Situation critical: a justification for robust literary criticism
The dearth of serious literary critique in contemporary society is concerning, because a robust literature depends on robust criticism.
Brief Encounters: “Where the Door Is Always Open and the Welcome Mat Is Out” by Patricia Highsmith
The American author’s fiction is too frequently placed in a generic box; her output was much more wide ranging, including pieces like this atypical story.
Open letter signed by 500 authors, publishers, and industry stakeholders opposes book contracts for those who worked in the Trump administration
Barry Lyga’s letter, titled “No Book Deals for Traitors” says that “no one should be enriched for their contributions to evil.”
The anxiety of influence: Victor LaValle rewrites H.P. Lovecraft
The Ballad of Black Tom asks who the real monsters are.
Independent bookstores in U.K., Ireland expanded in 2020
It is worthwhile to focus on the positive outcomes from a year that was incredibly challenging on numerous fronts.
On beginning the year with cautious optimism
Notwithstanding the real challenges last year presented, there is good reason to be hopeful about the robust longevity of the literary ecosystem.
Simon & Schuster cancels book by Senator Josh Hawley after “dangerous insurrection” in Washington, D.C.
One of America’s largest publishers has decided to step away from publishing a forthcoming work by the pugilistic Missouri senator.
Luciana Ricciutelli, groundbreaking feminist publisher and small-press advocate, dead at 62
The longtime editor-in-chief of Inanna Publications is remembered as much for her dedication to publishing debut and marginalized authors as her commitment to small presses in Canada.
Poet George Murray launches Walk the Line, a pair of workshops to teach beginning and intermediate writers the craft of verse
The former St. John's, Newfoundland, poet laureate is looking to demystify poetry and convince people that anyone has it in them to write verse.
John le Carré mined moral ambiguity and Cold War paranoia to reinvent the modern espionage novel
The novelist, who famously eschewed literary awards and other national recognitions, leaves behind a corpus of work that transcends its genre and tells deeply immersive psychological stories.