Will Self: ‘I’m seen as a still-walking dead white man’

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 ]
News tagged with: #south london #deliberate attempt #readers feel #grab bag #observer order #delivery charges #books include

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Will Self: ‘I’m seen as a still-walking dead white man’'

Manning moves to Sphere for historical novels

Sarra Manning is to move from Transworld to Little, Brown’s Sphere for her next two adult novels. Manning’s move brings her adult publishing into the same house as her most recent YA publishing – her last two YA novels The Worst Girlfriend in the World and Adorkable were published by Atom,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #manning moves #sarra manning #move brings #historical novels #adult novels #adult publishing #ya novels #karolina sutton

Publishing, Memory and the Man Booker Prize

Publishing novels like 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' by Richard Flanagan, which won the Man Booker Prize, helps keep memories alive. The post Publishing, Memory and the Man Booker Prize appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing novels #post publishing #narrow road #deep north #richard flanagan

Richard Flanagan takes the Man Booker Prize, National Book Awards finalists are announced

Flanagan took the Man Booker Prize for his book 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North,' while works such as 'All the Light We Cannot See,' by Anthony Doerr and 'Age of Ambition,' by Evan Osnos made the cut for the National Book Award shortlists. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #narrow road #deep north #anthony doerr

Australia’s Richard Flanagan Wins Man Booker Prize

Though this was the first year that Americans competed, the Man Booker Prize was awarded to an Australian, for his novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North. The post Australia’s Richard Flanagan Wins Man Booker Prize appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #post australia #narrow road #deep north

Richard Flanagan Wins 2014 Man Booker Prize

Australian writer Richard Flanagan was awarded the 2014 Man Booker Prize for his novel, 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North,' at a ceremony at London's Guildhall on Tuesday evening. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #narrow road #deep north #tuesday evening

Facebook's location-based ads can pitch you on the store you just walked by

If you’re like me, you might stroll past a local coffee shop or book store numerous times before you notice it’s there or go inside. Facebook thinks an ad might give that extra nudge.On Tuesday, the company began rolling out a new feature for local advertising that lets businesses target users... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #local advertising #smaller businesses #revenue stream

The Self-Made Man

In 1990, Susan Orlean published a book called Saturday Night, in which she set out to document how Americans spend their weekly reprieve from work. “Saturday night,” she wrote, “is when you want to do what you want to do and not what you have to do.” One thing people want to do on Saturday night... Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2014-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #saturday night

Man wrongly identified by Fairfax Media as terrorism suspect 'may sue'

Mans photo published in front-page stories on Abdul Numan Haider, shot dead by police after allegedly stabbing two officers Continue reading... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-09-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fairfax media #shot dead

UK author James Dawson chimes in on debate over 'white faces' in children's books

UK children’s laureate Malorie Blackman faced racist comments after Sky News misquoted her as saying there were 'too many white faces' in children's literature. Now young adult author James Dawson has stepped into the fray, saying, "Malorie did not say there are too many white faces in... Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #uk children #white faces #sky news

Man Booker Prize: Two American writers make the cut for the shortlist

In addition to the American contenders Karen Joy Fowler for 'We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves' and Joshua Ferris of 'To Rise Again at a Decent Hour,' other nominees include Richard Flanagan for 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' and Ali Smith for 'How to Be Both.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #joshua ferris #narrow road #deep north #ali smith

Man Booker Shortlist Features 3 Brits, 2 Americans, 1 Aussie

Three Brits, two Americans, one Aussie make the cut for this year's Man Booker Prize shortlist, the first year non-Commonwealth authors have been eligible. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-09-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

Delight of Man Booker shortlistees

Diana Broccardo, sales and marketing director for both Profile and Serpent's Tail, has spoken... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #marketing director

Man Booker 'shows contemporary fiction in vogue'

The 2014 Man Booker shortlist shows that “contemporary fiction is of the moment”,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-09-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #man booker #contemporary fiction

iPad Magazine Pioneer Lights A Match And Walks Away

Sensing the changing tides in the industry, iPad magazine designer Joe Zeff is bringing his talents to the enterprise world.You may not have heard of Joe Zeff before, but if you've picked up an iPad edition of PC Magazine, Fast Company (full disclosure!), or Time's 9/11 memorial, you've likely... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2014-08-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ipad edition #vice president #publishing business

NZ Herald sorry for publishing photo of Jackass star instead of dead soldier

Newspaper took photo of the late Ryan Dunn from Facebook page of NZ-born Israeli killed in GazaA newspaper has apologised after mistakenly publishing a photograph of the late Jackass star Ryan Dunn to accompany a story about an Israeli soldier killed in Gaza.The error, on the front page of the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #front page #zealand herald

Lette: women 'written off' by Man Booker judges

Author Kathy Lette has accused the Man Booker judges of having "written off" women... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |

EC: copyright White Paper delays due to 'great diversity of views'

The European Commission is to take "a few more weeks" to finalise its White Paper on... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-07-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #european commission #white paper

Man Booker Prize: A crowdfunded novel makes the longlist for the first time

'The Wake,' by Paul Kingsnorth was reportedly published by the website Unbound, which funds the publishing of books through donations. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-07-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #paul kingsnorth