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Monster success: The Gruffalo is best bedtime story

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:00:01 GMT

Didn't you know? ... the nation's favourite bedtime story was yesterday revealed to be The Gruffalo. Although the black tongue, orange eyes and poisonous wart on the end of its nose might be enough to induce nightmares, Radio 2 listeners declared it was the best story for children heading to the Land of Nod.

Weekly book agenda: Sharjah World Book Fair, Premio Leya

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Upcoming highlights for the week of November 7 include the Sharjah Book Fair--one of the largest in the Middle East--as well as the Man Literary Prize, which honors Asian authors whose work has not yet been published in English. Later this month: the Spanish-speaking world's most prestigious literary prize and largest book fair.

Al Gore reads from new book at Miami Book Fair

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Set on the campus of Miami-Dade College in downtown Miami, the 26th annual book fair (November 8-15) is a week-long affair that attracts thousands of readers. The book festival's street fair over the weekend of November 13-15 features 250 publishers, exhibitors, and hundreds of authors speaking at readings, discussions and interviews.

Lula's malapropisms hit Brazilian bookstores

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva may be one of the most popular politicians on the planet, but he also has a way of mangling his language, as a new book reviewed on Wednesday showed.

Canadian, American writers win French literary prizes

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Haitian-born Canadian writer Dany Laferriere and American novelist Dave Eggers on Wednesday were awarded France's Medicis literary prize celebrating original writing.

French anthropologist Levi-Strauss dead at 100

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

French anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss, whose work deeply influenced Western thinking about civilisation, has died at the age of 100, his publisher Plon said Tuesday.

First black female winner for France's top literary prize

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:01 GMT

The French-Senegalese writer Marie NDiaye yesterday became the first black woman to win the Prix Goncourt, France's most prestigious literary prize.

France's top literary prize has first black female winner

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:01 GMT

The French-Senegalese writer Marie NDiaye yesterday became the first black woman to win the Prix Goncourt, France's most prestigious literary prize.

First black woman wins France's top literary prize

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:01 GMT

The French-Senegalese writer Marie NDiaye yesterday became the first black woman to win the Prix Goncourt, France's most prestigious literary prize.

International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 2010 longlist includes works by Adiga and Saramago

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On November 2, the longlist was announced for the 2010 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, the largest prize worldwide for a single work of fiction published in English.

Lonely Planet presents top picks in 'Best of Travel 2010'

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

November 3 is the European release date for Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2010, the publisher's fifth annual collection of the world's best journeys, destinations, and experiences for the coming year. Best in Travel 2010 is being released the week of November 2 in the US and Europe, with additional worldwide publication dates to follow throughout the month.

Lorca's grave awakens other ghosts

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:01 GMT

The excavation of a mass grave on a Granada hillside where the poet Federico Garcia Lorca was murdered during the Spanish Civil War has reinforced calls for the area to be investigated. "Lorca was just one of 4,000 executions on a roadside just a kilometre long," says Juan Antonio Lopez Diaz, a Granada University professor. "There are so many bodies there that pine trees were planted just to stop them being uncovered by rainfall erosion."

Laureate to help storytelling live happily ever after

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:01 GMT

Are you sitting comfortably? Then let's begin. Britain is to have its first laureate for storytelling. Taffy Thomas has been waxing lyrical, spinning yarns, telling tall tales and holding children and adults spellbound with his repertoire of 300 stories culled from oral sources for the past 30 years.

Kindle bestsellers: 'The Lost Symbol' back in the lead

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Amazon released its list of weekly bestselling e-books for its Kindle device on October 27.

Prix Goncourt book prize to be awarded November 2

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Prix Goncourt, one of the most important prizes in French literature, will be awarded in Paris on Monday, November 2.

Mock Palin memoir to coincide with book's release

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A parody of a memoir by Republican former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin is set to be released the same day as her real book hits the shelves next month, the publisher said Monday.

First black woman tipped for top French book prize

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In a historic first, a black woman writer is a hot favourite to scoop France's top literary prize next week for a haunting novel on family, betrayal and the hellish ordeal of illegal migration from Africa.

Hungarian writer wins Manes-Sperber prize

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT

The Hungarian writer Peter Esterhazy has won the Manes-Sperber literary prize.

Japanese university plans huge 'manga' library

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT

In a move to promote serious study of Japanese manga, a university in Tokyo plans to open a library with two million comic books, animation drawings, video games and other cartoon industry artifacts.

Publishers delaying e-book releases to force print sales this Christmas

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT

On October 21 the publisher of horror guru Stephen King announced they are postponing the release of the digital version of his latest novel, Under the Dome, in an effort to avoid the generally lower retail prices e-books generate.

Kindle bestsellers: 'Lost Symbol' knocked from its perch

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Amazon released the weekly top selling e-books for its Kindle device on October 20; After four weeks at number one Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol has been displaced by Vince Flynn's latest political thriller, Pursuit of Honor.

Comic book releases (North America): The Avengers continue the hunt for Captain America

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT

US comic book releases for the week of October 28 include Ultimate Comics Avengers #3, in which the Avengers from Marvel Comics' alternate Ultimates universe continue their search for a gone-renegade Captain America.

Barnes & Noble's 'nook' e-book reader takes on Kindle

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:30:12 GMT

Barnes & Noble has unveiled a new electronic-book reader that will compete with Amazon.com's Kindle in a still-small arena where some see bookselling's future.

Google Books project draws fire in China

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT

A China copyright group Wednesday accused Internet giant Google of scanning Chinese books for its online library without authorisation, in the latest criticism hurled at the controversial project.

Kindle bestsellers: 'Lost Symbol' knocked from its perch

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT