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Literary Bites
Bringing you tasty morsels of book news!
11 months ago Bookbird said:
2011 is set to be a big year for books on the box with the BBC declaring a full programme of book related viewing. This week we see a nightly series "My life in books" where Anne Robinson chats to celebrities about their whats on their reading radar. BBC has a whole night of things planned for world book nigt on the 5th of March. Later in the year we can look forward to some dickens related programmes as well as new dramas based on books such as 'Women in Love', Kate Atkinsons 'Case Histories' and 'Brideshead revisited.
11 months ago Bookbird said:
Yes people do still want to borrow books! As is shown in the recent listing of the most borrowed books of 2010. Crime & thrillers ride high as expected with the new euro cime hits from the likes of Stieg Larsson doing well. Encouraging for the future childrens books also show up well, with Dasiy Meadows fairy books and the ever popular Jacqueline Wilson still on the must read list for children. Check out the internet for a full listing if you want to catch up with what's hot to read!
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Check out www.southbankcentre.co.uk for their fabulous childrens festival 'Imagine' ( follow the links for literature events). It includes talks by Jeremy Strong, Children's Laureate Anthony Browne and a puppet show based on Polly Dunbars 'Penguin' book.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Congratulations to poet Jo Shapcott for taking the prestigious 'Costa' book award for her collection of poems 'Of Mutability'. This is the 2nd year in a row that the award has gone to a poet ( Last years went to Christopher Reid)
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Sign of the times? The judges of the Booker prize this year will be reading their longlist of over a hundred books via an e-reader this year. Certainly it will help the planet and the postmans back but will they get confused as to which book they are reading when they all look the same!
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Bookbird is really enjoying the sunday night series 'Zen' based on the Michael Dibden series of Italian set crime novels with detective Aurelio Zen..( not just due to the easy on the eye Rufus Sewell ;-) ). Following this a new wave of Italian crime writers is aiming to conquer the British reading public and edge Scandinavian rivals such as Stieg Larsson off the bestseller lists. Zen is of course a British writers' creation but look out for the Italian pack to follow..including Gianrico Carofiglio writing about the mafia and crime in southern Italy and Massimo Carlotto who was wrongly accused of murder before turning to the pen.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Expect the Hobbit to be big again soon...Peter Jackson is making a prequel to Lord of the rings and Andy Serkis and local Tower Hamlets resident Sir Ian McKellan are signed up for the film as Gollum & Gandalf....check out the original books in your local idea stores and libraries
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Bookbird has made some new year resolutions for 2011 amoung which is to post her literary bites more often so here goes.....Starting with the sad news of the death of 'Babe the pig' writer Dick King-Smith at the age of 88. King Smith started life as a farmer and turned to writing in his fifties and penned more than a 100 books. In an interview he once described his typical day as "sit down in my very small study in my very old (from 1635) cottage; scribble in longhand in the morning; in the afternoon, type out the morning's work (on an old portable typewriter, with one finger); evening, read day's work to my wife, seeking her approval."
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Dorothy Koomson & Louise Candlish talked about their latest best selling titles at Idea store Canary Wharf...they gave a reading and then there was a lively and entertaining question & answer session where they talked about how they wrote and what inspired them. Louise writes in a very structured way and knows the whole story from start to finish before she has started writing whereas Dorothy writes sections whenever they come to her and then puts them in order and overwrites them. Both authors were funny and charming and spent time after the event signing copies of their books and talking people individually...the wine & strawberries added on it was a great night out for all concerned
1 year ago Jeff Smith-Hayzer said:
Bonnie Greer at Idea Store Whitechapel
Writer and critic Bonnie Greer appeared at the Idea Store Whitechapel on 22nd July. This was her second visit to Idea Stores after a very successful visit to the Canary Wharf store in May.
The format for this visit was slightly different. I interviewed Bonnie in front of an appreciative audience, on issues ranging from her newly awarded OBE to the state of American politics under the Obama administration. Bonnie and I also discussed feminism, spiritual beliefs, art, the British Museum, of which Bonnie is the Deputy Chairman on the Board of Trustees and her own creative work and process.
Afterwards Bonnie responded at length to insightful questions from the audience before signing books and posing for photos.
Bonnie is simply a delight to work with. She has such a warm, endearing manner and an honest, no-nonsense approach to critique that is hewn from her intellect and her emotional investment.
It was my pleasure to host this event and I was honoured by Bonnie’s acceptance to return in the future.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
The longlist for the Booker prize has been announced.....
Parrot and Olivier in America by Peter Carey (Faber)
Room by Emma Donoghue (Picador).
The Betrayal by Helen Dunmore (Penguin)
In a Strange Room by Damon Galgut (Atlantic)
The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson (Bloomsbury)
The Long Song by Andrea Levy (Headline)
C by Tom McCarthy (Jonathan Cape)
The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell (Hodder & Stoughton)
February by Lisa Moore (Chatto)
Skippy Dies by Paul Murray (Penguin)
Trespass by Rose Tremain (Chatto)
The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas (Tuskar Rock)
The Stars in the Bright Sky by Alan Warner (Jonathan Cape)
The shortlist will be announced on 7 September.
1 year ago rebecca.rudall@towerhamlets.gov.uk said:
Writers Dorothy Koomson & Louise Candlish will be talking about their latest books in what should be a sizzling summer night out with free wine & strawberries as well as an oppotunity to meet and talk to these popular authors and buy their books
1 year ago Jeff Smith-Hayzer said:
33East/ 33 West
Local publishers Glasshouse books and Idea Store Whitechapel teamed up on Tuesday 13th July to launch the new two volume set of short stories, 33 East and 33 West. There are thirty three short stories contained in this two volume set, one for each London Borough, by a writer from that borough, about that borough.
The four authors reading were Glasshouse publisher, Bobby Nayyar (Haringey), Uchena Izundu (Enfield), Tabitha Potts (Tower Hamlets) and Daisy Goodwin (Hammersmith & Fulham).
The event was a great success. All the readers delivered wonderful renditions and were very warmly received and everyone enjoyed the food and the live music, supplied by The Monastic Trio.
Bobby Nayyar formed Glasshouse Books in 2009 with an aim to reaching people who can read, but choose not to read books. He wants to reach the young and old, those with little time, money or inclination and invite individuals who may not be versed in the ways of selecting reading material to join the community of London’s readers. 33 certainly adheres to those aims, with stories from authors of all ages and ethnic backgrounds and each with a particular take on life in the capital.
To find out more go to www.glasshousebooks.co.uk
1 year ago Bookbird said:
The writer Beryl Bainbridge has died at the age of 75 after a short illness. She was nominated 5 times for the Booker prize & won the Whitbread award twice. She started life as an actress before turning her talents to writing. Writing on Twitter, author Margaret Atwood said: "Old pal Dame Beryl Bainbridge dies - very sad. Wondrous original, great sport, loved her books. Hope she has champagne in heaven & a smoke..."
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Sad news about the death of Alan Plater whose writing career spanned 30 years. He was responsible for some TV classics such as the screenplay for fortunes of war and the always fantastic and memorable Beiderbecke affair
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Congratulations to Neil Gaimen who has won the prestigious Carnegie prize for childrens fiction to add to the american Newbury prize. His beautiful graphic novel 'The graveyard book' is a moving story about a little boy called nobody and touches on love, life, death & family and it suitable for adults as well!
1 year ago Dee Gordon said:
Thanks to Jeffrey Smith-Hayzer and all at The Idea Store, Whitechapel, for their efficient organisation in launching Voices of Stepney on the 5th June. Nothing seemed to be too much trouble, and feedback from attendees was very positive - airy space even on a hot day, effective audience participation, and plenty of welcome refreshments. Highly recommended as a venue for literary - or any other! - events.
1 year ago Jeff Smith-Hayzer said:
London Literature Festival
The London Literature Festival is all set to go from 1st-18th July at London's Southbank centre. Headlining are Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Žižek, cult author of American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis, explorer Sylvia Earle, Jeanette Winterson delivers the Southbank Centre Lecture and Brazilian footballing legend Sócrates will be inviting you for a kick about. If none of that takes your fancy there are a whole lot more going on. Find out more at:
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
1 year ago Jeff Smith-Hayzer said:
Rachel Caine at Idea Store Whitechapel
Rachel Caine gave committed teen vampire apostles a thrill on Wednesday 16th, when she appeared at Idea Store Whitechapel. Rachel is a New York Times and USA today bestselling author who works at a fantastic pace. She has produced over 42 works of fiction since 1991! There is the Morganville Vampires, but she has also written four other book series, under four different pseudonyms, all in the sci-fi, fantasy genre. She told us how she writes a novel in six weeks, about her great relationship with her publishers, and answered questions about the enduring vampire myth, her friendship with Charlaine Harris and her working method. She posed with fans and staff for the local press and for personal photos and signed books that were also personalised with an extra cartoon by Rachel’s husband, accompanying her on this, and all her other, book tours. Considering her visit to England only lasts 4 weeks, everyone was happy that she found the time to come and visit her East London fan base. Thanks Rachel and thanks to Alison & Busby publishers for including The Idea Store on the tour.
1 year ago Jeff Smith-Hayzer said:
Local & London History Month at Idea Store Whitechapel got off to a roaring start on Saturday 5th. Author of 7 previous books (1 fiction, 6 non-fictions) and presenting her newly published Voices of Stepney, Dee Gordon entertained an appreciative audience of 55+ on the fourth floor of the Idea Store.
Dee told of the conditions of living in Stepney during the 50’s and 60’s and of the characters, whether they be mothers, workers or villains that inhabited the East End of that period.
The audience composed of many who appear in Dee’s book, as well as friends and relatives. This gave the event a reunion feel and after taking questions, one and all stayed for tea, chat and photo taking, whilst many talked one to one with Dee and bought signed copies of Voices of Stepney. With 73 copies of the book sold, Dee is definitely the best selling event author that I’ve ever seen, since my time at Idea Stores. Dee said she’d be happy to come back, so here’s to the next reunion.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Nice work if you can get it..there may be some struggling writers out there shocked at the news that American president Barack Obama has declared a reported income of £3.8 million from the procedes of his books penned before he became president...!
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Troubles by J.G. Farrell has won the lost Man booker prize..this has been awarded to books published in 1970 that lost out due to a change in the rules of the prize when it ceased to be awarded retrospectively & became a prize for books published in that year... 1970 slipped through the net.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
50+ people packed into Idea store Canary Wharf to see Bonnie Greer talk about her latest books 'Entropy' a novel & 'Obama music' about her growing up in Chicago & how music is wound into her life. Bonnie read from both books & talked about her writing and then there was a lively question and answer session that nearly turned into question time ( which Bonnie appears on regularly). She was utterly charming & relaxed and spent time signing books ( sold by waterstones) for anyone that wanted, posing for pictures & chatting to anyone that wanted. A great evening...if you missed it go along to Whitechapel on the 22nd of July where she is appearing again...well worth it..I hope to be there.
1 year ago Jeff Smith-Hayzer said:
Idea Store Whitechapel Book Group
Our last Book Group was graced with the presence of the debut novelist Justine Kilkerr and what a charming guest she proved to be. This was Justine's first ever author appearance but she handled the situation like a pro. She quickly relaxed into the discussion and answered questions on her writing and the content of her work and seemed especially interested in the various interpretations that our opinionated group brought forward. She told me afterwards that she loved hearing such views as they brought new dimesions to her work that she had not seen herself. Advice for Strays is a moving novel of relationships between friends, family and your own self. It questions how we deal with those we love, the guilt involved and the various mechanisms at work that help us cope, sometimes well, sometimes poorly with issues of life that may, in the end, be easier to deal with directly, instead of constucting the stories we tell ourselves that ultimately serve to avoid confrontation.
An excellent first novel. I'm sure we will be hearing much more from Justine in the future. She is working on her second novel and has promised to visit us again for another engaging discussion.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Bookbird is very excited with the huge range of author talks and visits going on in Idea stores & libraries in Tower Hamlets. Check out the author pages under the libraries books & reading section. Coming up soon Bonnie Greer at Canary Wharf & Justibe Kilkerr at Whitechapel. Its all building up nicely for the very exciting prospect of the Write Idea book festival in November with a lively & wide ranging programme of events. All these events are free. Fantastic!
1 year ago Jeff Smith-Hayzer said:
On Arthur Nersesian.
Arthur Nersesian is not to well known in the UK, but has been in print since 1997. Some may label him transgressive or cult, but there is something of the mythic about Nersesian’s prose, lyrical but in a truly urban sense. The F**k Up, Nersesian’s debut novel, set the tone for his ongoing bohemian universe, and it is a modern urban odyssey after all. There are monsters to be overcome, riddles to be solved, and a seventies New York to be traversed. The city of New York operates like another character in Nersesian’s novels. It is a titan, sometimes benign, other times malignant. It is this situationist notion that brings the mythic to the everyday in all his prose; the sense of the city or society that has agency beyond the actions of human control. Nersesian’s characters are people who do not inherit tragic character flaws, and therefore are not representatives of the qualities that drive them i.e. goodness, evil. That does not mean that they are not influenced by the emotions that we are all prone to i.e. pride, lust, fear etc. but these qualities are taken as a given, as intrinsic to the human condition. If we all have these qualities then, depending on our circumstances we can all behave in a variety of ways that aren’t dictated by some categorical imperative of character.
Hence, Nersesian gives us these wonderfully likable hustlers. They are wannabe writers, artists, actors, Kafkarian misfits. They are not some ideal of humanity or people to be scorned; they are living in a world where existential choices have to be made. And yet they are not free in the Existential sense. To be more precise, they are confronted with the Absurd. In the face of an indifferent universe, (which we could substitute for ancient, mythical Gods, as their own agency functions, paradoxically, as indifference due to their capriciousness) and the facticity of their own natures, they continue to struggle in the Sisyphean sense.
With Nersesian I knew I’d struck it rich. The same way that I knew after first reading Bukowski, Hemingway, Fante or Yates. The bonus being that, unlike them, Arthur is alive and well and living in a rabbit hutch in the East Village armed with a typewriter.
Arthur Nersesian currently has nine novels in print and one book of plays which you can view at:
www.arthurnersesian.com
1 year ago Jeff Smith-Hayzer said:
On Ian McEwan
I don’t think there are many more awaited dates on the British literary calendar than the publication of a new Ian McEwan novel.
McEwan has never let me down. He has often been accused of not being able to maintain a literary narrative, having to fall back on some sensational plot device of murder or mayhem.
The wonderful thing about McEwan is that the ideas that drive the character’s dialogue and actions carry such a weight of intellectual investigation that the plot seems to emerge organically from the determining motivations of the characters. Not because they are described in a more quantitative way, but that the qualitative descriptions come from that solid base of an idea, reified by a person, a movement, an object, a situation or left in its abstract, symbolic condition of words. This means that however bloody or macabre the events are that emerge, they are always completely believable, and that is what is so special. McEwan is a popular, accessible, modern novelist who continues the philosophical literary tradition of the Novel of Ideas.
McEwan has often commented that so much of modern literature is boring, and I have to agree. These books are lacking the conviction of actually saying anything about the world, other than an attempt to patch together some pseudo-poetic notions of love, loss or personal growth, without any self reflective perceptions regarding the meaning of its own expression or the necessity of its creation. Either that or the magical realism that could qualify as a first treatment of a film script, that in turn beckons the attention of the film rights that are just around the corner. The spurious spiritual assertion that such titles prevaricate on their audience in shovel loads brings to mind the opiate of the Marxist kind. Do we really need any more of this?
McEwan is not afraid to take what may seem to be a hackneyed plot device, when isolated from its narrative situation, that when skilfully integrated is exciting. We want to be excited and challenged. We want a whole package from our reading material. This is what McEwan delivers every time. His books are an event. Not merely a distraction from our mundane routines but one of the reasons for engagement in life in the first place.
See my review of Solar on the recommends section of the blog.
For a full list of all of McEwan’s titles visit his web site www.ianmcewan.com
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Writer Alan Sillitoe has died aged 82. Sillitoe was part of a movement in the late fifties & early sixties that shifted peoples frame of reference and bought about the angry young man. His character Arthur Seaton in Saturday Night sunday morning was brilliantly brought to life and set off the career of Albert Finney.
1 year ago Jeff Smith-Hayzer said:
With regard to Bonnie Greer, I have to say I am very excited to be both hosting the Whitechapel event and playing audience member at Canary Wharf. Bonnie, for anybody whose ever seen her on the BBC's Review Show, is a lady with an incredible capacity of analytical insight on the topics of politics, culture, art, literature, you name it, she has something interesting to say about it. Not only perspicuous in her content, but penetrating in her style. Her almost laconic delivery, which is so assured and grounded in personal experience of a life spent in the Arts and at the cutting edge of cultural discourse, is enough to keep you hooked if she was reading the phone book. I'm looking forward to both events. One dose is not enough.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
The renowned writer, broadcaster & critic Bonnie Greer will be appearing at the Idea stores soon. She will be at Canary Wharf on the 18th May at 6.30pm talking about her latest books & at Idea store Whitechapel on Thursday 22nd July at 7pm. Check the website & stores later for more details.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
The orange award for new writers has just been short listed. 'The book of fires' by Jane Borodale 'The boy next door' by Irene Sabitini & 'After the fire, a still small voice' by Evie Wyld are all up for the award. Check out www.orangeprize.co.uk for further info.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Who knew! It has been revealed that old rocker Keith Richards is a big fan of books, reading & libraries. He is quoted as saying "When you are growing up there are two institutional places that affect you most powerfully: the church, which belongs to God and the public library, which belongs to you. The public library is a great equaliser" He has his own impressive collection of books in his homes in the USA & UK and even tried to catalogue them using the library dewey system but gave up. His love of books continues however..rock & roll
1 year ago Bookbird said:
The longlist for the orange prize for fiction has just been announced..check out www.orangeprize.co.uk for details. This prestigious prize is an annual affair and is awarded to the best full length fiction by a female writer.The shortlist will be chosedn in April and the prize awarded in early June. Check out the books at you local Idea store or library
1 year ago Bookbird said:
I enjoyed the David McCandless author talk at Bow Idea store the other day and am excited to see that there is more and more such events across the stores. Keep you eyes peeled when you go in or check out the website and whats on leaflets. The Write idea festival is coming in November.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Hi I am back off my hols and dipping back into the world of book news again...The wise words bookfest is currently on in the month of March and there is a rich and varied package of book related events in Tower hamlets. Check out the alternative arts website or pick up a leaflets in the idea stores and libraries. All good stuff
1 year ago Bookbird said:
I have to agree Jeff...Catcher in the rye is one of the top books in bookbirds favourite books of all time. A must read for everyone.
1 year ago Jeff Smith-Hayzer said:
Thank Gog somebody is actually talking about the death of J.D. Salinger. After the news, I came to work the next day and nobody mentioned it, and still haven't. This death should be mourned. Salinger's small canon of published work, including Franny and Zooey and his short stories (not to mention Catcher) is some of the most seminal American fiction of the century. The fact they he has caused so much dispute amongst the critics is proof of that. For me, Catcher is a book that will always be in my top ten list, and in reply to Bookbird, yes, the original teenager, before James Dean and Brando. This tail of teenage angst and almost nihlistic despair was a blueprint for so many emulations, some that hit the spot, due to their recognition of influence, others that failed because they tried to reinvent. The whole subject has become so trite and passe that it is almost fashionable now to dislike Salinger just because this original is now part of a grossly saturated genre, but each time I read it, the magic is still there. If anybody wants to comment more I'd love to converse.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Happy birthday to Baroness Ruth Rendell who is 80 on the 17th February.One of our most prolific and successful Crime writers she also writes under the name of Barbara Vine. One of her most popular characters is Inspector Wexford who investigations have been translated into a successful TV series. She has received many awards for her crime novels
1 year ago Bookbird said:
The best selling thriller writer Dick Francis has died at the age of 89. He sold more than 60 million books in his lifetime. He took up writing after retiring from a successful career as a jockey where he won 345 races! He used his knowledge of this world as a backdrop to many of his bestselling books.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Should those with incurable illnesses be allowed to choose how and when they die? In a moving, funny and eloquant Richard Dimbleby lecture, author Terry Pratchett, who has Alzheimer's disease, makes an argument for the right to choose and how he has faced the daily problems of existing with the disease. Listen to the programme again while you can on BBCiplayer...well worth it.
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Bookclub: After the success of the Richard & Judy bookclub on TV the producer of that show Amanda Ross has taken it one stage further and the TV book club was born. 10 celebrities talk about a book and discuss it..check out the list at tvbookclub.co.uk
1 year ago Bookbird said:
Lost Booker Prize: In 1970 the rules for the booker prize were changed from being retrospectivly awarded to being an award for the best book of year. The month it was awarded also changed. As a result many authors that year 'fell through the gap'. Booker have decided to award a special prize to a shortlist of writers to recognise the talent around 30 years ago. Check out the list at www.themanbookerprize.com
2 years ago Bookbird said:
Events.Also at the south bank is a range of book events for adults including Tariq Ali & David Baddiel discussing their latest offerings on 11th February & American crime writer Sara Paretsky giving a rare UK appearance on 18th February to talk about her new Vi Warshawski novel. Have a look at the above link for these and other events.
2 years ago Bookbird said:
Festival.The imagine children’s literature festival kicks off on the 11th February at the south bank centre with a riot of story telling, comedy, poetry and performance. Included in the events is Michael Rosen performing his work and bookworm babies-stories for very young children. Check out the rest at www.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/literature-spoken-word
2 years ago Bookbird said:
Author news.Sad news about the death of American writer J.D Salinger; writer of one of the most iconic books of the 20th century with ‘Catcher in the Rye’. Salinger had a reclusive lifestyle shunning all publicity after his book went global. Holden Caulfield-the original teenager?
2 years ago Bookbird said:
Sales. 2009 saw the largest amount of books ever published. According to records 133,000 titles were produced last year, a 3.2% increase on previous years. A selection of the best ones can be found on our shelves in Idea stores! Check out the catalogue, you may be surprised.
2 years ago Bookbird said:
Prizes. Congratulations to poet Christopher Reid who pipped favorite Colm Toibin’s novel ‘Brooklyn’ to win one of the first big book prizes of the year with the Costa book prize…check out the details at www.costabookawards.com
2 years ago bookbird said:
Stamps.Contemporary Australian writers including Peter Carey and Thomas Keneally are being honored with a collection of commemorative postage stamps in Australia. Booker prize winning author Carey said he was ‘very moved’ to be on a set of stamp promoting the best of Australian literature. Come on Royal mail follow this great example.
2 years ago Bookbird said:
Film. After last years attempt at transferring a bestseller with ‘Time travellers wife’ to the book screen lets hope the makers of ‘Lovely Bones’ have more success at capturing the essence of the book. It releases at the end of January & is the spooky tale of a young murder victim watching from heaven her family come to terms with her death & her killer preparing to kill again. This was the debut novel of Alice Sebold.
