For first time in eight years, a woman has won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction
The announced winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, considered among the most prestigious literary prizes in the Arab world, made quite a splash yesterday and for good reason. For only… Read more »
Want to stay In Gatsby’s house? Airbnb has got you (for a limited time)
Ok, there isn’t really a Gatsby house because Jay Gatsby was a character from a novel, not a real person. How many of you got that wrong? I guess it… Read more »
A winner was announced for the new(ish) Desperate Literature award
Because we all are desperate to win a literary prize, someone had to go and make a prize for our desperation. Kind of. In reality, according to the Bookseller who… Read more »
Waiting for the film adaptation of Waiting for the Barbarians
It’s coming. Can you wait for it? I can’t wait, but really, I have been waiting. Waiting for the Barbarians, the film. The adaptation to J.M. Coetzee’s enduring magnum opus novel… Read more »
UMass’s fledgling environmental literary magazine gets sponsorship
You ever hear the joke about the literary magazine publisher who couldn’t find a financial sponsor? No, you haven’t, because trying to get funding for a literary magazine is no… Read more »
Trump is supposedly “excited” to write his memoirs
As reported in various media outlets, including the Daily Beast which broke the news, Donald Trump is “excited” to write his memoirs. Here are the known knowns: That he’s “excited” (this can’t be… Read more »
Yet another politician is in trouble for publishing a book
The mayor of Baltimore has taken an indefinite leave of absence following a scandal involving yes, a children’s book series. Now how do you screw that up? The Healthy Holly series, self-published… Read more »
The reports of Milan Kundera’s death are greatly exaggerated
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Czech writer and author of the canonical novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being is not dead. You may have thought Milan Kundera, perennial Nobel contender, had died—certainly… Read more »
Anyone can write a best selling Amazon novel, just ask Logic the rapper
On a recent episode of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, platinum-achieving, grammy nominated rapper Bobby Hall, aka Logic, was brought on air to discuss his new album novel. Yes,… Read more »
Five koans of wisdom from the screenwriter of Blade Runner
Melville House just published The Wall Will Tell You, a collection of meditations on the art of screenwriting by Hampton Fancher of Blade Runner fame. Written as a series of bite-sized meditations,… Read more »