'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 ]
News tagged with: #lionel shriver #original essay #good books

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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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lionel shriver #original essay #good books


Lionel Shriver dismissed as contest judge after her dismissive comments about diversity in publishing

Writer Lionel Shriver, best known for her novel “We Need To Talk About Kevin,” has lost her spot as a judge for a writing contest after she published a column in the Spectator mocking a diversity drive in Britain’s division of Penguin Random House. Shriver was responding to an email she’d seen,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #diversity drive #writing contest


Lionel Shriver is wrong. Penguin’s push for diversity will translate into better books

Penguin Random House’s vow to make its output ‘reflect British society’ has been met with predictable howls of outrageLionel Shriver has directed another broadside at the publishing world, this time taking aim in The Spectator at a Penguin Random House directive that by 2025 its hiring and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-06-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #staggering number #wider society


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #uk society #lionel shriver #literary excellence #narrow section #account ethnicity #social mobility #free speech


Collaboration 'critical' to addressing lack of diversity in UK children's publishing, says ACE

People from BME backgrounds working within the children’s literature sector have been frustrated by racism and microaggressions, unconscious bias, and inequality of access, according to a new report by Arts Council England. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-04 20:27:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #uk children #literature sector #unconscious bias


Mslexia removes Shriver as judge over 'alienating' comments on diversity

Women’s writing magazine Mslexia has removed Lionel Shriver as a competition judge following the author’s controversial statements on diversity in publishing. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-13 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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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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lionel shriver #good books


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lionel shriver #diversity drive


WBD defends 2017 selection after lack of diversity criticism

World Book Day has reiterated its commitment to promoting a “diverse range of authors” after criticisms about the lack of writers of colour in its 2017 selection. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-09-15 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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Lionel Shriver rubbishes plans for dedicated Year of Publishing Women

The novelist has called Kamila Shamsie’s campaign for a pledge to publish only female authors in 2018 ‘a ridiculous idea’Lionel Shriver has called her fellow novelist Kamila Shamsie’s suggestion of a year publishing only women “rubbish”.Shamsie made the provocative call last year, citing gender... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lionel shriver #literary prizes #basic premise #titles published #kamila shamsie #translated fiction


Women's literary prizes are 'problematic' says Lionel Shriver

Author Lionel Shriver has said literary prizes just for women are "problematic", while calling International Women's Day "creepy" at an event to mark the occasion. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #literary prizes #lionel shriver


Book review: 'The New Republic' by Lionel Shriver

Lionel Shriver deftly handles terrorism, politics and satire in 'The New Republic.'It takes guts to write a satire about terrorism — and Lionel Shriver has guts. She has already published biting novels about the failings of the U.S. healthcare system ("So Much for That") and a school shooter... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book review #lionel shriver #healthcare system


Diversity in the House: The State of Diversity in Publishing

Three voices on the challenge of making publishing less white and more representative of the world at large. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-04-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
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BookCon 2018: We Need Diverse Books: Beyond Diversity 101

We Need Diverse Books has grown alongside BookCon, working for greater inclusiveness in publishing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Got Diversity? Six Hacks that Address Book Industry Diversity, 21st-Century Style

The lack of diversity in the book publishing industry is not new or surprising to veterans of the business. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amid Mounting Criticism, PEN America Literary Awards In Limbo

Nine of the 10 longlisted authors for this year's PEN/Jean Stein Book Award have withdrawn their books for consideration for the prize, effectively rendering it unawardable, as the controversy surrounding the freedom of expression organization continues to expand in scope. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Riot, Grrrls: Marisa Crawford on Why Feminist Lit and 1990s Girl Culture Need More Critical Attention

Marisa Crawford is the founder of the feminist blog Weird Sister, which highlights writing at the intersections of feminism, literature, and pop culture. This spring the Feminist Press released The Weird Sister Collection, a vital anthology that collects a decade’s worth of writing published on... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-04-08 08:54:36 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #critical attention #pop culture #anthology