UK’s visa ban raises spectre of apartheid | Letters

Author Beverley Naidoo condemns the UK’s decision to deny an Iranian artist a visa to attend the Edinburgh festivalThe UK government’s denial of a visa to Ehsan Abdollahi (Iranian artist barred from Edinburgh festival after ‘Kafkaesque’ visa refusal, 21 July) suggests a game of snakes without ladders in a hall of mirrors. Being divorced, he was told that “no one is dependent on you” ie a bad mark for not having a pull factor to go back to Iran. Last year, however, the artist Marjan Vafaian was refused a visa despite her husband intending to stay in Tehran when she’d be travelling. Her bad mark was apparently for being too young. Making pots of money as an artist in the UK would be a pull factor to keep her here while, in Abdollahi’s case, his work as an illustrator and teacher in Tehran was insufficient explanation for the funds in his bank. This is the third year that the brave little indie children’s book publisher Tiny Owl has had artists’ visas turned down. I have a personal interest as Marjan Vafaian is illustrating my text of Cinderella on the Nile and I have been hoping that we can do some events together after our book is published next year. Apartheid South Africa banned people and books in order to stop dialogue and communication of ideas. These visa denials ban UK audiences, particularly young people, from engaging with these Iranian artists. Why?Beverley NaidooBournemouth Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Inferno is UK's most-borrowed novel

Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code follow-up Inferno was the most-borrowed book in UK libraries last year, while James Paterson was the most popular author. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2015-02-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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NLT raises £75,000 from charity auction

The National Literacy Trust (NLT) has raised £75,000 for its work in improving child literacy at a charity auction held yesterday (12th February) in London. Guests at the auction, which was hosted by Private Eye editor Ian Hislop, bid for items including a signed pair of Frank Lampard’s... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Headline snaps up Hughes' 'The Letter'

Headline has signed The Letter, a debut novel by Kathryn Hughes which hit number one on the Amazon Kindle chart as a self-published ebook.   The Letter, which tells the story of two women whose lives become entwined when one discovers a letter that was written in 1939 but never sent, was... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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What’s in a name? Well, the right letters would help | Noo Saro-Wiwa

I’m used to my name being mangled and botched in every conceivable way, but seeing it wrong on my latest book was too muchIt’s the moment every writer lives for: a box arrives at your door containing copies of the new edition of your book. Beaming with satisfaction, I tear off the binding tape.... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-02-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hachette UK results show Ferguson fall-off

Hachette UK finished 2014 with a net sales decline of 10% in the final quarter, compared to the same period in 2013 which saw Sir Alex Ferguson claim the Christmas number one, according to annual results released by French parent company Lagardere. Across 2014 as a whole, Hachette UK saw a... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PRH UK to be sole Faber distributor

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[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst UK chief Anna Jones on the enduring power of print magazines

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[ The Guardian | 2015-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Turkey to Facebook: ban pages that insult the Prophet Mohammad or we'll block you

Over the weekend a court in Turkey told Facebook to block several pages that had been deemed to insult the Prophet Mohammad. A court order was delivered to the social network with the threat that if Facebook failed to comply, the site would be completely blocked in Turkey. Turkey's banging of... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2015-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Evolution of the UK Mobile Editor

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[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers Urge Reversal on Syrian Publishing Ban

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UK Booksellers urged to join European-wide campaign

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[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Memoir ban 'threatens freedom of speech'

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[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Je Suis Charlie Campaign Raises $40,000

PW’s Je Suis Charlie campaign to support free expression has raised $40,000 in contributions that will be donated to five organizations that support free speech. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Attempt to ban performing artist’s abuse memoir ‘threatens free speech’

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[ The Guardian | 2015-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Library cuts and falls in printed book sales | Letters

Has the editor of The Bookseller compared the fall of print sales of adult fiction since 2009 by more than £150m with the massively declined budgets of public libraries over the same five-year period (The writing’s on the wall for adult fiction in print, 14 January). This is also conditioned by... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-01-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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OUP Bans Pork from Children’s Books

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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No, we haven’t banned books on pigs – but sensitivity is key in global publishing | Jane Harley

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[ The Guardian | 2015-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harlequin UK to join HC in London Bridge

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[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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David Walliams leads UK book sales

Comedian David Walliams led the sales of children's books in the UK last year, generating more than £7m in 2014. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2015-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple raises minimum app prices

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[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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