Industry & Advocacy News
October 26, 2018
Our round-up of key news affecting authors. In this week’s edition: a snapchat novel, the coming of age of Trans-Lit, and more…
The Dr. Zhivago Nobel Dust-Up The New York Times The Times chronicled the saga of Dr. Zhivago, from its initial publication in Italy to author Boris Pasternak’s dramatic rejection of the Nobel Prize for Literature under threat of exile from the Soviet government.
Can Diversity in Children’s Books Tackle Prejudice? CNN Just 9% of children’s books published in the US in 2017 featured African or African-American characters, according to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center. Campaigners want to see more diversity.
The Coming of Age of Trans-Lit The New York Times Transgender writers are embracing more than just memoir writing with a number of recent works winning critical acclaim.
The Saturday Evening Post Archive Is Online The New York Times The Saturday Evening Post has unveiled its new website which has a digital archive of its issues dating back to 1821, as well as a gallery of its signature covers.
The Great American Read PBS PBS revealed the results of The Great American Read in the finale which aired on Tuesday. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was voted America’s favorite read. Rounding out the top five were Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
A Quick Illustrated History of Little Women Signature Reads To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Louisa May Alcott’s work, Signature Reads offers an illustrated primer on the origins and characters of Little Women.
HarperCollins Launches YA Novel on Snapchat Publishers Weekly HarperCollins has partnered with Snapchat to bring Suzy Cox’s 2012 teen novel, The Dead Girls Detective Agency, to cell phones. The 15-episode series launched earlier this week under social media platform Snapchat’s new Snap Originals banner.
The Ghost Story Persists in American Literature. Why? The New York Times Times critic Parul Sehgal examines why the ghost story remains such a mainstay in American literature, stating that “ghost stories are never just reflections. They are social critiques camouflaged with cobwebs; the past clamoring for redress.”
It Just Made Perfect Sense: Dorothy, a Publishing Project Los Angeles Review of Books A profile of Danielle Dutton and Martin Riker, co-publishers of the small feminist press Dorothy, a Publishing Project.
Random House and Crown Publishing Groups Merge The Bookseller Penguin Random House merged Crown Publishing with Random House, making it the second major restructuring in the company under CEO Gina Centrello. The decision was made to facilitate “cross-pollination” between editorial teams, but it will not change the distinct editorial characteristics of the two brands.
