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:
The NEA has added books by Roz Chast, Adrian Matejka, Ron Rash, and Alberto Ríos to the library of its Big Read program, which supports community reading programs that focus on a book from the program’s library.
In response to the many women who have come forward to accuse film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment and assault, Hachette Book Group has shuttered its Weinstein Books imprint. The imprint’s authors and staff will be reassigned to different imprints at Hachette. (Entertainment Weekly)
With the Frankfurt Book Fair in full swing, the Guardian reports on some of the biggest new book deals announced, including deals for memoirs by Cher and Roger Daltrey, and for Annie Ward’s Beautiful Bad, which early readers are hailing as the next Gone Girl.
Kathryn Schulz considers the popularity of Oxford University Press’s Very Short Introduction series, which offers 120-page introductions to a variety of topics, including teeth, free will, and modern India. (New Yorker)
“I think there is a realization that it’s people’s confused feelings about the other that create this thing that we are mistaking for hate, but that deep down should be called something different. It could be called envy, it could be called love, it could be called fear. I’m always looking to somehow find out what’s going on at the level of the psyche.” Attica Locke talks about racism in America and her most recent novel, Bluebird. (Millions)
Douglas Preston argues that Amazon’s decision to let third-party sellers market and sell books that don’t come from the publisher or its wholesaler as “new” is misleading and harmful to both authors and customers. (New York Times)
“You’re not as smart as you would like to think you are,” “Avoid flirting with your best friend’s girl,” and, “Give in to destiny.” The Guardian shares ten life lessons to take from great works of Russian literature.
On this Friday the thirteenth, Ron Charles suggests some “ghastly Halloween gifts for the literary witch or warlock in your life.” (Washington Post)
