Do sales say anything meaningful about these books’ impact on our political process or cultural debate?
Author Archives: Jane Messer
Listening parties, the new thang.
It wasn’t the fault of artistic angst, but Dear Dr Chekhov has taken a little while, a few years in fact, to reach the airwaves. Last week it premiered at a packed listening event before being broadcast on ABC Radio National’s Soundproof program. (Don’t worry if you missed the broadcast, it’s now a podcast.) The one-hour Soundproof program and half-hour weekly RadioTonic program makeContinue reading “Listening parties, the new thang.”
Should authors Rushdie to judgment as book reviewers?
Poor Salman Rushdie. On the global books site GoodReads, he recently gave public 1-, 2- and 3-star ratings to books by well-known and esteemed writers such as Kingsley Amis, the late father of his friend Martin Amis, and Hermione Lee. He claims not to have realised his ratings were public. GoodReads – launched in 2007Continue reading “Should authors Rushdie to judgment as book reviewers?”
In conversation with the editor
I love the baroque patterning that you can work toward with the family
Who said launch?
The author wants something to mark the occasion. A couple of drinks won’t do. Sleeping with the advance copies under your pillow won’t do.
Why on earth would a publisher knock back a politician’s memoir?
Why shouldn’t a publisher refuse a proposal on political grounds when the author or subject of the book has acted in such a way that they have damaged the publisher?
Hopscotch typeset
Selecting text to delete, replace or add is fiddly. But also more accurate.
Hopscotch cover sneak peek
Emma Rafferty – “I wanted it to be modern, possibly geometric, stylised, typography-driven, potentially incorporating the hopscotch grid, to feature at least one iconic Sydney image, and using lighter rather than darker grim colours, as I always associate Sydney with light and colour.”
Anonymous book reviews don’t foster our literary culture – The Conversation
The new Saturday Paper publishes anonymous book reviews and, occasionally, reviews by identified critics. That anonymity was a much-discussed feature when the paper launched in March, and the debate continues. Certainly, in running such reviews, the paper sacrifices a critical point of difference between mainstream media and the online world of trolls and fandom avatars. DebatingContinue reading “Anonymous book reviews don’t foster our literary culture – The Conversation”
A reply to Hanif Kureishi
Why writing programs are worth it: a reply to Hanif Kureishi Having served in a more humble capacity at the University it is now an honour to call myself a professor at Kingston. – Hanif Kureishi. In October last year Hanif Kureishi, novelist and screenwriter, and author of The Buddha of Suburbia and The LastContinue reading “A reply to Hanif Kureishi”
