Murder Most Famous with Minette Walters

Murder Most Famous - BBC 2 series challenging six celebrities to write a crime novel with the tuition of best-selling author Minette Walters

The best writers on the best children's books: World Book Day 2008 exclusive

From TimesOnline: "Meg Rosoff, Eoin Colfer, Melvin Burgess and Jonathan Stroud introduce Puffin's finest classics, plus a competition to win the books"

The Orwell Prize 2008 longlist announced

The longlist for the 2008 Orwell Prize has been announced. 18 authors and 12 journalists are now in the running for two prizes that reward those who have most successfully achieved Orwell's aim 'to make political writing into an art'. A record 181 books have been submitted for this year's book Prize, surpassing both the Man Booker and Samuel Johnson Prizes. These include works by two Nobel Laureates (Doris Lessing and Orhan Pamuk), and the British Prime Minister (Gordon Brown). 54 journalists, including some of Britain's most renowned correspondents, have submitted for this year's journalism Prize, also a record

Quick Reads for 2008

Quick Reads are fast-paced, bite-sized books by bestselling writers and celebrities for adults who have lost or never had the reading habit, or avid readers wanting a short, fast read. On World Book Day, 6 March 2008, ten brand-new Quick Reads will be published:

Humble Pie by Gordon Ramsay (HarperCollins)
The Girl on the Platform by Josephine Cox (HarperCollins)
One Good Turn by Chris Ryan (Arrow)
Life's New Hurdles by Colin Jackson (Accent)
Happy Families by Adele Parks (Penguin)
The Hardest Test by Scott Quinnell (Accent)
East End Tales by Gilda O'Neill (Penguin)
RaW Voices of Hardship and Hope edited by Vanessa Feltz (BBC Books)
The Ten Keys to Success by John Bird (Vermilion)
Doctor Who: Revenge of the Judoon by Terrance Dicks (BBC Books)

Indie publishers booming

The UK's independent publishing sector is flourishing, with the number of start-ups increasing by almost 6% over the last three years. The boost, which indies attribute to technological advances and the increasing number of ways they have found to 'elbow' their way into chain retailers, has seen Independent Publishers Guild (IPG) membership hit an all-time high. It now has 515 members, up from 440 three years ago. Turnover ranges from a few thousand pounds to Faber's GBP16m through Nielsen BookScan in 2007 - The Bookseller

2008 Diagram Prize for Oddest Book Title of the Year shortlist

The Bookseller magazine has announced the shortlist for the 2008 Diagram Prize for Oddest Book Title of the Year

London Review of Books - February 2008

London Review of Books - Volume 30 Number 4, 21 February 2008 is now available
Technorati Tag: Books

The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival

The Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival - "Some 250 writers will descend on Christ Church to debate, discuss ideas and share their passion for their subject. Julian Barnes, William Boyd, Melvyn Bragg, Mavis Cheek, Monty Don, Sebastian Faulks, Adam Hart-Davis, Douglas Hurd, Joanne Harris, Roy Hattersley, Lisa Jardine, Peter Jones, Hanif Kureishi, Oona King, James Naughtie, Philip Pullman, Libby Purves, Ben Okri, Jonathan Sacks, John Simpson, Roy Strong, and many more are all coming to this year's festival. Our panel discussions will take on major issues affecting our lives and ask pointed questions about global politics, climate change, science and much more. For addicts of heated debate, our discussions on the future of Palestine, the solace of nature writing, the threat to our oceans and the rubbish that passes itself off as 'news', will all be irresistible draws" - 31 March to 6 April 2008

Sophie Kinsella talks about "Remember Me?"

Linda Grant: The Clothes on Their Backs - reviewed by Viv Groskop

Linda Grant: The Clothes on Their Backs - "Vivien Kovaks comes from a family of 'mice-people', Jewish-Hungarian immigrants who arrived in 1938 and are simply grateful to England for giving them refuge. This is a novel about identity and belonging. There is nothing lightweight about its themes and yet it is so artfully constructed that you barely feel you're reading it at all, so fluid and addictive is the plot. But like all the best books, the serious ideas it raises stay with you for a long time afterwards..." - The Guardian

Jacqueline Wilson at Windsor Festival

Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to hear Dame Jacqueline Wilson, one of the most popular authors of all time and former Children's Laureate, talk about her life as a writer. She will introduce her new book, My Sister Jodie as well as talk about some of her best-loved titles. There will be an opportunity to put your own questions to this living legend and to get a book signed afterwards. Suitable for ages 8+. 8 March 2008 at Theatre Royal Windsor
Technorati Tag: Books

Celebs pen children's charity book

A host of celebrities are putting pen to paper to create a special enchanted tale for children. Once Upon A Time will see each star write 10 lines before passing the pen to the next contributor. The literary creation is being penned in support of a new charity directory inquiries number - 118 520 - supporting the NSPCC. And the story begins in a magical realm dreamt up by Blur's bass player Alex James. A total of 52 celebs are set to take part over the course of the year, including KT Tunstall, Linford Christie and fashion designer Henry Holland. The tale is expected to be completed by October when the book will be read out in an exclusive reading. It will then be auctioned to raise funds for the NSPCC

Books for babies in Barnet

"It was a comforting thought last week when library staff signed up the 5000 child to Bookstart, the government initiative that aims to promote a life-long love of books. The programme, which is organised nationally by the Booktrust but co-ordinated locally by Barnet Council's Library Service, gives free packs of books to children based on the principle that every child in the UK should enjoy and benefit from books from as early an age as possible"

Book launch: Oliver Poole: Red Zone: Five Bloody Years in Baghdad

Book launch: Oliver Poole: Red Zone: Five Bloody Years in Baghdad. Daunt Books, Holland Park Ave, London, UK. March 18 at 6:30pm.

Imagine cheering on your national football team as your country falls apart; risking suicide bombers and kidnappers to go to the shops; or driving your wife to hospital through roadblocks manned by terrorists as she's about to give birth… Red Zone: Five Bloody Years in Baghdad is Oliver Poole's extraordinary account of daily life for Iraqis, as well as the British and American soldiers sent to Iraq. It's also the story of Ahmed Ali, tourist guide turned Telegraph interpreter, a job that made him an insurgent target. Poole first crossed into Iraq in March 2003, from Kuwait, as a Daily Telegraph reporter, 'embedded' in the back of an American armoured vehicle. Three weeks later, his unit had fought their way to Baghdad. But when Poole returned to London, he was haunted by the dead: had the bloodshed been worthwhile? Eighteen months later, as the Telegraph's Baghdad Bureau Chief, he came back to find a country racked by suicide bombs and the burgeoning horror of the Sunni-Shia civil war. There he met Ahmed, his closest friend in Baghdad. For the next two years, they worked out of the Baghdad hotel suite where Poole lived. Inevitably, they could not remain unscathed: Poole's hotel-home was blown up and finally Ahmed's family, part Shia, part Sunni, tainted by their international connections, became engulfed by the violence
Technorati Tag: Books

2008 Waterstone's Children's Book Prize winner

The winner of this year's Waterstone's Children's Book Prize is Ways to Live Forever by Sally Nicholls. Ways to Live Forever is a scrapbook of lists, stories, pictures, questions and facts put together by 11-year-old Sam. He's a boy who collects facts and loves looking things up on the Internet. He's curious about ghosts and UFOs - and also death. Sam has terminal leukaemia. He is going to die. And dying is a fact of life. His unsentimental view of living and dying sweeps aside our fears of death, and the pure, clear voice in which Sally Nicholls tells his story also speaks of the discovery of an astonishingly accomplished and powerful young writer
Technorati Tag: Books

Red House Children's Book Award 2008 shortlist

The shortlist for the Red House Children's Book Award 2008 has been announced

Gillian Cross Interview with WriteWords

WriteWords talks to Young Adult author, Gillian Cross, author of over 40 bestselling books, including The Demon Headmaster series and Tightrope

The BBC FOUR Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction 2008

"The BBC FOUR Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction is the richest non fiction prize in the UK, worth GBP30,000 to the winner. Sponsored by BBC FOUR, the prize aims to reward the best of non-fiction and is open to authors of all non-fiction books in the areas of current affairs, history, politics, science, sport, travel, biography, autobiography and the arts. BBC FOUR televise the awards ceremony and feature complementary programming on the channel - forming a key part of their commitment to diverse, intelligent and culturally enriching programmes"

Penguin Books archive to be studied and catalogued online

"Established in 1935 by Bristol-born Allen Lane, Penguin Books quickly grew to be one of the most recognisable and well-loved publishers in Britain. The early series of sixpence paperbacks, designed to fill a gap in the market for good quality literature at reasonable prices, were incredibly successful and set a new yardstick for publishing. Now, the company's archive of more than 2,300 boxes of letters, notes and other papers, housed at Bristol University Library's Special Collections, is to be studied and catalogued online".

On the left is the first book published by Penguin, Ariel by Andre Maurois
Technorati Tag: Books

Jewish Book Week 2008

Jewish Book Week 2008 takes place 23 February to 2 March 2008 at the Royal National Hotel, Bedford Way, London, UK. Foyles is the appointed bookseller at JBW. The book fair runs throughout the week at the Royal National Hotel, offering for sale the UK's largest selection of Jewish books and magazines from across the world. Entry is free
Technorati Tag: Books

Books to Talk About from World Book Day

"World Book Day has revealed its top ten Books to Talk About. The shortlist was selected through an online poll, which saw over 300 book lovers debate the 'talkability' merits of a list of 100 titles and select a shortlist of ten titles. Voting will continue throughout February, with the winning author to be announced on World Book Day (6th March), and to receive a prize of GBP5000"

The power of love: 100 years of romantic fiction

"It was a perfect match: two publishers with a taste for romance and an eye for a market. A century on, millions of readers are still besotted with Mills & Boon. But what is their secret?" - The Independent

Threatened publishers band together

From The Bookseller: "A number of UK independent publishers, including threatened presses Arcadia and Dedalus, have joined together to form an informal network called the Publishers Liaison Group. The group will meet to discuss common funding issues and strategy in regard to Arts Council England"

The decibel Penguin prize for new writers

The decibel Penguin prize for new writers is a collaboration between decibel, an Arts Council England initiative dedicated to promoting diversity in the arts, and Penguin Books. The winning stories will published in a Penguin Anthology in November 2008. The competition calls for non-fiction entries between 400 and 4000 words in length, on the experience of having a mixed heritage, whether it's the author's own experience or the experience of another person. Entries are welcome from any UK residents. There is no age limit for the authors, although they must not have had a full-length book published. The closing date for entries is 7 April 2008

The Works goes into administration

Discount book chain The Works has been placed into administration, according to its website