30 Cover Songs Better Than the Originals
Back in 2011, NME listed 30 cover songs that are better than the originals, as determined by their writers and readers. I’m not going to weigh in on the truth of their assertions, but listening to this playlist of the covers and the original songs is a pretty good way to pass the time.
NSW Premier's Literary Awards shortlists
They've announced the shortlists for this year's NSW Premier's Literary Awards in its ten categories; unfortunately the presentation of these on the official site is somewhat unwieldy. You can find all the shortlisted titles more conveniently on the official press release -- but that's only available in the dreaded pdf format.
Beside the Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, prizes include the Betty Roland Prize for Scriptwriting and the Multicultural NSW Award -- and this is one of the year's the biennial NSW Translation Prize is being awarded.
The winners will be announced 26 April.
Nawal El Saadawi (1931-2021) | Adam Zagajewski (1945-2021)
Nawal El Saadawi (1931-2021)
Egyptian author Nawal El Saadawi has passed away; see, for example, Jasmine Taylor-Coleman's BBC report, Nawal El Saadawi: Feminist firebrand who dared to write dangerously. See also, for example, Raschel Cooke's 2015 profile in The Observer
El Saadawi was a tremendously important figure and author -- included on Time's list of the most influential women of the past century, for example -- and published a large number of works, many of which are available in English, especially from Zed and Saqi. See, for example, Woman at Point Zero -- see the Zed publicity page, or get your copy at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.
Larry McMurtry (1936-2021)
American author Larry McMurtry -- probably best-known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Lonesome Dove -- has passed away; see, for example, Dwight Garner's obituary in The New York Times, Alison Flood's Lonesome Dove author and Brokeback Mountain screenwriter Larry McMurtry dies at 84 in The Guardian, and Michael Granberry on Texas literary giant Larry McMurtry dies at 84 in the Dallas Morning News.
McMurtry also ran Booked Up Inc., the huge Archer City bookstore that apparently still: "carries between 150,000 and 200,000 fine and scholarly books" -- and that's after he sold of a huge part of the stock in 2012.
Stephen White (1983-2021)
Stephen White, associate professor of philosophy at Northwestern University, died yesterday. (more…)
'Encounters with Polish Literature'
The Polish Cultural Institute New York is presenting a monthly series of Encounters with Polish Literature this year, hosted by David A. Goldfarb, with the first two episodes already available for viewing. Each episode has him: "in conversation with an expert on that author or book or movement in Polish literature", and it's a great line-up -- both of subject-matter and experts.
At A&S News Sarah MacFarlane now reports on how A&S alumnus David Goldfarb explores Polish literature in talk-show style video series.
DUBLIN Literary Award shortlist
They've announced the six-title shortlist for this year's DUBLIN Literary Award, "the world's most valuable annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English".
While books in translation are eligible for this award, only one was shortlisted, Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor.
The winner will be announced 20 May.
They've announced the six-title shortlist for this year's DUBLIN Literary Award, "the world's most valuable annual prize for a single work of fiction published in English".
While books in translation are eligible for this award, only one was shortlisted, Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor.
The winner will be announced 20 May.
Less-known Irish books
Q & As: The New Press - Yaniv Iczkovits - Marie NDiaye
Less-known Irish books
In the Irish Times Martin Doyle has: "many of Ireland's leading writers champion a treasure that deserves to be unburied", in The great Irish books you may never heard of.
A wide-ranging selection, and certainly quite a few titles of interest.