What We're Reading – October 2019

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine EvaristoSince studying Lara as a student, I have been a fan of Bernardine Evaristo’s work, and am delighted to see her win the Booker Prize this year. Girl, Woman, Other follows the lives of twelve black characters with different backgrounds and experiences, most of whom identify as female, living in London. I’ve enjoyed getting to know them through my reading and seeing how their lives are linked or overlap in different ways. What I found particularly interesting about this book is how each character responds in their own way to the universal questions of self and identity, particularly the tensions between personal, public and political gender discourse and the effect it has on the relationships the characters have with others. This feels like a very important book, and a must-read if you’re interested in what’s happening in UK fiction today.Rachel Stevens, Director LiteratureCommon People - An Anthology of Working-class Writers (ed Kit de Waal). An exceptional collection of essays, poems, memoir and short stories celebrating working-class life, culture and literature. There are many highlights, but I especially recommend Lisa McInnery’s essay ‘Working Class: An Escape Manual’, which considers how working-class writers and artists are co-opted into other identities when they achieve success. Debut author Adam Sharp’s ‘Play’, a memoir of his relationship with a substance-addicted father, is poignant and deftly handled - he’s a writer to... Continue reading at 'British Council global'

[ British Council global | 2019-10-30 09:49:28 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "What We're Reading – October 2019"


Orwell Foundation to launch political fiction prize

The Orwell Foundation will next month launch a prize to celebrate novels or short stories that illuminate social and political themes through the art of narrative. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pullman, Shamsie and Westover make 2018's BAMB Readers Awards shortlists

Philip Pullman, Kamila Shamsie, Carol Ann Duffy, and Tara Westover are some of the authors whose books have been shortlisted by bookshops for 2018's Books Are My Bag Readers Awards. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harpist's debut music to Transworld's ears

Transworld has pre-empted an “uplifting, heart-warming and accessible” reading group novel by debut author and musician Hazel Prior, born out of a passion for harps. Touching on love, friendship, kindness and generosity, according to Transworld Ellie and the Harp-maker will appeal to readers of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book drop around the UK marks 'La Belle Sauvage' paperback publication

Dame Kelly Holmes has joined The Book Fairies in dropping 200 copies of Philip Pullman’s La Belle Sauvage in public places all around the UK, to mark the publication of its paperback edition. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-09-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Carroll returns to World War II with story collection

Faber Children’s Books has acquired a collection of short stories, set in World War II, by Emma Carroll. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Deals: Week of August 27, 2018

Bill Keller takes a nonfiction essay collection to Amazon, Berkley signs two by a debut author, and more in this week's notable book deals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Woman's Weekly's 'exploitative' contracts anger authors

As well as slashing fees for short stories, the magazine has demanded fiction writers waive all rights to their workThe new issue of the Woman’s Weekly fiction special is out now, promising its readers short stories from writers who “never fail to come up with new twists and turns and unexpected... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bath Children’s Literature Festival gears up for biggest year to date

David Walliams, Philip Pullman and Children’s Laureate Lauren Child are just some of the authors and illustrators lined up to take part in this year’s Bath Children’s Literature Festival, which is gearing up to be the event’s best year yet, according to artistic director John McLay. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pullman and Fickling to speak at The Bookseller Children’s Conference

Philip Pullman and David Fickling will talk about the author/editor relationship at this year’s The Bookseller Children’s Conference, which is taking place in London this September. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-07-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Avon snaps up tale of Dorset ghost village

Avon Books has signed a two-book deal with debut author and former journalist Lorna Cook, including a novel inspired by a ghost village in Dorset. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-07-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pullman illustrator Chris Wormell signs debut children's deal

David Fickling Books is to publish the first children’s novel by Chris Wormell, the illustator of the covers for Philip Pullman's La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust – Volume One. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British Book Awards: Pullman and Honeyman dominate

Philip Pullman and Eleanor Oliphant author Gail Honeyman are honoured at the British Book Awards. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2018-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Debut author Teo hits back after Ponti review

A debut author has hit back after her novel was criticised in an Observer review, which has become the focus of a debate on social media. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pullman to judge Chinese-themed short story competition

Philip Pullman is to judge a new 500-word short story competition which is being launched ahead of the 2018 Liverpool Literary Festival. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Complete fiction: why 'the short story renaissance' is a myth

With soaring sales, viral hits like Cat Person and a cameo by Tom Hanks, the form seems to be staging a comeback. But did it ever go away?In 2017, almost 50% more short story collections were sold than in the previous year. It was the best year for short stories since 2010. Booksellers are... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Philip Pullman calls for authors to get fairer share of publisher profits

His Dark Materials author condemns way book industry ‘allows corporate profits to be so high at a time when author earnings are markedly falling’Philip Pullman has called on publishers to stop damaging “the ecology of the book world” and start giving authors a fairer share of the money their... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-03-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Crossan and Pullman titles to contest the YA Book Prize 2018

Philip Pullman is in the running for the YA Book Prize 2018 alongside previous winners Sarah Crossan and Patrice Lawrence, and début author M A Bennett. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Usborne wins six-way auction for Bell's debut in 'significant' deal

Usborne has acquired three books by debut author P G Bell in what has been described as the publisher's “most significant acquisition to date”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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UK: Specsavers Awards, Based on Sales, Honor Paula Hawkins, Philip Pullman, More

Roughly 60 Specsaver Bestsellers were fêted overnight (January 25) at London's May Fair Hotel, with Nielsen Book determining which titles sold 250,000, 500,000, and 1 million units in 2017. The post UK: Specsavers Awards, Based on Sales, Honor Paula Hawkins, Philip Pullman, More appeared first... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-01-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Quercus pre-empts suspense debut exploring female rivalry

Quercus has pre-empted a psychological suspense novel about female rivalry and motherhood by debut author and Faber Academy graduate Charlotte Duckworth. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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