Why serious literary fiction like Ishiguro’s is vital in times like these | Alice O’Keeffe

In our digital age, Kazuo Ishiguro’s Nobel prize is a reminder that it is still novels that ask the biggest questionsIt’s always entertaining to observe the interaction between the news media and a writer who has just won the Nobel prize. The all-time best was obviously Doris Lessing, who when doorstepped simply rolled her eyes and snorted “Oh Christ”, before turning around to pay for her taxi. Bob Dylan studiously ignored the whole thing, while Kazuo Ishiguro had clearly emerged from solitary confinement in his study on Thursday (he is in the middle of writing a novel), to face a barrage of questions and photographs. Blinking and bewildered, he described the themes he has spent his life thinking about and painstakingly unpicking: “The way countries and nations and communities remember their past, and how often they bury the uncomfortable memories from their past.” Related: George Saunders and Mohsin Hamid lead a daring Man Booker shortlist Parents push their young children towards books, while they themselves spend every moment of leisure time plugged in Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #news media #doris lessing #solitary confinement #george saunders #young children

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Why serious literary fiction like Ishiguro’s is vital in times like these | Alice O’Keeffe'

Banned novel makes Indie Foreign Fiction Prize longlist

A novel banned by the Chinese government has made the longlist for the Independent Foreign... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #chinese government

Jonathan Franzen – this time taking on Twitter – heaps more scorn on social media

'Freedom' author Jonathan Franzen, who has previously disparaged Facebook and ebooks, says Twitter 'stands for everything I oppose' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #jonathan franzen

Real-Time Advertising Bidding Offers Publisher Control

As publishers attempt to make online advertising a profitable and engaging business model, real time bidding on Web inventory by prospective clients is becoming more prevalent. Conde Nast launched a private Web ad exchange with AdMeld for select clients in late 2011, and now smaller publishers... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-02-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #select clients #smaller publishers

Athill, Donoghue on Sunday Times story longlist

A story told through the texts of two lovers is up against tales written by bestselling authors... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #story told #bestselling authors

Critic's Notebook: What is fact, what is fiction?

'The Lifespan of a Fact' lays out a thought-provoking debate of the issue between authors John D'Agata and Jim Fingal.The key passage in John D'Agata and Jim Fingal's "The Lifespan of a Fact" (W.W. Norton: 124 pp., $17.95 paper) comes late in the book, during an exchange on the role of fact in... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-02-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #creative nonfiction #literary journalism

Transworld sees double, takes fiction chart top spots

Transworld titles earn pride of place in both the Mass-market and Original Fiction charts this... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Is the Time Right for Bundling?

In a world where people increasingly consume their content on multiple platforms—watching TV recorded on their DVR, as well as downloaded to their iPad; reading the New York Times in print Sunday mornings, on their Kindle during the morning commute, then on their desktop at the office—questions... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #studies show #ebook readers

WH Smith to promote YA fiction

W H Smith is to promote cross- over young adult (YA) titles more directly to adults via a new... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #wh smith

Fiction, Nonfiction Mix it Up: International Bestsellers January 2012

Germany’s top fiction title at the end of December, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out His Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson climbed up from #5, supplanting previous chart-topper Inheritance (Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance was also #2 in Spain). Jonasson’s novel has sold more... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #million copies

Appleton to head fiction at Hodder Childrens Books

Jon Appleton has been appointed to the newly-created post of editorial director for fiction at... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #head fiction #newly-created post

Sutherland to chair Fiction Uncovered panel

John Sutherland, a former judge and chair of the Man Booker prize, is to chair the judging panel... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #judging panel

Mosse and Armitstead join The Literary Conference

Kate Mosse, Hari Kunzru and the Guardian’s literary editor Claire Armitstead are to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kate mosse #literary conference #hari kunzru

The New York Times, The Daily and New Yorker Top Performing Titles on Apple’s Newsstand

In 2011, one phrase defined the magazine industry: digital editions. Whether publishers were deciding to take the leap into digitizing their publications, or deciding on what app to develop next, digital was top of mind for publishers of all kinds. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital editions #magazine industry

Faber's Ellis to join Literary Platform

Joanna Ellis, former marketing director at Faber, is to join The Literary Platform as associate... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #marketing director #literary platform

Saqi Books launches non-fiction imprint

Independent publisher Saqi Books is to launch a new non-fiction imprint, with plans to publish... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #non-fiction imprint

News Corp. for First Time Details Tabloid Bribe for Story on Child Killer

News Corp. (NWSA) for the first time publicly detailed bribery by a journalist at its now-defunct News of the World, telling a court that a former editor agreed to pay a prison guard to get a story about a child killer. Matt Nixson, a features edit ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #prison guard