The novelist on his new collection of journalism, why he regrets criticising Sally Rooney and how he’s never shaken off the influence of JG Ballard“I’ll see your eidolon next Tuesday,” writes Will Self, 61, when I email to arrange a video call to discuss his new collection of journalism, Why Read: Selected Writings 2001-2021, which is centred on the concern (as he later told me, or my on-screen spirit-image) that “people are dumbing down their entire response to their own culture by their unfettered use of social media”. Self’s 26 previous books include Umbrella, shortlisted for the Booker prize in 2012, and its sequels Shark and Phone, the latter a single 624-page paragraph which the Telegraph called an “epic anti-tweet”. Speaking from his home in south London, he said he liked the description “because the book was a deliberate attempt to call people’s attention to what was being lost by the digital. I don’t think the Umbrella trilogy is that hard to read at all; it’s only hard to read in contrast to a tweet. By Donald Trump!”How did you pick the pieces in Why Read?Until fairly recently, certainly since 2001, I probably wrote an average of 150,000 words of journalism every year, so there’s a vast amount to choose from. My New York editor said that in the age of the web, collections like this need a theme or else readers feel they’re just getting a grab bag they could’ve sourced themselves. So the emphasis fell on the impact on reading and writing of what I choose to call... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2022-11-26 18:00:32 UTC ]
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Lisa Garcia Quiroz in 2016. Her mission, she said, was to “give the Latino community a voice.” Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2018-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New report exposes decline in diversity in romance writing, as editor resigns after telling author they avoid putting non-white characters on covers ‘because we like the book to sell’Readers, writers and editors of romance books are grappling with the genre’s record on diversity, after a week... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2018-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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TV presenter Kate Humble has signed with Octopus imprint Aster for a book about the benefits and pleasures of walking. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Although attendance was down at this year's Association of Writers & Writing Programs conference, attendees were generally pleased with the range of topics covered and the chance to engage in meaningful discussions. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A book from South Korean author Han Kang and translator Deborah Smith has made the 13-strong longlist of titles competing for the £50,000 Man Booker International Prize 2018. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Liz White has taken on the role of senior rights manager at Andersen Press following the resignation of rights director Sarah Pakenham. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Man Booker International Prize, awarded annually to the best in translated fiction, announced the longlist of 13 novels vying for the 2018 award. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Europe, Asia, South America, and the Middle East are represented in this year's 13 longlisted books for the Man Booker International Prize, which divides its £50,000 award between translator and author. This year: 108 titles were considered. The post Man Booker International Prize Longlist:... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Michael Joseph has acquired two psychological thrillers from Alex North after a five-way auction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Resurfacing many lesser-known Man Booker Prize for Fiction winners of the past, the Booker Foundation opens a crowdsourced competition to select the best of the best of 50 years. The post Readers to Choose ‘Golden Man Booker Prize’: 50 Years of Winners appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-02-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Booker Prize Foundation has revealed a new prize to mark its 50th anniversary which will put previous winners across five decades into contention for a one-off award. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-02-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Books about classic Hollywood tend to fall, broadly, into two categories: gossipy memoirs and moderately trashy biographies. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2018-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Some 10 publishers in Russia have licenses to produce Marvel-branded content, but the comics publisher Kofilmo is counting on the size of Eksmo-AST to help it vanquish all foes. The post Marvel’s Spider-Man Widens His Web in Russia: Eksmo-AST Buys Into Comics appeared first on Publishing... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-02-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Some publishing players in the UK are protesting the Man Booker Prize for Fiction's eligibility rules, saying that the Booker should reimpose a 'ban on American writers.' The post Man Booker Prize Pressured to Rescind Its Internationalist Stance appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-02-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers have signed a letter urging the Man Booker Prize organisers to reverse their decision to allow US authors to enter, citing concerns it is creating a "homogenised literary future". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A letter from 30 industry figures is urging the award to reverse 2014’s inclusion of US authors, in order to avoid a ‘homogenised literary future’Tensions over the decision to allow US authors to enter the Man Booker prize have flared up yet again, with 30 publishers signing a letter urging the... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2018-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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During his Winter Institute 13 keynote address, author Junot Diaz delivered a blistering political statement urging the publishing industry to "stop talking about diversity and start decolonizing our shelves." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With an aim of 'breaking down silos and embracing new ways of communicating with our target readers,' The Quarto Group consolidates three imprints into one master entity headed by Richard Green. The post White Lion Publishing: Quarto Announces Reorganization of Its UK-Based Trade Imprints... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-01-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The widening of the Man Booker Prize criteria to allow Irish publishers to submit novels could lead to a "boom" in the publishing scene in Ireland, trade figures have suggested. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Irish publishers are now eligible to submit novels for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction from this year onwards. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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