The week in books - 31 January 2008

The week in books - 31 January 2008 - from Times Higher Education

2007 Costa Book of the Year award winner

Scottish author and stand-up comedian A.L. Kennedy has won the 2007 Costa Book of the Year award for her fifth novel, Day - the story of a former RAF prisoner-of-war returning to Germany to confront his demons
Technorati Tag: Books

Writers' digital row with library

From The BBC: "Scores of writers are refusing to let their works be scanned for an online archive at the National Library of Wales because they are not being paid. A year after a near-£1m project was awarded to digitise modern Welsh writing, a dispute between authors and the library has not been resolved"

Online shoppers prefer books

From The Guardian: "Booming demand in emerging markets from Vietnam to India has made books the most popular item to buy online, according to research out today. More internet shoppers have bought books than any other product online over the past three months, according to a global survey by Nielsen Online. While two-fifths of e-shoppers bought books, 36% have bought clothing, accessories or shoes, 24% have bought airline tickets and 19% music

Continuum titles at Exact Editions

Continuum are showcasing 6 of their current and forthcoming theology titles on the Exact Editions platform. Each book has a 32pp sample available for searching and browsing

The Clare Maclean Prize for Scottish Fiction

The Clare Maclean Prize for Scottish Fiction is awarded to the Scottish writer who, in the opinion of the judges, has written the best novel in the previous year. The prize is open to any full-length novel, written in English or Scots, by a writer born or living in Scotland. To be eligible for the 2008 prize, a book must have been first published in 2007. The judges for the 2008 award are Mike Gonzalez and Rob Maslen, both of the University of Glasgow, and The Herald's Rosemary Goring. From a strong field featuring the best of Scottish literary talent, they have the unenviable task of choosing a shortlist by the end of January. The winner will receive GBP3,000 and a trophy at a special ceremony on 15 March, the final event of Aye Write! Book Festival 2008

Basildon Children's Book Festival

Basildon Children's Book Festival - Current children's laureate Michael Rosen and bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson are already lined up to appear and plans are well underway for events around the town and in a number of schools - February 23 to March 12, 2008 - Basildon, Essex, UK