Essay Photo by Tyler Quiring / Unsplash Ismail Kadare has a remarkable quality of saying a great deal and with much clarity, but in an elusive, oblique, and allegorical way. Peter Constantine situates Kadare’s work in the long history of the Balkans and in the broader tradition of writers who practice their craft under the constraints of censorship. Anton Chekhov, in his comical short story “The Cross,” which he wrote in 1883, sets the scene in a high-society Moscow salon: a gathering of elegant Muscovites is crowding around a poet who, it seems, has just received a medal for his work. Is it a Stanislav Cross for the valor of his latest book of poetry? Is it an Order of Saint Anna Cross for patriotic stanzas in service of Imperial Russia? The tension mounts until the poet holds up his book and the guests see the large red cross of the czar’s censorship bureau. The poet’s latest book of poems has been banned. The eye of the imperial censor was severe, and some of its censors, such as Ivan Goncharov, were literary celebrities in their own right. All the great authors of the Russian literary canon of the nineteenth century—Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Gogol, Chekhov—had to set pen to paper with great care to avoid the censor’s red cross, and the problems that might follow in its wake. They each developed a personal way of self-censoring, a way of saying things without actually saying them, perhaps crossing the line occasionally, but... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'
[ World Literature Today | 2021-02-18 14:09:58 UTC ]
Waterstones has passionate booksellers who are “handselling again”, breaking début novelists and “building careers”, according to publishers. Chief executives and sales directors of publishing houses have spoken to The Bookseller following the release of the chain retailer’s annual results (to... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Writers believe that the publishing industry still views them largely through a prism of ethnicity, but industry insiders say that there is no pigeonholing based on race. Authors told The Bookseller they are still defined by their racial identity for marketing purposes and receive more success... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Let's say you can't get enough of it'sGrace (above) on YouTube but you're taking a week-long no-tech camping trip soon and aren't excited about missing her wit and charm. Well, host Grace Helbig's book Grace's Guide: The Art of Pretending to Be a... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2014-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publisher Johnny Temple might be Brooklyn's biggest cheerleader. In addition to overseeing one of Brooklyn's best known publishing houses, Temple is also the host of the borough's flourishing book festival. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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You could have heard about the “poor man’s copyright” anywhere: from an older relative, from a friend, from a high school English teacher. They find out that you’ve been working on a novel and they want to help, so they tell you to mail it to yourself once it’s done. That way, even if you don’t... Continue reading at Slate
[ Slate | 2014-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Broadcast Music Inc., No. 24 on Crain's list of the top privately held companies, will have a big year in 2014. The music-rights management company will celebrate its 75th anniversary, and its president of nearly 10 years, Del Bryant, who climbed the ranks from artist liaison in 1972, will step... Continue reading at Crains New York
[ Crains New York | 2013-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The internet and new technology is making a dream of being an author a reality for many writers. Online self-publishing - bypassing agents and publishing houses is now a fast-growing sector. Continue reading at BBC World
[ BBC World | 2013-08-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Despite concerns about consolidation among publishing houses, sales of the top 10 companies accounted for 55% of revenue of the 50 publishers that are on the list for both 2012 and 2011, down from 57% in 2011. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-07-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Few people understand the magic of libraries better than Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials, but all is not well when it comes to digital lending. As the soon-to-be president of the Society of Authors, Pullman is leading the charge against publishing houses that may be shortchanging... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2013-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishing houses are Germany's intellectual backbone. For many years, they created a culture of literary abundance and generated healthy profits. But in the age of Amazon, ebooks and self-publishing, they could be facing demise. Continue reading at ABC News
[ ABC News | 2013-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google's long had a contentious relationship with France. But it seems the Mountain View-based company has come up with a way to squash that problem: by throwing money at it. Taking to the company's official blog today, Chairman Eric Schmidt announced the creation of a €60 million Digital... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2013-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Smiths News has moved to further increase Bertrams' library sales to Northern Europe and... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The chiefs of Europe's publishing houses will meet today (26th June) in Brussels at a round-... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2012-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Erika Leonard laughs a lot, a deep wheezy chortle. And why wouldn't she? Leonard, a 49-year-old overnight publishing sensation, is laughing all the way to the bank. In the past few months the former TV executive has had her first novel, Fifty Shades of Grey, dominate the New York Times... Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2012-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Swiftly and at little cost, newspapers, magazines and sites like The Huffington Post are publishing their own version of ebooks. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2011-09-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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