True Born Englishman: did the BBC ban this Buckingham Palace play?

Peter Barnes’ monologue about a royal footman was commissioned for radio but never broadcast until now. Director Philip Franks and others unravel its mysteryThe most celebrated set of dramatic monologues for broadcasting and theatre are Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, first performed in the 1980s. But, at around the same time, a lesser-known dramatist created another trove of solos. Peter Barnes had 14 soliloquies on BBC Radio 3 under the umbrella titles Barnes’ People and More Barnes’ People. They attracted remarkable actors, including Laurence Olivier (in his final role), Judi Dench, Alec Guinness, Alan Rickman, Janet Suzman and Jeremy Irons.Barnes wrote, though, a 15th monologue, which the BBC, in mysterious circumstances, withdrew from production in 1990. A True Born Englishman, in which a Buckingham Palace lackey recalls his career, will now have its world premiere online, performed by Adrian Scarborough, on 18 February, alongside new versions of three monologues that did go out on radio. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-02-12 13:00:44 UTC ]
News tagged with: #alan bennett #talking heads #alan rickman #jeremy irons

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The judge in two Virginia book-banning cases has dismissed the lawsuits.

The judge in two obscenity cases in Virginia that targeted two books—Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe and A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas—has dismissed the cases, saying that the books are not obscene under the law and the law that pertains to the litigation is itself flawed.... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-31 13:48:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #maia kobabe #memoir


Virginia Judge Rules Against Book-Banning Attempt

In The Association of American Publishers and Authors Guild had filed an amicus brief in the case, which sought to limit sales of two books. The post Virginia Judge Rules Against Book-Banning Attempt appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-08-30 22:31:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #american publishers #authors guild


I could not believe how bravely Salman Rushdie faced the threats to his life. That’s true courage | Hadley Freeman

In our conversations and emails, his determination to not let the fatwa define him has been evidentThat Salman Rushdie was nearly murdered at an event in New York while talking about whether the United States was a safe haven for exiled writers is an irony he’d have rejected as too far-fetched... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-08-14 12:39:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fantastical novels #hadley freeman #guardian columnist #issues raised #memoir


Book Banners Don’t Know What a Book Ban Is

People trying to remove books from libraries insist it's not a book ban. Everyone wants to ban a book, but no one wants to be a book banner. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-08-03 10:40:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book banner #remove books #libraries


Review: This tender, original queer YA novel will likely be banned. That's not why you should read it

Lio Min's 'Beating Heart Baby' follows two boys who meet online and ultimately grapples with the joys and perils of making public art. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-07-25 13:00:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ya novel


In Lawrence Osborne’s novels, tourists can’t escape their true natures

"The Forgiven" author Lawrence Osborne discusses the impulses that drive his fiction. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-07-22 13:00:00 UTC ]
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8 Plays to Read Aloud with Your Book Club

If you're looking to shake up the usual book club format, consider reading these plays as a way to make meet-ups more engaging. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-07-20 10:35:00 UTC ]
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Start with Mysteries, Thrillers, & True Crime If You’re New to Audiobooks

If you're new to audiobooks or unsure if they're for you, try a mystery, thriller, or true crime audiobook to get you started. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-07-20 10:32:00 UTC ]
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“I Did Not Get Anywhere Until I Became a True Literary Citizen.” Courtney Maum on Making a Writing Career

I remember the first time I met Courtney Maum. It was nearly ten years ago, a spring or maybe summer day in Brooklyn, Carroll Gardens. We were both in our twenties, no books published yet, just a few free essays here and there, just starting our writing careers with the fierce intensity of Jack... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-07-18 08:52:29 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #courtney maum #writing career #writing careers


Billboards with Quotes From LGBTQ Books Placed in Book-Banning States

For Pride month, Penguin Random House installed billboard with quotes from LGBTQ books in areas where LGBTQ books are being banned. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-07-11 20:07:06 UTC ]
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A New York Library Bans Pride Displays and LGBTQ Kids’ Books, And Other Library Censorship Stories from Pride Month

Libraries from California to North Carolina to Utah to New York have seen their Pride displays challenged or removed this month. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-06-30 10:41:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pride month #north carolina #libraries


S&S Launches Banned Books Promotion for Bookstores

In response to growing book censorship, Simon & Schuster has launched a “Read banned books!” promotion that provides information on challenged titles, in-store displays, and social media materials. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Long Island library board comes to its senses and reverses ban on children’s Pride displays.

Following the recent onslaught of attacks on LGBTQ+ rights across the nation, the Smithtown Library Board of Trustees passed a resolution on June 21st to remove all Pride month displays from their children’s sections across all four buildings in the library’s district. The New York Library... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-06-24 15:19:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #pride displays #june 21st #library association


Cannes TV measurement takeaways from top execs—banning the word 'alternatives' and more

Measurement was a hot topic of conversation on the Croisette this week amid mounting uncertainty around Nielsen data. Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2022-06-24 14:08:24 UTC ]
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LeVar Burton Describes Book Bans With A Not-Safe-For-'Reading Rainbow' Word

The former "Reading Rainbow" host said banned books are "where the good stuff is." Continue reading at The Huffington Post

[ The Huffington Post | 2022-06-12 14:45:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reading rainbow #banned books #good stuff


Can we please make Banned Book Fairs the hot new nationwide trend?

As we’ve noted over and over again, the hottest new book trend sweeping the country is to ban them and/or burn them if they don’t align with your weird, paleoconservative, theocratic prejudices. Not great! But as ever is the case with this strange nation, when one group of Americans starts doing... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-06-10 17:01:27 UTC ]
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The Morning After: The French government bans English gaming terms, including ‘eSports’

Not satisfied with trying to replace “WiFi” with “l’access sans fil à internet” (which didn’t work), l'Académie française set its sights on gaming terms in 2017. It’s now gained traction with the government, and France’s Ministry of Culture has announced it’ll ban terms including "streamer" and... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-06-01 11:15:19 UTC ]
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1984 is Banned in Belarus, Bookstore Owner Detained for Carrying It

The Eastern European country Belarus has banned the sale of 1984, and two booksellers and publishers have been detained for carrying it. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-05-30 17:22:36 UTC ]
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Why the MLIS is a Powerful Weapon in Fighting Book Bans

The organized assault on the freedom to read has highlighted core values taught in library schools. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-05-23 04:00:00 UTC ]
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