Posts
Tom Wolfe has switched publishers for his new novel, Back to Blood. Unfortunately, he has yet to switch to a new topic. Little, Brown and Company will be releasing Wolfe's umpteenth examination of wealth and class later this year.
Via The Guardian UK: Authors duke it out over the one sentence paragraph.
My patriotic heart soars with the eagles -- Canada has slipped behind the USA in regards to their reading habits. That means we've got 'em beat on murders, rapes, violent crimes and reading. We're number one! We're number one! Woo-hoo!
Video interviews with comics writer Alan Moore about V for Vendetta, Watchmen, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Lost Girls.
Marvel Comics has angered hordes of dedicated Spider-man fans with the newest issue of The Amazing Spider-Man. In it, the fictional webslinger makes a deal with the fictional devil to re-write/throw out large chunks of last 45 years of the book's fictional continuity. In other words, it's the company's way of admitting that a lot of those stories were crap.
Lastly, the most obvious literary award headline ever today.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Book News, In Brief
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Book News, In Brief
Robert Frost's Vermont home was trashed by drunken, under-aged party goers. Apparently, Frost's ghost lured the teens to his home via his/its MySpace page. Perv.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
For the Lazy & the Kids...
Neil Gaiman has posted a preview of the upcoming adaptation of his book, Coraline, directed by Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas). Enjoy.
For the Druggies & the Lazy & the Kids...
While you're pretending to work today/watching your kids play with cardboard boxes instead of the new Wii you drove across the state to purchase for them, why not listen to Alice In Wonderland, as read by author Cory Doctorow (Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, Little Brother)?
Friday, December 21, 2007
Book News, In Brief
Tired of waiting months for your manuscript's inevitable rejection letter? Creative Byline wants to help! Writers upload their manuscripts for $19.00 and 'first readers'—readers trained to look for basic writing ability—review them. Writers who don't make the cut receive targeted feedback on how to improve the work. Writers who make the cut receive a list of editors who are a potential match for the work -- and then the waiting that they thought they'd avoided finally begins. (Link)
The best selling books so far this holiday season: Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, and I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert.
Borders has launched an e-book program in conjunction with Sony, hoping to re-Kindle the interest of their prodigal patrons. (Link)
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Book News, In Brief
The New York Times has a two page article on BookCrossing.com, a website promoting free, anonymous book trading in public places. 4.4 million books have been registered in the "catch and release" program thus far, with 600,000 readers registered.
Via Guardian UK: "Americans go for self-help, the French for philosophy and the British for trivia. Stuart Jeffries investigates the phenomenon of the Christmas bestseller and wonders what this year's big successes will be."
Have no fear, white trash, teenage baby-mommas: Britney Spears' mother may have canceled her proposed parenting book (something to do with her 'other daughter' -- aged 16 -- recently revealing her pregnancy), but Eminem's mom has announced an autobiographical accounting of her and her son's estranged-is-putting-it-mildly relationship.
Steam engine thought has everyone running stories about the dearth of reading among boys and men. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution asks, Why don’t men do book clubs?, and then leaves it up to those folks frequenting the comments section to answer the question. The Minneapolis Star Tribune covers their school system's efforts to get boys interested in books besides Harry Potter and Star Wars spin-offs, posing their own Yoda-like query: Boys and books: How do you get them together? The Asheville Citizen Times does more than just ask broad questions. They describe a local librarian's semi-controversial attempt to refocus boys on books by separating the sexes into different reading groups designed to better deal with issues specific to each gender. My solution: slip some short fiction into Maxim Magazine.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Crazy Alert!
Keifer Bonvillain claimed to have hours of taped interviews proving that Oprah is not what she seems, and wanted to write a book about it. When no publisher would risk incurring her wrath, Bonvillain went the self-published route. While I have no plans to order the book myself (the website's shoddy design and the author's use of a comic book-worthy nom de plume do little to instill confidence in this credit card holder), the website's worth a look, if for no other reason than the loony chapter descriptions.
Here's a few:
Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter
The author is contacted by Harpo employee.
Chapter 2: Oprah's Attorney Called and He's Scared!
Author shares transcribed tapes of his conversation with Oprah’s attorneys.
Chapter 4: Did He Say Extortion?
The day of author’s arrest. (Includes never before released legal documents surrounding author’s arrest and the seizing of his property.)
Chapter 5: I’m the Infamous Oprah Extortionist
Author discusses world-wide media coverage of his arrest. (Includes documents showing how FBI kept author’s car for a month.)
Chapter 10: Lord I Need You
Author seeks spiritual guidance.
Chapter 16: Mystique around Oprah’s Sexual Preferences
The Other Woman.
Chapter 17: A Mutually Beneficial Subterfuge
Author discusses Oprah’s relationship with Stedman Graham.
Chapter 24: Birds of a Feather
The author discusses shocking statistics and uncovers a dark bond between Oprah and Obama. What you should know before you cast your presidential vote.
(Editor's note: I'd almost dismissed it as tabloid trash until I read the description of Chapter 10. Now I'm a believer!)
Monday, December 17, 2007
Big News (to me!)
DC Comics and Darwyn Cooke have announced a follow-up to DC: The New Frontier, titled Justice League: The New Frontier Special. The one-shot comic will feature a "lost chapter" detailing a Superman vs. Batman battle (alluded to in the original), as well as shorter stories about Wonder Woman, the Black Canary, and Robin, the Boy Wonder. Cooke is handling the art and writing for the S vs. B story, and is writing the scripts for the rest. Release is slated for March 2008.
(For Inkwell's review of DC: The New Frontier Absolute Edition, click here.)
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Book News, In Brief
One of my All Time Top 10 cartoonists, Joe Sacco (Palestine, Notes from a Defeatist), gets grilled over at The Comics Reporter. No jokes, jabs or jibes here. I love dude.
Angela's Ashes author Frank McCourt has written what can most charitably be described as Christmas fanfic...using his own critically acclaimed, Pulitzer Prize winning, best selling characters. To hear McCourt try and make a case for Angela and the Baby Jesus, head on over to Simon & Schuster's podcast page, 12/13/07.
In ever-so-slightly-related news, fanfic has a legal defense team! Via Boingboing: "The Organization for Transformative Works has just launched. It's a fascinating new proto-nonprofit determined to defend media fandom from the excesses of copyright and to help fanfic writers and vidders maintain control of their remixed works. The word "transformative" looks like they're throwing down the gauntlet in copyright battles, insisting that fic is fair use as a transformative work." Yes, soon you will be able to write and release all of the Harry/Ron romance scenarios your devious mind can conjure, but that unofficial lexicon you've been laboring away at will still be off limits.
Millionaire Mystery Buyer Unmasked, Revealed To Be Faceless Corporation
Friday, December 14, 2007
Book News, In Brief
Via AP: This holiday season, publishers are hoping to bleed 401ks dry with a barrage of books about 'the good old days,' 'when music was better.' The Inkwell recommends that any of our older readers planning on living to see the Spring of 2008 (knock on Wood) hold off on buying these books until then. It is our educated guesstimate that all of these titles will be available at significantly Slash-ed prices once this season's influenza has (literally) killed off much of their intended audience.
I had never heard of The Animal Dialogues: Uncommon Encounters in the Wild by Craig Childs until I happened across this snippet of Sarah Rose's review in the AP: "A packed subway train crawls toward Manhattan from Brooklyn. I'm pushed on all sides, smashed against the door reading Craig Childs' newest set of essays, The Animal Dialogues. Tears well in my eyes as I read about a perfect blue shark dying on a desolate beach." Now, I've gotta be honest. I'm not sure if that review qualifies as a success or a failure. On the one hand, I have no interest in reading The Animal Dialogues. But on the other, I'm fiending to read a million more melodramatic reviews by Ms. Rose. Her writing reminds me of 'Dwight' from The Office.
This is the way the bookstores end. Not with a bang or a Kindle.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
And Now, Back To The Morbid
Jog has posted a great piece about the effective mixing of bloody, nasty horror with laugh out loud comedy in manga. It's titled, It's OK to Laugh. Recommendations for new readers are included.
Ah-ha!
Alright, you sappy f***s. Here's a cheery post. Via Boingboing:
Neil Gaiman helps fan propose to girlfriend through book inscription
Jason wanted to propose creatively to his girlfriend, Maui. So he conspired with comix legend, sf writer and all-round mensch Neil Gaiman: when Neil spoke in the Philippines, they would attend and Maui would queue up for a signature afterward. When she reached Neil, he would write "Will you marry Jason?" on the inside of her book and hand it back to her, and romance would ensue.It worked flawlessly (see the video). Maui was delighted and surprised, Jason got down on one knee, the crowd applauded and Neil sat there, grinning like a maniac.
How lovely!
...and Maui actually failed to notice Neil's dedication because she was so starstruck. It took him about three times to actually get her to read the darn thing.Maui (squealing, closing the book): Thanks!!!
Neil: Aren't you going to read what I wrote? You have to read it..
Maui (opening the book, shrugging, then closing it again): Thanks!!!
Me: You have to read the dedication...
And she bent over to give Neil a kiss, STILL not noticing what was going on.
Neil: You really have to read this...
When she did (FINALLY!)...(Click here for a two minute video of the event.)
A Brief Reprieve
Yesterday I got a little maudlin, I'll admit. That's why, today, I'd like to start things off a wee bit cheerier. Via every other book blog on the web: Best-selling fantasy author Terry Pratchett has been diagnosed with a rare form of early onset Alzheimer's.
Damn it. That wasn't...I'm sorry.
I'll post something later. Something better.
I promise.
Until then...
:)
(That didn't work, either, did it?)
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Not Books...
R.I.P. Ike Turner
You had some serious demons in you, demons that you never did get completely under control. But you were a genius, an undeniable musical visionary, and Tina never sounded so good without you.
Random Assortment of Various Links
Salon has posted their Best Books of 2007 list. Surprise, surprise. Your self-published memoir isn't on it. If only you'd followed some of Sam Leith's secrets to writing a Christmas-time best seller -- you still wouldn't have made the cut, but at least you'd be making some money off of your shameless tragedy-whoring. Still, all hope is not lost. We're in the age of the Kindle. And according to the Arizona Republic, crap books sell well in e-book form. Burning them is another story.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Coming Soon: A Coffee Table Book About A Band That Used To Sleep On The Floor
Via ITNUK: "The widow of rock star Joe Strummer has unearthed a treasure trove of material by the former Clash frontman. After his death five years ago at the age of 50 following a heart attack, his wife Lucinda Mellor went through some suitcases and found that each one contained about 30 plastic bags. She said: 'I suddenly realised that each bag was pertinent to a week on tour or a session - each bag told a story which was amazing.'
All the material found - plus some Clash lyrics discovered in mouldy tea chests - have been put on file, photographed, carefully stored and catalogued. Ms Mellor is planning to publish a book containing unreleased songs and rarities, with his friend the artist Damien Hirst. She added: 'One day we will do an amazing book. It's going to be beautifully done - it'll be like an art book, with photographs, lyrics, drawings, maybe unreleased songs, rarities. It'll have CDs in it, rare Joe stuff - we'll see what we've got.'"
Gift Ideas for the Bookish:
The Zaky Infant Pillow
Let's face it, babies eat away at more than just our sanity, our sex lives and our savings. Their constant craving for attention eats away at our reading time, as well. That's why these creepy little gems are such a genius idea. For $38.98, your baby feels loved, and you get to finish your book club book for the first time ever. Available at The Pregnancy Store.
(Thanks to BoingBoing.net for the initial heads up.)
Monday, December 10, 2007
Book News, In Brief
I don't know if the religious right is really to blame, but they're certainly lining up to take the credit. Via Reuters: "Golden Compass loses its way at U.S. box office." Of course, this is a Hollywood headline, and ought to be taken with a grain of Hollywood salt. After all, the film was the number one moneymaker this weekend, taking in some $40 million over the first three days.
Via CNN.com: Charles Bukowski's Hollywood home is up for historical preservation, but its current owner, Victoria Gureyeva, wants it destroyed. "This man loved Hitler," Gureyeva, who is Jewish, told the alternative newspaper LA Weekly. "This is my house, not Bukowski's. I will never allow the city of Los Angeles to turn it into a monument for this man." The way I see it, both parties can have their way. Raze the home, and leave the ruble as a monument to Bukowski's self-destructive lifestyle.
Via the AP: "The Fair Use Project at Stanford's Center for Internet and Society announced Tuesday that it had signed on to aid the defense of Michigan-based RDR Books, which had planned to release The Harry Potter Lexicon this fall." Finally, someone with an actual understanding of fair use/copyright laws is speaking out in defense of this book. Up 'til now, the legal work and press relations have been handled primarily by the lexicon's publisher -- a well-meaning, hyperbolic, blowhard with delusions of political martyrdom and a caps lock key seemingly stuck in the ALL CAPS position -- and it hasn't been going well.
It's like Black Like Me, only in reverse...and without the effed-up makeup and wig stuff. Author Dave Matthews has just released, Ace of Spades, a memoir focusing on the twenty years he spent as a light skinned Black man "passing" for White. Adding another layer of complexity to the already Rubikian scenario is the fact that Matthews grew up in Baltimore (which, as every loyal viewer of The Wire knows, is a predominantly Black city). Commenting on this in an interview with Smithmag.net, Matthews said:
It’s completely contradictory from a psychological standpoint, I know. Basically, I felt that the black kids who preyed on the white kids (in whose ranks I cluelessly considered myself) were less powerful in the larger context of America than they were in the streets of Baltimore. I never lost sight of the “prize”—being white, and knew that once I said I was black I would never be able to go back. So it was easier to suffer among the “master race” than to lord amongst “the slaves.” Plus, my TV showed me every day that there was a world out there where white people ran everything, so I figured if I just bided my time, my day would come. (Have I mentioned that I was a moron?)
To read the first chapter of Ace of Spades, click here.
