Harper Lee never wanted Go Set a Watchman brought out, Sylvia Plath’s diary was burned by Ted Hughes – the controversial world of literary legacies When a writer is born into a family, the Polish poet Czesław Miłosz said, that family is finished. Yes, but when a writer dies that family’s troubles have only just begun. Wills may be contradictory and instructions to literary executors confused. Works left behind on computers or in desk drawers may be of uncertain status: were they intended for publication or not? And if the writer is famous enough, there’ll be biographers to deal with: can they be trusted to paint a kindly portrait? In their lifetime, authors have a measure of control. Once they’re gone, it’s left to others to guard their reputations.The vigilance can be fierce, with the appointed custodians (whether spouses, children, lawyers, agents, editors or friends) not so much keepers of the flame as dragons guarding a cave. Posterity is rarely kind to them: however they act, they will be accused of acting badly. If they deny the author’s wishes, as those acting for the French philosopher Michel Foucault have recently done by consenting to the publication of a book he hadn’t finished and didn’t want to come out, they will be called treacherous. And if they are overly loyal, destroying work the author disowned but that deserves to be saved, they will be called philistine or just plain stupid. Either way, they can’t shirk the role allotted them. They have an estate to... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2018-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
If you’ve been paying attention to local news in the past year, you’ve likely noticed the concerning wave of book bans sweeping the nation. Books by authors of color; books that acknowledge historical atrocities; books featuring LGBTQ+ characters; sex education books for teens; all are under... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-02-09 19:49:33 UTC ]
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He was a president of Students for a Democratic Society and reflected on his activism in “The Sixties,” an acclaimed work of history and memoir. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-02-08 03:30:54 UTC ]
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The longtime Random House editor, who combined a deep passion for books with a shrewd business mind and, as a result, made multiple major contributions to 20th Century literary and publishing history, died on February 4. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-02-07 05:00:00 UTC ]
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He founded Anchor Books, publishing high-quality paperbacks in the 1950s, then led Random House and helped launch the New York Review of Books. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-02-05 02:25:43 UTC ]
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Works by writers like bell hooks, Damon Young and James Baldwin that will educate and make an impact on everyone. Continue reading at HuffPost
[ HuffPost | 2022-01-31 16:37:38 UTC ]
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A late baby-boomer, I spent my tweens and adolescence in the 1970s under the Tolkien-woven spell of heroic fantasy, immersed in the imagined worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea trilogy (1968-72), Patricia A. McKillip’s Riddlemaster trilogy (1976-79), and Evangeline Walton’s Welsh-myth-remix... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2022-01-26 09:55:39 UTC ]
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Gillian Flynn, Carmen Maria Machado and other authors discuss their creative process. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-01-20 18:04:50 UTC ]
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Once again the children’s writer Julia Donaldson tops the year-end ranking of writers through Nielsen, but a rise in sales of backlist titles saw a number of authors with large oeuvres make an appearance. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2022-01-16 10:02:13 UTC ]
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Waterstones has apologised and said it is "deeply embarrassed" after award-winning author Derek Owusu was asked for ID in a London branch when he offered to sign copies of his books. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2022-01-16 01:22:08 UTC ]
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Peters Fraser & Dunlop has entered into an agreement with French publisher J C Lattès to handle all translation rights to the iconic Imogène series by Le Masque author Charles Exbrayat. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2022-01-13 14:31:59 UTC ]
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IPA, CPJ, and several embassies condemn the defamation verdict against PRH Peru's Jerónimo Pimentel and author Christopher Acosta. The post PRH Peru Chief and Author in Defamation Case: Publishing Industry Support appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-01-12 15:59:10 UTC ]
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BookLife, PW’s subsidiary devoted to helping self-published authors, will hold the first BookLife Indie Author Forum on March 19 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT. The forum will cover the writing and publishing of adult and children’s books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-01-12 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The Christmas decorations are down, the tin of Quality Street is empty and now I’m planning my author goals for the year. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2022-01-08 10:21:55 UTC ]
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Independent publisher Galley Beggar has paid tribute to author Uschi Gatward, who has died following a battle with cancer. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2022-01-05 01:03:10 UTC ]
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Xochitl Gonzalez’s debut novel, “Olga Dies Dreaming,” is a smart romantic comedy that lures us in with laughter but keeps us hooked with insight. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2022-01-04 12:00:59 UTC ]
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The AAPI Communities in Conversation series launches on January 4 at 1 p.m. ET. The series is a joint effort between the University of South Carolina's Augusta Baker Endowed Chair and Penguin Random House Library Marketing, with additional media support from Publishers Weekly. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-01-03 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Keri Hulme, the first New Zealander to win the Booker Prize, has died aged 74 after battling ongoing health conditions. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-12-29 05:10:58 UTC ]
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A federal judge has issued a default judgment against a major overseas e-book piracy operation known as the KISS Library. In addition to a permanent injunction barring the service from operating, the court also awarded the plaintiffs the maximum amount of damages under the law, totaling some... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-29 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The power Ms. Hulme drew from her Maori heritage shone through in her work, especially in “The Bone People,” which won the literary prize in 1985. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2021-12-29 04:47:34 UTC ]
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He deciphered the secrets of ants, studied social behavior in organisms and was one of the greatest naturalists of his time. He received two Pulitzer Prizes for nonfiction. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2021-12-27 10:40:00 UTC ]
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