The digital revolution demolished gatekeepers, democratised writing, gave the little guy a foot-up. But with the smooth comes the rough, or something, and here’s one of the most damaging things to emerge from the whole, wonderful mess: the 99¢ eBook. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘cg’
The Snob
Friday, August 5th, 2011In the world of literature, you don’t have to throw a stone far to hit a snob. Snobbery takes many forms. It can form around social class, or material possessions, or workplace achievements. All types of snobbery are worth writing about (and mocking). Yet for me, it’s the intellectual snob that is most tedious of all. (more…)
Glastonbury is Dead
Sunday, June 26th, 2011“I think it could well become more political. We’ve always been a sounding board for lots of unrest. If people are really faced with dire circumstances, that will get them angry and motivated, and that’s the way we’re heading at the moment.”
So said Glastonbury creator Michael Eavis last week of his world-famous music festival. I have never been less convinced. (more…)
The Problem with Blurbs
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011Masterpiece. Tour-de-force. Genius. Visionary. Momentous. Gripping. Unique. Hilarious. Phenomenon. Luminous. Take ten random books from your shelf. Turn them over. Chances are, you’ll see a few of those words. (more…)
Do you re-read?
Thursday, April 28th, 2011How School Made Me Loathe Poetry
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011Do you remember being taught poetry at school? If I try, I can access fragments of memories. These include April afternoons reading Jabberwocky, reciting Ted Hughes aloud to the class as my stomach churned with nerves, and poring over Wilfred Owen. Mostly, however, my experience of poetry at school is a distant fuzz. (more…)
On Black Sparrow Press
Monday, February 7th, 2011I have acquired a new addiction. It’s a vice that has swollen my ‘to read’ pile, yet I can’t stop. I am suddenly obsessed with Black Sparrow Press books. While collecting books by author or subject makes sense, this is the first time I have collected by publisher. (more…)
A New Version of Huckleberry Finn Omits the N-word. Why?
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011The word ‘nigger’ appears 219 times in Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, one of the most anti-racist books I know. Absurdly, a new version published by NewSouth Books (who don’t deserve the dignity of a link) will replace this pejorative racial epithet with the word ‘slave’. (more…)
Liu Xiaobo and the Independent Press
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010The case of Liu Xiaobo is, to me, the finest example of the role independent publishing can and must play in the modern world. Last week, the Chinese dissident poet was awarded the Nobel peace prize “for his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China”. As he is currently serving an 11-year jail sentence in Beijing for subversion, Liu was represented at the award ceremony in Norway by a vacant chair. (more…)
In Defence of Print on Demand Publishing
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010Honest Publishing uses Print on Demand (POD) publishing. It’s certainly no secret, and we feel no shame in letting people know this. We take pride in our output because we work only with writers whose work we love, and whose work we think you’ll love. (more…)
