'Wilful misreading': Lionel Shriver replies to critics in diversity row

Novelist responds to the reaction against her comments on diversity in publishing, accusing her critics of ‘malicious misinterpretation’Lionel Shriver has responded to the vituperative row that followed her recent comments about Penguin Random House’s diversity scheme, saying that it was not diversity but quotas that she was objecting to and calling out what she described as the “malicious misinterpretation” of her original essay.In a piece for the Spectator this month, Shriver objected to the publisher’s goal for its staff and authors to represent UK society by 2025. “Drunk on virtue, Penguin Random House no longer regards the company’s raison d’etre as the acquisition and dissemination of good books,” she wrote. “Rather, the organisation aims to mirror the percentages of minorities in the UK population with statistical precision.” Related: Diversity in publishing is under attack. I hear the sound of knuckles dragging | Hanif Kureishi Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]

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Our 48 Favorite Books of 2021

We have entered the month of December, and therefore, everyone who lives and works on the internet is contractually obligated to tell you which books published in the last twelve months were their favorites. Alas, Literary Hub is no exception—but at least we collectively read a lot of good books... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2021-12-13 09:51:19 UTC ]
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Resisting censorship

Last month, 58 writers, journalists and artists signed a letter in the Sunday Times in support of JK Rowling, condemning the ‘onslaught of abuse’ she has received regarding her views on sex, gender and trans rights. Signatories included Tom Stoppard, Ian McEwan and Lionel Shriver. Three days... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-04 20:35:25 UTC ]
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‘The Motion of the Body Through Space’ is a fitness industry satire weighed down by its own heavy-handedness

Lionel Shriver’s novel is more determined to make its point than to make us consider what it means to tend a body for the long haul. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-05-26 15:48:36 UTC ]
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Asian Booklist: my response to the exhausting diversity debate

I don’t ever want to be pitted against Lionel Shriver because, frankly, I’m intimidated by her. Shriver is successful, wealthy and powerful and has that brisk, irascible manner of formidable older women who just don’t give a damn anymore.  I was wary then when I was recently asked on a BBC... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-12 11:08:20 UTC ]
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Top 10 most-read Bookseller stories of 2018

Lionel Shriver's controversial opinion piece on diversity, a publishing start-up offering aspiring writers a £24k salary and Waterstones' shock acquisition of Foyles all feature in the Top 10 most-read stories on The Bookseller website in 2018. But what's at number one? Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-12-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Just use cat videos': New York Times boss wants Facebook to cut out news

Mark Thompson says site’s attempts to rank news outlets sounds like ‘controlled society’Facebook should consider completely removing news from users’ feeds unless it can find a way to avoid low-quality stories clogging up the site, the chief executive of the New York Times has said.Mark Thompson... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-08-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lionel Shriver replies to her critics

Lionel Shriver has replied to 2016's WriteNow mentees, who recently penned an open letter condemning the author's views on diversity expressed in a column the Spectator. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Wilful misreading': Lionel Shriver replies to critics in diversity row

Novelist responds to the reaction against her comments on diversity in publishing, accusing her critics of ‘malicious misinterpretation’Lionel Shriver has responded to the vituperative row that followed her recent comments about Penguin Random House’s diversity scheme, saying that it was not... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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We’re now confusing diversity and equality. Which is our priority? | Kenan Malik

Neither Lionel Shriver nor Penguin seem to understand the nature of their argumentWhat do we mean by diversity? And why is it good – or not?For all the myriad debates about diversity today, such questions are rarely addressed in any depth. The latest hoo-ha was generated by a Lionel Shriver... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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An open letter to Lionel Shriver

The 2016 cohort of WriteNow mentees react to Lionel Shriver's ‘When diversity meets uniformity’ Spectator column.  Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publisher defends diversity drive after Lionel Shriver's attack

Penguin Random House has responded to the novelist’s criticisms, saying it aims to ‘reflect the society in which we live’Lionel Shriver’s blistering assertion that, “drunk on virtue”, Penguin Random House is putting diversity ahead of literary excellence has been dismissed by the publisher,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PRH 'drunk on virtue' over diversity drive, says Shriver

Lionel Shriver has branded Penguin Random House (PRH) "drunk on virtue" after seeing a "by turns fascinating, comical and depressing" questionnaire for authors to complete as part of its diversity drive. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lionel Shriver attacks Penguin publisher's inclusion policy

Lionel Shriver says the "dissemination of good books" should be most important for publishers. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2018-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shriver denounces 'politically correct censorship' in literature

Lionel Shriver has criticised the "politically correct censorship" in fiction and urged writers to take a stance against it. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-02-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Small indie publishers report booming sales

In a sector that has struggled elsewhere, figures for 60 of the smallest players in the UK industry show sales up 79% in the last yearIndependent publishers have unleashed a boom in sales, according to new research. Latest figures from Inpress, which works with 60 of the smallest players in the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2017-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Shriver to narrate novella for Borough Press

The Borough Press is publishing the first standalone novella by Lionel Shriver this November: a "biting" examination of love and ownership entitled The Standing Chandelier. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Big Titles U.S. Agencies Will be Selling at the 2017 Frankfurt Book Fair

Among the big titles American agents will be talking up in the rights center at Frankfurt are a memoir by David Lynch, an update on Cinderella, and a short story collection from Lionel Shriver. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hot Property Shriver seals six-figure HC deal

HarperCollins has signed a six-figure deal with Lionel Shriver for world English-language rights to Property. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Cover Story: ‘The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047’

Welcome to Cover Story, a new PW column that looks at the art and science of book-jacket design. First up: 'The Mandibles: A Family, 2029-2047' by Lionel Shriver. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-06-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lionel Shriver: Interview

Orange Prize-winning author Lionel Shriver tells Tom Tivnan how her futuristic vision of a toppled global power in her new novel The Mandibles came to fruition. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-05-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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