Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today's stories:
A Chicago indie bookseller—who is also one of the judges for this year's Best Translated Book Awards, which are sponsored by Amazon—has set up a blog called Against Amazon to campaign against the online books retailer. (Guardian)
An ode written by Anthony Burgess that had been suppressed in Malaysia, where it was written and where Burgess stirred controversy through unflattering depictions of real world persons in his novels, has been unearthed and was performed Saturday night in front of the country's royalty. (Independent)
Steve Martin gave an interview with Deborah Solomon at the 92nd Street Y in New York City on Thursday about the art world and his latest novel, and apparently the audience was so disappointed with their performances that all nine hundred people have been offered fifty-dollar gift-certificate refunds. (Jacket Copy)
Barnes & Noble chair Leo Riggio has been named Publishers Weekly's Person of the Year.
Salon's list of the best fiction of 2010.
James Franco was interviewed for four hours by James Lipton for the Actors Studio, and the Rumpus was there.
Astonishingly, 70 percent of Spain's book sales for the whole year are in the fifteen days before Christmas. (Wall Street Journal)
Flavorwire recaps the year in "disturbing celebrity book deals."
