Sep
30
Despite PotterMania, Roald Dahl is Still the Most Beloved Children’s Book Author
September 30, 2007 | Leave a Comment
“A British survey of young adults aged 16-34 found Roald Dahl to be the most popular children’s-book author, with The Chronicles of Narnia author C.S. Lewis coming in second, and Peter Pan creator J.M. Barrie taking third. Harry Potter mastermind J.K. Rowling finished fourth.” Read More
Sep
29
Women Read More Than Men. Shocking.
September 29, 2007 | Leave a Comment
From NPR: A couple of years ago, British author Ian McEwan conducted an admittedly unscientific experiment. He and his son waded into the lunch-time crowds at a London park and began handing out free books. Within a few minutes, they had given away 30 novels. Nearly all of the takers were women, who were “eager [...]
Sep
19
The Adverb Is Dying Real Slow (Oxford University Press)
September 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
It’s not just Bush who’s dropping the “ly” lately. (“We want to get this bridge rebuilt as quick as possible.”) By Anatoly Liberman The adverb is an endangered species in Modern English. One should neither wring one’s hands nor weep on hearing this news. In the course of the last thousand years, English has shed [...]
Sep
12
Man Booker Long List Announced
September 12, 2007 | 1 Comment
Compared to previous years, the 2007 Man Booker list is comprised of a set of low-profile names, with Ian McEwan being the list’s most well-known author. This list of 13 books, the Man Booker Dozen, was chosen from 110 entries; 92 were submitted for the prize and 18 were called in by the judges. * [...]
Sep
4
True Lies: Samedi the Deafness, by Jesse Ball
September 4, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Samedi the Deafness, by Jesse Ball If you tell a lie and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Investigate the capacity of deception in Samedi the Deafness, the debut of the lyrical Jesse Ball, an author who plays his poetic prose on minor keys. Throw standard plot mechanics aside, [...]
Sep
1
Teen Glossy Mania
September 1, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Well, I was…As the last copies of the last issue of Jane magazine (R.I.P.) get swept aside to make room for more copies of the 840-page September Vogue, it’s worth turning our gaze to founder Jane Pratt’s first print foray, the title that first pushed the envelope of girl magazines. If you haven’t yet picked [...]