Friday, 6 November 2015
Thursday, 5 November 2015
Wednesday, 4 November 2015
Tuesday, 3 November 2015
Thursday, 15 October 2015
Prizes Prizes Prizes
by Alex Aslett
October has seen the award of two of the literary world's most coveted prizes: the Nobel Prize for Literature, and the Man Booker Prize. The Nobel Prize went to the Belarusian journalist Svetlana Alexeivich:
You can find out more about her and her work here:http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2015/oct/08/everything-you-need-to-know-about-svetlana-alexievich-winner-of-the-nobel-prize-in-literature
The librarians have also put together a display of books written by or about Nobel prize-winners - not just those in the field of literature - which can be seen in the cabinet by the Montgomery Room. Figures represented include Nelson Mandela, Seamus Heaney, Aung San Suu Kyi , Milton Freeman, Linus Pauling, Martin Luther King and Malala Yousafzai. There's also a list of the rest of the 2015 Nobel prize-winners.
The Man Booker Prize this year went to A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James. Set in Jamaica and the US, the book focuses on the events surrounding the shooting of singer Bob Marley at his Kingston home in 1976.
It is told in the voices of an eclectic cast of characters - gangsters, politicians, hitmen, groupies and CIA agents - some of whom are dead. In exploring the aftermath of the shooting, the novel also charts the rise of the crack cocaine epidemic in the US in the 1980s.
You can find an article by Marlon James and the other five Booker-shortlisted writers, exploring the genesis of their novels, here: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/10/man-booker-prize-2015-shortlist-novels
October has seen the award of two of the literary world's most coveted prizes: the Nobel Prize for Literature, and the Man Booker Prize. The Nobel Prize went to the Belarusian journalist Svetlana Alexeivich:
You can find out more about her and her work here:http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2015/oct/08/everything-you-need-to-know-about-svetlana-alexievich-winner-of-the-nobel-prize-in-literature
The librarians have also put together a display of books written by or about Nobel prize-winners - not just those in the field of literature - which can be seen in the cabinet by the Montgomery Room. Figures represented include Nelson Mandela, Seamus Heaney, Aung San Suu Kyi , Milton Freeman, Linus Pauling, Martin Luther King and Malala Yousafzai. There's also a list of the rest of the 2015 Nobel prize-winners.
The Man Booker Prize this year went to A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James. Set in Jamaica and the US, the book focuses on the events surrounding the shooting of singer Bob Marley at his Kingston home in 1976.
It is told in the voices of an eclectic cast of characters - gangsters, politicians, hitmen, groupies and CIA agents - some of whom are dead. In exploring the aftermath of the shooting, the novel also charts the rise of the crack cocaine epidemic in the US in the 1980s.
You can find an article by Marlon James and the other five Booker-shortlisted writers, exploring the genesis of their novels, here: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/oct/10/man-booker-prize-2015-shortlist-novels
Tuesday, 13 October 2015
Book of the Week
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
Recommended by Alessandro Comoli
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic novel written from a unique perspective. It is based on a true story concerning Satrapi’s childhood and upbringing during the turbulent time of the Iraqi-Iranian war and the aftermath in Iran and Austria.
The book commences in Iran, before the aforementioned war. The protagonist was brought up by radical Marxists who supported the Islamic revolution and overthrowing of the Shah. The war occurred largely because after various negotiations relating to the resources of the country, with the UK and the U.S., the Iranian people saw the Shah as a puppet and rebelled until they felt justice had been done.
Recommended by Alessandro Comoli
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a graphic novel written from a unique perspective. It is based on a true story concerning Satrapi’s childhood and upbringing during the turbulent time of the Iraqi-Iranian war and the aftermath in Iran and Austria.
The book commences in Iran, before the aforementioned war. The protagonist was brought up by radical Marxists who supported the Islamic revolution and overthrowing of the Shah. The war occurred largely because after various negotiations relating to the resources of the country, with the UK and the U.S., the Iranian people saw the Shah as a puppet and rebelled until they felt justice had been done.
Thursday, 8 October 2015
National Poetry Day
Yes, today is John Colet Day. But it's also National Poetry Day -
- and this year is the 21st anniversary of the UK's annual celebration of poetry, and all things poetical.
The day is a chance to break with the tyranny of prose for 24 hours by
sharing poetry in every conceivable way. Every year has a different theme: this year's theme is light.
You can follow events on Twitter, via the hashtags #nationalpoetryday and #thinkofapoem. The most creative of the day's tweets will be added to the Blackpool Illuminations.
Poems on the Underground will be broadcasting live at Covent Garden and Oval tube stations throughout the day, and the BBC will be launching 'Contains Strong Language', a season dedicated to the disruptive power of poetry: for more details, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/27wq69x1zsvNcPbcJmFrJfF/about-the-season
- and this year is the 21st anniversary of the UK's annual celebration of poetry, and all things poetical.
You can follow events on Twitter, via the hashtags #nationalpoetryday and #thinkofapoem. The most creative of the day's tweets will be added to the Blackpool Illuminations.
Poems on the Underground will be broadcasting live at Covent Garden and Oval tube stations throughout the day, and the BBC will be launching 'Contains Strong Language', a season dedicated to the disruptive power of poetry: for more details, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/27wq69x1zsvNcPbcJmFrJfF/about-the-season
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