Celebrating BANNED BOOKS WEEK—MacArthur ‘GENIUS’ AWARDS

By MICHELLE HOGMIRE | 9/26/13

“Avert your eyes! A gallery of banned and challenged books,” by the L.A. Times’ Jacket Copy: A gallery of banned and contested books created to honor Banned Books Week. http://www.latimes.com/features/books/jacketcopy/la-jc-avert-your-eyes-a-gallery-of-banned-books-photos-20120928,0,549516.photogallery?index=la-jc-avert-your-eyes-a-gallery-of-banned-book-010

“The Odd Habits and Curious Customs of Famous Writers,” by Brain Pickings’ Maria Popova: “Famous authors are notorious for their daily routines — sometimes outrageous, usually obsessive, invariably peculiar. In Odd Type Writers: From Joyce and Dickens to Wharton and Welty, the Obsessive Habits and Quirky Techniques of Great Authors (public library) — the more dimensional and thoroughly researched counterpart to Mason Currey’s Daily Rituals — Brooklyn-based writer Celia Blue Johnson takes us on a guided tour of great writers’ unusual techniques, prompts and customs of committing thought to paper, from their ambitious daily word quotas to their superstitions to their inventive procrastination and multitasking methods.” http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/09/23/odd-type-writers/

9/25/13

“Amazon Releases Upgraded Suite of Kindle Fire Tablets,” by Publishers Weekly: “In the latest salvo in the ongoing tablet/e-reader wars, Amazon announced an upgraded suite of tablet devices that will include the new Kindle Fire HDX, an upgraded version of the Kindle HD tablet that offers an even higher resolution screen in two sizes (7-inch for $229 16GB; 8.9-inch for $379 16GB) and a new version of the 7-inch Kindle HD for $139 (8GB). All the new Kindle Fire tablets offer upgraded hardware, a new version of the Fire OS and better battery life, in addition to aggressively competitive prices.” http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/59246-amazon-releases-upgraded-suite-of-kindle-fire-tablets.html?utm_source=Publishers+Weekly&utm

9/24/13

“24 Recipients of MacArthur ‘Genius’ Awards Named,” by the N.Y. Times’ Felicia R. Lee: Thirteen men and 11 women were awarded fellowships this year. Award winners will be paid $625,000 over five years. Winners include fiction writers, musicians, playwrights, choreographers and more. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/25/arts/macarthur-genius-award-winners-named.html?_r=0

CAROLYN CASSADY and ALVARO MUTIS both Die at 90—More PLAGIARISM SCANDALS

By MICHELLE HOGMIRE | 9/24/13

9/23/13

“Carolyn Cassady, Beat Generation Writer, Dies at 90,” by the N.Y. Times’ John Leland: “Carolyn Cassady, a writer who entered the American consciousness in 1957 as a character in Jack Kerouac’s novel On the Road, and decades later chronicled her life as a member of the Beat Generation, died on Friday near her home in Bracknell, England. She was 90.

Her death was confirmed by her daughter Cathy Sylvia, who said Ms. Cassady lapsed into a coma after an emergency appendectomy.” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/books/carolyn-cassady-beat-generation-writer-dies-at-90.html

“Colombian poet and writer Alvaro Mutis dies aged 90,” by BBC News: “Colombian writer and poet Alvaro Mutis has died at the age of 90. Mutis, who won the most prestigious awards for Spanish language writing, died in Mexico after a long illness. Among his best known works was The Adventures and Misadventures of Maqroll, a collection of seven novellas about an adventurous sailor.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-24207428

NEW PLAGIARISM ACCUSATIONS—Three more plagiarism scandals break around the world: “Plagiarism scandal exposes toxic undercurrents in poetry scene,” by The Australian’s Stephen Romei: Newcastle poet Andrew Slattery confesses to plagiarizing lines from other poems, including the work of Plath, Bukowski and Heaney. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/review/plagiarism-scandal-exposes-toxic-undercurrents-in-poetry-scene/story-fn9n8gph-1226722988684

“Shey Stahl plagiarism scandal,” by Jane of Dear Author: Goodreads reviewers find similarities between Shey Stahl’s For the Summer and a famous Twilight fan fiction. http://dearauthor.com/news/monday-news-shey-stahl-plagiarism-scandal-goodreads-deletes-reviews-without-notice-amazon-shares-at-an-all-time-high-cosplay-copyright-and-paid-for-reviews/

“Plagiarizing poet withdraws from contest. Wait, poets plagiarize?” by the L. A. Times’ Emily Keeler: Poet C.J. Allen removes his work from Britain’s Forward Poetry prize after another poet reveals that Allen plagiarized past poems. http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-plagiarist-poet-forward-poetry-prize

9/20/13

“The Backlash to the American Invasion of the Booker Prize,” by the N.Y. Times’ Steven Erlanger:  “The Americans are coming, and the British literary world is not happy.

The Man Booker Prize, which had been open to English-language novels from Britain and the Commonwealth, has just gone global, producing anxiety about damage to cultural diversity and fears that the American cultural hyperpower that dominates movies and television will crush the small literary novel.” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/21/books/the-backlash-to-the-american-invasion-of-the-booker-prize.html?pagewanted=all

BRISBANE POET ACCUSED OF PLAGIARISM—STEPHEN KING’S ‘THE SHINING’ SEQUEL

By MICHELLE HOGMIRE | 9/17/13

PLAGIARISM ACCUSATIONS—“Poetry plagiarism scandal plays out,” by the Brisbane Times’ Natalie Bochenski: “A Brisbane poet should apologise for serial plagiarism, according to a pair of literary Sherlocks who have uncovered evidence of borrowed material. Graham Nunn has published five poetry collections, was artistic director of the Queensland Poetry Festival between 2004 and 2007, and has been a regular guest at the Brisbane Writers Festival. But lecturer in creative writing and poetry at Griffith University Anthony Lawrence said his reputation was built on plagiarised work.” http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/entertainment/books/poetry-plagiarism-scandal-plays-out-20130916-2tv7h.html#ixzz2f4FXZHA5

BENEFITS OF CENSORSHIP—“Censorship has spurred writers, says Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan,” by The South China Morning Post: “Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan has revealed in an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post that he believes censorship has motivated authors to write about topics seen as taboo. The novelist, who won the literature prize almost a year ago, sparked controversy before the awards ceremony in Stockholm by saying mainland censorship was a ‘necessary evil.’” http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1310577/censorship-has-spurred-writers-says-nobel-prize-winner-mo-yan

9/16/13

HORROR SEQUELS—“Still Shining and Spooked, but Hopeful,” by the N.Y. Times’ Janet Maslin: Maslin talks about Stephen King’s new book “Doctor Sleep,” a sequel to “The Shining.” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/16/books/doctor-sleep-is-stephen-kings-sequel-to-the-shining.html

  

9/13/13

DAHL MUSEUM—“Roald Dahl Day: my glimpse into the great writer’s imagination,” by The Guardian’s Josh Lacey: Lacey discusses his time as the writer in residence at the Roald Dahl Museum. The museum archive includes notebooks, drafts and crafts created by Dahl. http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/sep/13/roald-dahl-great-writers-imagination-lacey

EDITORS OF THE PARIS REVIEW HOST REDDIT AMA—UNIVERSITY OF LONDON DECIDES NOT TO SELL SHAKESPEARE’S WORK AFTER OBJECTIONS

By MICHELLE HOGMIRE | 9/12/13

SNEAK PEEK BOOKENDS—“Salinger’s Big Appeal: The Life or the Work?” by Francine Prose and Dana Stevens in upcoming Sept. 15 N. Y. Times Sunday Book Review: Prose and Stevens discuss pros and cons of the latest Salinger biography and documentary. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/books/review/salingers-big-appeal-the-life-or-the-work.html?pagewanted=1&ref=writingandwriters

REDDIT AMA—Editors of literary magazine The Paris Review host an “Ask Me Anything” on the website Reddit.  The editors respond to questions about everything from MFA programs to digital publication. http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1m4co4/we_are_the_editors_of_the_paris_review_the/

SEPT. 5 UPDATE—“University of London abandons plans to sell Shakespeare folios,” By The Guardian’s David Batty: “The University of London has abandoned its proposal to auction a rare set of early printed editions of William Shakespeare’s plays following an outcry by senior figures in theatre and academia.” http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/sep/05/university-of-london-shakespeare-folios

“More than half of us lie about reading classic novels,” by The Telegraph’s Phoebe Parke: A new study about how to seem intelligent discovers that 62 percent of British people pretend to read classic novels to appear smarter. What books do people lie about the most? Heading the list are Orwell’s “1984” and Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.” http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/10286930/More-than-half-of-us-lie-about-reading-classic-novels.html

PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED O’CONNOR WORK TO APPEAR IN THE NEW YORKER--WRITERS COMMISSIONED TO REIMAGINE SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS

By MICHELLE HOGMIRE | 9/10/13

SNEEK PEEK—Upcoming Sept. 16 edition of The New Yorker will contain previously unpublished writings of Flannery O’Connor. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/09/16/130916fa_fact_oconnor

PREVIEW—Selections from the Advice to Writers Interview of award-winning author David Vann: “I write every morning, seven days a week, and the momentum of writing every day is tremendously important to me, because I have no outline or plan and view writing as a transformation by the unconscious. I don’t know what will happen on the page each day, but there’s a shocking amount of pattern and structure that emerges, and I think this can happen only through a daily practice. It’s also a replacement for religion for me, so I need the daily practice for emotional and psychological reasons, to not feel that my life is about nothing.” http://www.advicetowriters.com/interviews/2013/9/10/david-vann.html

NEW FICTION—“Beautiful Creatures authors to write spinoff series,” by Publishers Weekly’s Karen Springen: “Fans of the bestselling supernatural YA series Beautiful Creatures, which concluded in October 2012 with book four, Beautiful Redemption, can breathe a sigh of relief: co-authors and best friends Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl are writing a new series, set in the same world. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers will launch the new series with the e-novella Dangerous Dream on December 17, 2013, followed by the first novel, Dangerous Creatures, on May 6, 2014.” http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/59044-beautiful-creatures-authors-to-write-spinoff-series.html

9/9/13  

“Technology may script an end to the art of cursive writing,” by NBC News Producer Amy Perrette: Perrette’s blog discusses how new school technology impacts the relevance of teaching students how to write in cursive. Teachers, educational administrators and editors share their views on the topic. http://dailynightly.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/08/20388506-technology-may-script-an-end-to-the-art-of-cursive-writing?lite

REIMAGININGS—“Two more writers for Shakespeare effort,” compiled by N.Y. Times’ Adam W. Kepler:  “Margaret Atwood and Howard Jacobson are the latest authors to be commissioned by Penguin Random House’s Hogarth imprint to write their interpretations of plays by Shakespeare… The plays are scheduled to be published in print, digital and audio formats in 2016 to coincide with the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death as part of the Hogarth Shakespeare project.” http://theater.nytimes.com/2013/09/09/theater/two-more-writers-for-shakespeare-effort.html?ref=writingandwriters&_r=0

FREDERIK POHL Dies at 93—University of London’s plan to SELL SHAKESPEARE’S WORKS criticized by academic community

By MICHELLE HOGMIRE | 9/5/13

SEPTEMBER READING GROUP—The Guardian’s reading group will focus on Malcolm Lowry’s ‘Under the Volcano.’ See The Guardian’s website for introductions to the work, a documentary on Lowry and book annotations. http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/sep/05/september-reading-group-under-the-volcano

“Forget hatchet-faced critics—farce is the quintessence of theatre,” by The Guardian’s Michael Billington:  Billington discusses negative criticism of farce and defends the form, saying that farce is timeless and flexible.  http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/sep/05/defence-farce-theatre-trend 

9/4/13

“Frederik Pohl, Science Fiction Master Who Vaporized Utopias, Dies at 93,” by N.Y. Times’ Gerald Jonas: “Frederik Pohl, whose passion for science fiction while growing up in Brooklyn led to a distinguished career as one of its most literate and politically sophisticated practitioners, though one who was skeptical about attempts to perfect society through scientific means, died on Monday. He was 93.

Mr. Pohl, who lived in Palatine, Ill., a Chicago suburb, died in a nearby hospital, according to his agent, Mitchell Waters, who confirmed the death.” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/04/books/frederik-pohl-worldly-wise-master-of-science-fiction-dies-at-93.html?pagewanted=all

SNEAK PEEK BOOKENDS—“Are Novelists Too Wary of Criticizing Other Novelists?” by Zoe Heller and Adam Kirsch in upcoming Sept. 8 N.Y. Times Sunday Book Review: Heller and Kirsch discuss the novelist’s role as a critic. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/08/books/review/are-novelists-too-wary-of-criticizing-other-novelists.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 

CRITICISM—“University’s plan to sell Shakespeare’s works branded ‘act of stupidity,’” by The Telegraph’s Claire Carter: Academics criticize University of London’s plan to sell four copies of collected plays.  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/10285369/Universitys-plan-to-sell-Shakespeares-works-branded-act-of-stupidity.html  

2013 HUGO AWARD WINNERS—RELEASE OF MARGARET ATWOOD’s 'MaddAddam' -- SEAMUS HEANEY Dies at 74

By MICHELLE HOGMIRE | 9/3/13

RECOGNITIONS – 2013 Hugo Award Winners Announced at LoneStarCon 3, the 71^st World Science Fiction Convention. The Hugo Awards honor works of fantasy and science fiction. Complete listing of winners and ceremony coverage available online. http://www.thehugoawards.org

NEW PUBLICATIONS – Bookriot.com celebrates Margaret Atwood Riot Reading Day to commemorate the release of Atwood’s 'MaddAddam.' Online articles include reviews of the new novel, a reading flowchart and a guest post from Atwood about horror writing. http://bookriot.com/2013/09/03/welcome-margaret-atwood-day/

NEW CHAIR POSITION—“€136,000 ($179,097) salary for Frank McCourt chair in writing,” by Limerick Leader’s Anne Sheridan: “The position to hold the first Chair in Creative Writing in memory of Frank McCourt has been advertised - with a starting salary in excess of €100,000 ($131,689). Plans to create this unique post at the University of Limerick in honour of Limerick’s Pulitzer Prize winning author had been announced over two years ago, with the requirement that up to €800,000 ($1,053,512) would have be to raised in Ireland and the U.S. to  fund the chair. The fixed five-year term carries an annual salary, ranging from €106,516 - €136,276 ($140,270 - $179,460), and the closing date for receipt of applications is Sept. 30. … Former U.S. President Bill Clinton earlier said: ‘I love that the University of Limerick will bring creative writing and storytelling back to Ireland in a fresh way through this chair.’ They hope the initial trial period of five years will become a long-term commitment.” http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/local-news/136-000-salary-for-frank-mccourt-chair-in-writing-1-5447364

9/1/2013

BOOK ESSAYS—“Articles of Faith,” by Dara Horn in Sept. 1 N. Y. Times Sunday Book Review: Author Dara Horn discusses how and why religious belief impacts the work of present-day Jewish writers. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/01/books/review/articles-of-faith.html?pagewanted=all   

 

8/30/13

“Irish Poet Seamus Heaney dies at 74,” by CNN’s Kevin Liptak: “Seamus Heaney, the poet whose deeply felt descriptions of rural life in Ireland managed to carry larger echoes of the island's violent sectarian split, died Friday at the age of 74, his publisher said. Heaney died in Dublin, Ireland, after a short illness, the publishing house Faber & Faber announced on behalf of his family. One of the most widely read poets of the past hundred years, Heaney carried the long lineage of Irish authorship into an era of violence that marked Ireland for much of the later twentieth century.

‘We are blessed to call Seamus Heaney our own and thankful for the gift of him in our national life,’ Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said Friday. ‘He belongs with Joyce, Yeats, Shaw and Beckett in the pantheon of our greatest literary exponents.’

Heaney joined three of those writers -- William Butler Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, and Samuel Beckett -- as a recipient of the Nobel literature prize. The 1995 citation noted Heaney's ‘works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past’ as a reason for bestowing the honor on a fourth Irishman.” http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/30/showbiz/ireland-heaney-death

“Barack Obama’s letter explaining Amazon visit sparks criticism,” by The Guardian’s Liz Bury: “Booksellers in the U.S. have given a cool response to a letter from Barack Obama explaining his visit to an Amazon fulfillment centre. Obama was accused of offering his support to the online retailer's aggressive tactics by taking a televised tour of an Amazon facility in Chattanooga, Tenn., in July." http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/aug/30/barack-obama-letter-amazon-visit