best, from tourists to Caltech professors and the diverse clientele that adores it today. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-04-14 13:00:37 UTC ]
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Awards: The Aspen Words Literary Prize Names Its 2022 Shortlist

One debut is among the five shortlisted titles for the US$35,000 Apsen Words Literary Awards, focused on issue-driven fiction. The post Awards: The Aspen Words Literary Prize Names Its 2022 Shortlist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-02-26 02:26:44 UTC ]
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Chasing History review: Carl Bernstein’s pre-Watergate world

Before he helped bring down Richard Nixon, the reporter grew up in a school of hard knocks. His memoir is a treasureFew reporters are synonymous with their craft. Bob Woodward of the Washington Post is one, his former partner, Carl Bernstein, another. Together, they broke open the Watergate... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-01-16 07:00:43 UTC ]
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Review: A debut novel strives to capture the paradoxes of Korean history

Juhea Kim's "Beasts of a Little Land" captures the dualities of Korean history but ties up symbols too tightly in the service of grand ambitions. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-12-14 15:00:20 UTC ]
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Aspen Institute Names Its 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize Longlist

Now in its fifth award cycle, the $35,000 Aspen Words Literary Prize names 16 books to its 2022 longlist, with a shortlist to come February 23. The post Aspen Institute Names Its 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize Longlist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-11-10 20:01:06 UTC ]
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Books in the Media: le Carré's last dominates reviews to close career in style

John le Carré's final novel Silverview (Viking) dominated the review pages this week, picking up mentions from the Sunday Times, Times, Guardian, Financial Times, Sunday Telegraph, the i and the Scotsman.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-10-11 06:20:33 UTC ]
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A History of the Book Review Through Its Fonts

On the 125th anniversary of the Book Review, we look back at some of our earliest flourishes, curlicues, flowers and scrolls. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-05-28 16:20:05 UTC ]
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Louise Erdrich Wins the $35,000 Aspen Words Literary Prize

In its fourth year, the issue-driven Aspen Words Prize goes to fiction based in the Native American struggle for tribal self-determination. The post Louise Erdrich Wins the $35,000 Aspen Words Literary Prize appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-04-22 02:23:20 UTC ]
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How Reading Ebooks Changes Our Perception (And Reviews)

Take a deep dive into research around reading ebooks and print books, and how these experiences compare to each other and other media. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-03-02 11:33:00 UTC ]
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Aspen Words’ $35,000 Literary Prize Names Its 2021 Finalists

The shortlist for this year's Aspen Words Literary Prize features three novels and two short story collections. The post Aspen Words’ $35,000 Literary Prize Names Its 2021 Finalists appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-02-17 16:38:14 UTC ]
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A New Way to Trace the History of Sci-Fi’s Made-Up Words

The Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction turns a century of neologisms (and neosemes!) into a redefintion of the genre. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2021-01-27 12:00:00 UTC ]
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The Bookseller's Tale by Martin Latham review – a literary celebration

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... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-12-19 09:00:45 UTC ]
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'Much work to do': pay transparency and hiring processes must change now, FutureBook hears

Ensuring transparency around pay, demystifying the hiring process and giving illustrators the recognition they deserve are among the most fundamental changes the industry needs to make now, delegates at The Bookseller's FutureBook conference heard. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-17 02:31:32 UTC ]
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Chirp Audiobooks Review: Does Chirp Change the Audiobook Game?

What is Chirp? How does it differ from other services like Audible? And, is it worth getting? Learn more in our Chirp audiobooks review! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-11-13 11:34:00 UTC ]
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Aspen Words’ Issue-Driven Literary Prize: The 2021 Longlist

The Aspen Words Literary Prize is focused on authors whose work deals in cultural relevance and contemporary conditions. The post Aspen Words’ Issue-Driven Literary Prize: The 2021 Longlist appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-11-10 18:06:42 UTC ]
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Virago acquires 'history of women’s words'

Virago has acquired a "personal" and "campaigning" exploration of the language we have had for women’s bodies and experiences over the centuries, by Oxford academic Dr Jenni Nuttall. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-11-03 21:05:42 UTC ]
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Apparently, the White House turned the routine review process for Bolton’s book into a huge mess.

When John Bolton was preparing to publish The Room Where It Happened, his memoir of serving in the Trump White House, he and his legal team took the routine step of submitting it for review at the National Security Council. It was Ellen Knight’s job to oversee that process, as she had done... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-23 20:07:06 UTC ]
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