NEW ITALIAN REALITY SHOW FEATURES WRITERS—ALISON BECHDEL’S GRAPHIC MEMOIR ADAPTED for the STAGE

By MICHELLE HOGMIRE | 11/14/13

11/13/13

“Tired Metaphors? Ciao, Contestant!” by N.Y. Times’ Tom Rachman: Rachman discusses an Italian reality show where contestants compete for a book deal and writing fame. http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/11/14/arts/television/masterpiece-an-italian-reality-show-for-writers.html?from=arts

“Filming Faulkner’s Modernism: James Franco’s ‘As I Lay Dying,’” by L.A. Review of Books’ Joseph Entin: Entin reviews the film adaptation of Faulkner’s famous novel. http://lareviewofbooks.org/essay/filming-faulkners-modernism-on-james-francos-as-i-lay-dying

11/12/13

“‘We Just Sat and Held Each Other’: How It Feels to Watch Your Life Story Onstage,” by The Atlantic’s Alysia Abbott: Abbott interviews author Alison Bechdel about the stage adaptation of her graphic memoir “Fun Home.”  http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/11/we-just-sat-and-held-each-other-how-it-feels-to-watch-your-life-story-onstage/281369/

“How Do We Judge Books Written Under Pseudonyms?” in N.Y. Times’ Sunday Book Review Bookends: Writers Francine Prose and Daniel Mendelsohn discuss how J.K. Rowling’s decision to publish a book under a different name influenced critics. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/17/books/review/how-do-we-judge-books-written-under-pseudonyms.html

WRITERS WORRIED ABOUT SURVEILLANCE—MARTIN CRUZ SMITH HAS PARKINSON’S DISEASE

By MICHELLE HOGMIRE | 11/12/13

11/11/13

“Surveillance Leaves Writers Wary,” by N.Y. Times’  Noam Cohen: “A survey by the writers’ organization PEN American Center has found that a large majority of its members are deeply concerned about recent revelations regarding the extent of government surveillance of email and phone records, with more than a quarter saying that they have avoided, or are seriously considering avoiding, controversial topics in their work.” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/12/books/pen-american-center-survey-finds-caution-among-members.html?hpw&rref=books&_r=0

“Martin Cruz Smith Reveals a Twist in his Tale,” by N.Y. Times’ Pam Belluck: “Gorky Park” author Martin Cruz Smith reveals that he has had Parkinson’s disease since 1995. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/novelist-reveals-a-twist-in-the-tale/

11/10/13

“‘City on Fire,’ a Debut Novel, Fetches Nearly $2 Million,” by N.Y. Times’ Julie Bosman: Bosman discusses how long novels are becoming popular again. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/11/business/media/city-on-fire-a-debut-novel-fetches-nearly-2-million.html?_r=2&

11/8/13

“PD James’s 10 tips for writing novels,” by BBC News’ Alison Feeney-Hart: A list of writing advice from the crime novelist Phyllis Dorothy James. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24867584

BOOKS for EXTREME READERS—EBOOKS put PUBLISHERS OUT OF BUSINESS

By MICHELLE HOGMIRE | 11/7/13

11/4/13

“Selections from One-Star Amazon Reviews of Melville’s Moby-Dick,” by Biblioklept: Galleycat unearths this hilarious list of reviews of Melville’s classic novel. http://biblioklept.org/2013/02/27/selections-from-one-star-amazon-reviews-of-melvilles-moby-dick/

“50 Incredibly Tough Books for Extreme Readers,” by Flavorwire’s Emily Temple: Temple compiles a list of hard books for brave readers, including Melville’s “Moby-Dick” and Wallace’s “Infinite Jest.” http://flavorwire.com/423424/50-incredibly-tough-books-for-extreme-readers/1/

“Ebooks and discounts drive 98 publishers out of business,” by The Guardian’s Liz Bury: “Ninety-eight UK publishers went out of business during the past year, 42% more than the year before, figures which reflect an ongoing squeeze on publishers' profit margins driven by deep retail discounts and new digital business models.” http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/nov/04/ebooks-discounts-98-publishers-closure

11/5/13

“What Would Aldous Huxley Make of the Way We Consume Media and Popular Culture,” in N.Y. Times Bookends: Adam Kirsch and Jennifer Szalai discuss ideas from Huxley’s novel that have come true (and those that haven’t). http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/books/review/what-would-aldous-huxley-make-of-the-way-we-consume-media-and-popular-culture.html?hpw&rref=books&_r=0

MIA COUTOHAS wins NEUSTADT PRIZE—GERARD de VILLIERS dies at 83

By MICHELLE HOGMIRE | 11/5/13

“Book News: Mozambican Writer Wins Neustadt Prize, ‘America’s Nobel,’” by NPR’s Annalisa Quinn: “The Mozambican poet, fiction writer and biologist Mia Coutohas won the Neustadt International Prize for Literature, a biennial award sometimes called "The American Nobel." Couto, […] has written dozens of books in his native Portuguese, including novels, short stories, poetry collections and a children's book.” http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/11/05/243185121/book-news-mozambican-writer-wins-neustadt-prize-america-s-nobel

11/4/13

“NaNoWriMo Writing Tip #2: Create an Outline,” by Galleycat’s Dianna Dilworth: Galleycat offers tips about National Novel Writing Month throughout the month of November. http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/nanowrimo-writing-tip-2-create-an-outline_b79631

11/3/13

“Start-Up to Offer Didion E-Books,” by N.Y. Times’ Julie Bosman: Zola Books is the only place where certain digital works by Didion will be available. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/04/business/media/ZolaBooks-start-up-will-offer-didion-e-books.html?smid=tw-nytmedia&seid=auto

11/2/13

“Gerard de Villiers, 83, French Spy Writer, Dies,” by N.Y. Times’ Robert F. Worth: “Gérard de Villiers, a French popular novelist whose raffish, long-running spy-thriller series, S.A.S., sold more than 100 million copies and became a kind of drop box for real-world secrets from intelligence agencies around the world, died on Thursday in Paris.” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/03/world/europe/gerard-de-villiers-83-french-spy-writer-dies.html