opinionated commentary on literary matters - from the complete review

       Shortlists: Sheikh Zayed Book Awards

       They've announced the shortlists for this year's Sheikh Zayed Book Awards -- "One of the Arab World's most prestigious and well-funded prizes" -- though: "Sheikh Zayed Book Award decided to withhold the Award from the "Young Author" and "Publishing and Technology" categories for this edition".
       The titles were selected from over 4,000 nominations from 75 countries.

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       Shortlists: PEN/Faulkner Award

       They've announced the five finalists for this year's PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction -- selected from 414 (unfortunately not revealed) eligible novels and short story collections.

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       Non-fiction (not) in paperback

       In the Wall Street Journal Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg reports that: 'Publishers increasingly give nonfiction authors one shot at print stardom, ditching paperbacks as priorities shift', in Waiting for the Paperback ? Good Luck (possibly paywalled ?).
       Yes:

Traditionally, the paperback would hit the shelves about a year after the hardcover. Today, book publishers are printing fewer of them, closing a second-chance window for writers counting on a new cover or marketing campaign to spark sales. The shift reflects changing reader habits, the popularity of audiobooks and ebooks, and the power a few major retailers hold over the publishing industry.

       Stunningly:

New adult nonfiction paperback titles tumbled by 42% from 2019 to 2024, to just under 40,000, according to Bowker Books in Print, a bibliographic database.

The number of adult hardcover nonfiction titles fell by 9% during that same period.

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       Academy Awards - Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

       The big American film awards, the Academy Awards (the Oscars®) were held yesterday, and Peter Straughan's screenplay of the Robert Harris novel Conclave took the prize in the Writing (Adapted Screenplay) category.

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       Banu Mushtaq Q & A

       Banu Mushtaq's Heart Lamp was longlisted for this year's International Booker Prize; it's apparently not out yet -- see the And Other Stories publicity page -- but the Times of India has Shrinivasa M's TNN Q & A with the author, 'Need for more translations to take our literary treasures to the global stage'
       Mushtaq points out:

Though Kannada has produced diverse literary genres, its international exposure remains limited, unlike Malayalam literature where translations into English happen promptly. Despite the vast volume of Kannada literature published daily, less than 1% is translated. Many masterpieces remain inaccessible to international readers, and this recognition highlights the need to bridge that gap.

       (Indeed, only six translations from Kannada are under review at the complete review.)

       Mushtaq also responds:

With ‘Heart Lamp’ gaining global recognition, will you write more for an international audience ?

I have always written for myself and Kannada readers, without considering a global audience. My commitment remains to human experiences. My style and expression may evolve, but my core themes will not change.

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       Salome in Riga

       The protagonists in my novel Salome in Graz discuss and debate any number of Salome-variations, especially versions (translations, editions, performances) of the Wilde play and the Strauss opera and I wonder what they would have made of the new production of the opera from the Latvijas Nacionālā opera un balets which recently premiered.
       Certainly an unusual look, from the Amy Winehousesque take on the title character to ... well, whatever this take on Jochanaan is. Certainly some ... arresting imagery:


       And:


       Mike Hardy reviews it at OperaWire -- finding: "it is impossible to fathom what [Stage Director and Set Designer Alvis Hermanis] was aiming for here or what message he wished to convey". He does allow that: "Conductor Mārtiņš Ozoliņš does a fine job with Strauss’s score and the orchestra are exemplary" and that, in the title role, Astrid Kessler: "gave a convincing portrayal of a spoiled teenage brat", but generally finds the production ... far from a success (and borderline offensive, in numerous ways).
       Ah, well. But if you're in the neighborhood, you can catch a performance today (as well as on 20 March and 6 June). And you can see some scenes in the YouTube promotional video.

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       Martin Puchner Q & A

       In The Harvard Crimson Kate J. Kaufman has Fifteen Questions: Martin Puchner on Philosopher Chatbots, AI Writing, and the Future.
       Among Puchner's responses:

FM: What advice would you give to current students who are grappling with how to use AI in their writing classes this semester ?

MP: I think there is only one use of AI, especially if you’re trying to learn how to write, that’s not good. And that is, just produce a couple of prompts and let it write the first draft. I think everything else is great. It’s great as a search engine. I think it’s really great as a sparring partner. I think a lot of students have trouble incorporating counter-arguments and counter-evidence into their writing.

So there are actually lots of uses, and I’m all for them. The one use where you just push a button and use the first answer it gives — I think that’s the one use where I feel like you would actually cheat yourself because you wouldn’t learn good writing.

       See also Puchner's Custom GPTs page, where you can: "Time-travel to converse with philosophers".

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       Andrey Kurkov's 'books of my life'

       The latest The Guardian 'The books of my life'-column features Death and the Penguin-author Andrey Kurkov: ‘At 17, I got my hands on an illegal copy of The Gulag Archipelago’.
       Among his responses:

My favourite book growing up

Martin Eden by Jack London. The main character’s dream of becoming a writer -- his tremendously strong will -- was probably what captivated me most.

       (This is also the book he selected for: "The book I could never read again".)
       And:

The book that made me want to be a writer

Goat Song by the Russian poet and novelist Konstantin Vaginov. Banned in the USSR, it was given to me by an American professor of literature who, when I was about 19, visited the university in Kyiv where I was studying English and French. You'll find traces of Goat Song in my novel The Silver Bone.

       Conveniently, New York Review Books is bringing out a translation of Goat Song in May; see their publicity page, or pre-order your copy at Amazon.com, Bookshop.org, or Amazon.co.uk

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       The Aesthetics of Resistance - the play

       With the third volume of Peter Weiss' The Aesthetics of Resistance finally coming out in English later this month -- 25 March; mark your calendars ! see the Duke University Press publicity page -- it's worth noting that there is a French stage-version, L'Esthétique de la résistance, which, conveniently is being revived at the Théâtre National de l'Odéon, running today through the sixteenth -- see their publicity page.
       Play-time is three hours and twenty minutes, with two intermissions extending the whole to four hours.

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       Nordic Council Literature Prize nominees

       They've announced the nominees for this year's Nordic Council Literature Prize, the leading Scandinavian book prize, with entries from all the countries and territories in the region -- fourteen finalists.
       Several of the nominees have had books translated into English before, including Madame Nielsen (Denmark), Johan Harstad (Norway), and Andrzej Tichý (Sweden).
       This prize has a very good track record and we can expect to see the winning title translated into English; ten previous winners are under review at the complete review.
       The winner will be announced on 21 October.

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       Pierre Joris (1946-2025)

       Poet and translator Pierre Joris has passed away; see, for example, Claudia Kollwelter's report, De Lëtzebuerger Auteur Pierre Joris ass gestuerwen at RTL (as Joris was also Luxembourgeois).

       I have and have been meaning to get to Always the Many, Never the One -- Pierre Joris in conversation with Florent Toniello; see the Contra Mundum publicity page, or get your copy at Amazon.com, Bookshop.org, or Amazon.co.uk.

       See also his official site.

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       Republic of Consciousness Prize shortlist

       The Republic of Consciousness Prize for Small Presses (in the UK and Ireland) has announced their shortlist for this year's prize -- though not yet at the official site, last I checked -- but see, for example, their Substack post.

       The Republic of Consciousness Prize - USA and Canada has apparently also announced their shortlist -- but not yet at the official site, last I checked, and they don't seem to have a 'Substack'.

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       The book market in ... Russia

       At Realnoe Vremya "Director General of AST-Azbuka Publishing House Tatyana Gorskaya spoke about who reads and buys books the most, how literary niches have changed in 2024 and how the low birth rate affects the book industry", in Literature in a demographic pit.
       Only 6.8 million men bought books in Russia last year -- compared to 10.8 million women who bought books.
       One positive sign:

Book purchases among young people are also the highest: 46.4% of young people buy books at the age of 16-19, and 44% in the 20-24 age group.

       Two areas that declined were: books on esotericism, and 'oriental comics' -- though the latter may be down to the fact that: "The American company that provided us with comics left the Russian market" and manga-juggernaut "Shueisha stopped cooperating with Russia".

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       The Hashish Films of Customs Officer Henri Rousseau and Tatyana Joukof Shuffles the Cards review

       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of A Novel against Psicho-Analise by Emil Szittya, The Hashish Films of Customs Officer Henri Rousseau and Tatyana Joukof Shuffles the Cards -- just about out from Wakefield Press.

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       International Booker Prize longlist

       They've announced the longlist for this year's International Booker Prize -- thirteen books (11 novels; 2 short story collections), selected from 154 (unfortunately not revealed) submissions.
       Only two of the longlisted books are under review at the complete review:

• On the Calculation of Volume (I) by Solvej Balle
  
  
• Under the Eye of the Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami

       I just got a copy of Vincenzo Latronico's Perfection on Monday, and I also have Solenoid, but I haven't seen any of the others.
       The shortlist will be announced 8 April, and the winner on 20 May.

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       Iran's Book of the Year Awards

       They've announced the winners of this year's Iran Book of the Year Awards, in its many categories -- see the full list here or, for example, the Tehran Times report, Iran's Book of the Year Awards reveals winners.
       Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian handed out the awards, with Majid Qeisari's سنگ اقبال ('Stone of Iqbal') winning for best novel; see also the Cheshmeh publicity page.

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       Die Trying review

       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Lee Child's Die Trying -- the second of his Jack Reacher-novels (and the twelfth under review here).

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       Krasznahorkai László Q & A

       At The Yale Review Hari Kunzru has a Q & A with Krasznahorkai László.
       Krasznahorkai concludes:

Only the ordinary person exists. And they are sacred.

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       Mass-market paperback distribution

       At Publishers Weekly Jim Milliot reports that Readerlink Will Stop Distributing Mass Market Paperbacks at the End of 2025 (paywalled) -- a major blow, as: "Readerlink’s customers [...] account for as much as 60–70% of mass market paperback sales in the U.S.".
       As Milliot notes:

According to BookScan, mass market paperback sales fell 19.3% in 2024, to roughly 21 million units sold.

       I am baffled by this fall-out-of-fashion: the mass-market paperback size remains -- by far ! -- my favorite: it's handier (than trade paperbacks, much less hardcovers) and I can fit more books on my shelves. Every book -- at least every work of fiction -- should come in this format ! But this will presumably only hasten its near-demise (at least in the US).

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       Percival Everett Q & A

       At The Observer Tim Lewis has a Q & A with James-Writer Percival Everett: ‘Deciding to write a book is like knowingly entering a bad marriage’.
       Among Everett's repsonses re. James:

You must be thrilled by the response to the book, no ?

Of course, it’s a positive thing, but I’m so sick of this book. [...] I don’t delude myself; my self-worth is not invested in this and it has very little to do with me at this point. Am I proud of it ? I don’t think so. But it’s interesting to watch.

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       Anime and Manga

       At nippon.com Nakano Haruyuki considers Anime or Manga ? Examining the Different Hit Formulas in Japan and Abroad.
       Among the observations:

Despite Astro Boy making its US debut as an anime in the 1960s, it took over 30 years for its translated Japanese manga to gain significant attention. This delay can be attributed to several factors, including the absence of a Japanese-style manga magazine culture overseas, the complexity of right-to-left reading, and the relative simplicity of anime as a medium. Fundamentally, the lag in manga’s popularity abroad can be traced to the tendency for manga volumes to follow in the wake of anime adaptations.

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       Books in fashion-advertising

       In the Wall Street Journal Katie Deighton writes about The Hottest Thing in Fashion Advertising ? Books.
       As one 'brand consultant' explains:

Reading -- not being always online, not always being connected, not having the phone constantly next to you -- has come to imply that you are just operating at a different level.

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       Dulat Issabekov (1942-2025)

       Kazakh author Dulat Issabekov has passed away; see, for example, the Kazinform News Agency report, Kazakh classic literature author Dulat Issabekov passes away.

       Several of his works have been translated into English: The Confrontation -- get your copy at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk --, The Little Pearl -- get your copy at Amazon.co.uk --, and the play Bonaparte's Wedding -- get your copy at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk -- but I haven't seen any of these.

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       Frankétienne (1936-2025)

       Haitian author Frankétienne has passed away; see, for example the obituary in The Haitian Times and Dánica Coto's AP obituary (here at ABC).
       Several of his works have been translated into English, including Dézafi -- see the University of Virginia Press publicity page -- and the only one of his books under review at the complete review, Ready to Burst.

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       Walter Scott Prize longlist

       They've announced the twelve-title longlist for this year's Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction.
       Only one of the titles is under review at the complete review: Ferdia Lennon's Glorious Exploits.
       The shortlist will be announced 15 April.

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       New World Literature Today

       The March-April issue of World Literature Today is now out.
       As always, a lot of good material -- including the extensive book review section.

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       Translating Dazai Osamu

       At Counter Craft Lincoln Michel has a Q & A with the translator, in 'On translating comedy, men as erratic and emotional creatures, and "the original bad boy of modern Japanese fiction"', in Processing: How Sam Bett Translated Osamu Dazai.
       Bett's translation of Dazai's The Beggar Student is just out -- see the New Directions publicity page --; the only Dazai under review at the complete review is A Shameful Life.

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       LLMs tracking societal bias

       In New Scientist Matthew Sparkes reports on how AI trained on novels tracks how racist and sexist biases have evolved (paywalled) -- reporting on the recent paper Fine-Tuned LLMs are “Time Capsules” for Tracking Societal Bias Through Books (warning ! dreaded pdf format ! there's also an version) by Sangmitra Madhusudan, Robert Morabito, Skye Reid, Nikta Gohari Sadr, and Ali Emami
       Hardly surprising, but interesting nevertheless.

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       IPAF shortlist

       They've announced the six-title shortlist for this year's International Prize for Arabic Fiction, the leading Arabic-language fiction prize.
       The winner will be announced 24 April.

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       PEN America Grant winners

       PEN America has announced the winners of its 2025 grants -- including the PEN/Heim Translation Fund Grants, awarded for ten projects, as well as the PEN Grant for the English Translation of Italian Literature.

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       L.A. Times Book Prize finalists

       They've announced the finalists for the L.A. Times Book Prizes, with: "61 nominees across more than a dozen categories".
       The only title under review at the complete review -- indeed, the only one of these I've seen -- is Lev Grossman's The Bright Sword.
       The winners will be announced 25 April.

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       Command Performance review

       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Jean Echenoz's Command Performance -- just about out in English, from New York Review Books.

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       Fitzcarraldo Editions profile

       At 032c Shane Anderson profiles Fitzcarraldo Editions -- apparently: "the biggest sensation in publishing in decades" --, in: Fitzcarraldo Editions: The Biggest Little Press in the World.
       Interesting to hear that:

As of last year, the house has also sold more than one million print units, and every title, with but one exception, has sold at least 1,000 copies.

       (Which book is the hold-out ?)
       Publisher Jacques Testard is quoted as saying:

It’s important for us to remain small enough to never have to publish a book for commercial reasons and to be able to keep publishing books because we think they’re really good.

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       Jókai Mór profile

       At hlo The Finno-Ugrian Vampire-author Szécsi Noémi profiles the author, in “Jokay Maurus” or Mór Jókai Goes International.

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       Salome in Graz anniversary

       My novel Salome in Graz came out a year ago today !

       Nice to see that a few people have picked it up -- though it hasn't sold as many copies as my Arno Schmidt: a centennial colloquy (yet) -- and I hope they've enjoyed it. And, of course, it's never too late to get your own copy .....
       I know I should probably try to *publicize* it more, but for the most part I'm happy enough just to have it out there. I'm sure it'll find its readers (beyond those it's already found !) eventually .....

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       Geoff Nicholson (1953-2025)

       English author Geoff Nicholson has passed away; see, for example, Richard Lapper's obituary in The Guardian. (Apparently, he died 18 January, but this is the first I heard of it -- and the first obituary I've seen.)

       I've been a big and long-time fan, and twenty of his books are under review at the complete review -- making him one of the most-reviewed authors at the site --; his work still seems very underappreciated to me.

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       Simon Mawer (1948-2025)

       English author Simon Mawer has passed away; see, for example, Heloise Wood's report in The Bookseller.
       His The Fall was longlisted for the Man Booker, and The Glass Room was shortlisted.

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       Perspective(s) review

       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Laurent Binet's epistolary novel, Perspective(s) -- out in English in the UK now (albeit as Perspectives, sigh) and coming to the US in April.

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       Sunday Times Young Writer Award shortlist

       They've announced the shortlist for this year's Sunday Times Charlotte Aitken Young Writer of the Year Award -- "given annually to the best work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry by a British or Irish author of 35 or under" --; Johanna Thomas-Corr also introduces the authors in the Sunday Times.
       The winner will be announced 18 March.

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       Czechoslovak PEN Club turns 100

       The Czechoslovak PEN Club is celebrating its centenary; see, for example, the Radio Prague International report, From Čapek to the Present: 100 Years of the Czechoslovak PEN Club.

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       Profile: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

       In The Guardian Charlotte Edwardes profiles ‘Cancel culture? We should stop it. End of story’: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on backlash, writer’s block – and her new baby twins.
       Among the observations:

Writing fiction is when she is happiest. “You should talk to my husband: he would say, ‘She becomes a different person.’ It’s like a high. I don’t do drugs, but I imagine that it is that absolute high. I’m struck by how much time passes and I don’t realise. Then when I am done – whatever it is, a character that I’ve finally got – the rest of the day is joyful floating. I’m so much fun to be around. And that is not always the case.”

       Adichie has a new novel coming out in March, Dream Count; see also the publicity pages from Knopf and 4th Estate, or pre-order your copy at Amazon.com, Bookshop.org, or Amazon.co.uk.

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       Profile: Anne Tyler

       In The Guardian Lisa Allardice has a profile of the author, in ‘It seemed wrong to write about normal life after that horrendous election’: US novelist Anne Tyler.
       Interesting to hear that:

When she downsized, she didn’t keep a copy of any of her own books. “What would I do with them ?” She has them all on a Kindle, but only so she can check if she’s repeating herself.

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       Jenny Erpenbeck Q & A

       In the Hindustan Times Chintan Girish Modi has a Q & A with Jenny Erpenbeck: “There is a place in the world for socialism”.
       Among her responses:

When I started writing seriously, and considering myself an author, I did not expect so much social interaction. I have learnt, over time, that half of the work is going to events, speaking at sessions, participating in discussions, and giving interviews like this one.

       Also: "Sometimes, people want to talk about your grandmother rather than your book" .....

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       The Magpie at Night review

       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Wendy Chen's new translation of The Complete Poems of Li Qingzhao (1084-1151), The Magpie at Night.

       This will be out from Farrar, Straus and Giroux shortly in the US; the UK edition, from Penguin Classics,, is only due in September.

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       Swiss national literature prizes

       They've announced that Sweet Days of Discipline-author Fleur Jaeggy has been awarded the Grand Prix for Swiss Literature award; they've also announced the seven winners of this year's Swiss Literature Prize.
       See also the swissinfo report.

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       Israel Prize for Literature

       The Ministry of Education has apparently announced that Devora Gilola will get this year's Israel Prize for Literature -- though not yet at the official site, last I checked; see, for example, the report in The Jerusalem Post.

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       Translation Prizes

       The Society of Authors has announced the winners of their eight translation prizes.
       The only winner under review at the complete review is of the Premio Valle Inclán, awarded to Chris Andrews, Edith Grossman, and Alastair Reid for their translation of Álvaro Mutis' Maqroll's Prayer and Other Poems

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       Women's Prize for Non-Fiction longlist

       They've announced the longlist for this year's Women's Prize for Non-Fiction -- sixteen titles.
       I haven't seen any of these.
       The shortlist will be announced 26 March, and the winner on 12 June.

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       Amy Tan archive

       The Joy Luck Club author Amy Tan's archive has been acquired by The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley; see, for example, Dan Vaccaro's UC Berkeley News report, Amy Tan archive lands at UC Berkeley, offering a bird's-eye view of a singular literary life.
       No word on how much they paid (sigh), but it amounts to 62 boxes, which include:

Tan’s personal journals spanning several decades, correspondence with other writers and historical family photographs. There is also a substantive amount of unpublished and never-before-seen writing, including works she created during childhood.

       In The New York Times Jennifer Schuessler also reports on the purchase, in Why Amy Tan Decided Not to Shred Her Archive (presumably paywalled) -- noting that:

Until recently, she had left written instructions for everything except photographs to be shredded after her death, lest she be subjected to the posthumous ordeal of scholars “going through the equivalent of my underwear drawer.”

       But:

So why the change of heart ? In a recent telephone conversation, Tan listed acceptance of “posterity,” coaxing by her longtime editor, and, well, the need to clear out space in her garage.

       The dollar-signs maybe also helped ?

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       Usedomer Literaturpreis

       The Usedomer Literaturpreis only pays out €5,000 but has an impressive list of winners, including Olga Tokarczuk (2012), Ilija Trojanow (2018), Jenny Erpenbeck (2019), Georgi Gospodinow (2021), Tanja Maljartschuk (2022), and Sofi Oksanen (2023) -- and they've now announced this year's winner -- though not at the official site, where they seem to be years behind the times -- and it is Szczepan Twardoch; see, for example, the NDR report.

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       Saara review

       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Mbarek Ould Beyrouk's Saara, the latest in the Dedalus Africa-series, which is coming along very nicely.

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       Prix Jean Monnet

       They've announced the longlist for this year's prix Jean Monnet de littérature européenne -- though unfortunately not in very easily accessible form at the official site, so see, for example, the Livres Hebdo report.
       Among the eight finalists are works by Alessandro Baricco, Mircea Cărtărescu, Andreï Makine, Pascal Quignard, and Josef Winkler.

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       Salomé first editions

       At Christie's in London they are auctioning Barry Humphries: The Personal Collection tomorrow -- and among the items are two first editions of Oscar Wilde's Salomé -- the French original (1893) -- Lot 148, previously owned by Lord Alfred Douglas and Gertrud Eysoldt, among others (estimate: GBP 40,000-60,000), and Lot 149, inscribed by Wilde to Léon Daudet (estimate: GBP 20,000-30,000).
       Looks pretty good:



       My Salome in Graz of course deals extensively with the play, in this and many of its later editions and translations ..... (If you buy direct from Lulu -- here -- the promotional code VALENTINE15 at checkout gets you 15% off through 14 February.)

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       Amitav Ghosh Q & A

       In The Indian Express Cherry Gupta has a Q & A with the The Glass Palace-author, in Amitav Ghosh on the Salman Rushdie attack: ‘Horrified yet awed by his resilience; we’ve forgotten our shared humanity’.
       Among his responses:

The lines between fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are becoming increasingly blurred, and I believe this is a healthy development. In my work, I often find myself blending different genres, drawing on elements of history, memoirs, and even travel writing. These hybrid forms allow for greater flexibility, greater freedom to explore different modes of expression, and engagement with the world in more nuanced and multifaceted ways.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

       Tom Robbins (1932-2025)

       Popular American author Tom Robbins has passed away; see, for example, the obituaries in The Los Angeles Times and at npr.
       Somewhat surprisingly, I haven't read any of his books.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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       First Love review

       The most recent addition to the complete review is my review of Shimamoto Rio's Naoki Prize-winning novel, First Love, now in English, from Honford Star.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

       'Chinese contemporary literature in the Portuguese-speaking world'

       In Humanities and Social Sciences Communications Xin Huang and Xiang Zhang report on Translating culture: the rise and resonance of Chinese contemporary literature in the Portuguese-speaking world, based on a total of 274 Chinese literary works translated into Portuguese between 1979 and 2024 -- of which: "nearly half consists of translations of classical Chinese antiquity".
       Also:

84 contemporary Chinese novels have found their way into Portuguese translation including 43 by Chinese mainland authors such as Liu Cixin, Su Tong, Yan Lianke, Mai Jia, Yu Hua, and Chen Zhongshi. Some works have multiple versions, showing the evolving landscape of Chinese literature in the Portuguese-speaking world.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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       Michael Dirda Q & A

       At The Washington Post John Williams has a Q & A as Post critic Michael Dirda turns a page, as Dirda: "has decided to step away from his weekly cadence of reviewing".
       Among his observations:

W.H. Auden convinced me that writing snarky negative reviews -- which, by the way, is dead easy -- was bad for one’s character, so I’ve tried to avoid doing so as much as possible.

       And while I'm intrigued by the project that he describes as:

I’m trying to rework a long manuscript — currently 200,000 words — that is tentatively titled “The Great Age of Storytelling.” It focuses on popular fiction in Britain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries

       what I'm really looking forward to is: "a memoir about working at The Post".

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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       Sunderland Lit and Phil Society

       As reported at, for example, the BBC Literary society relaunches after 150 years.
       Apparently:

The original Lit and Phil Society closed its doors in 1873 after investing in the Athenaeum on Fawcett Street.

"Unfortunately, they bankrupted themselves," Ms Langley said.

"But the ideas lived on."

       Ah, yes.

(Posted by: M.A.Orthofer)    - permanent link -

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