One of the Japan-born ethnic Koreans who emigrated to North Korea in the 1970s, Kim Ju-sŏng lived there for 28 years, working as a novelist for the Korean Workers' Party's propaganda department (the only permitted career path) and getting lousy evaluations before escaping to the South. - The Guardian
Writers not only don’t work alone: they can’t. The key proxy for a vibrant book culture is the little packs they form when things are going well. A literary work of art begins long before the fateful confrontation with the blank page, in the whole life we’ve lived to know what to put upon it. - The Point
"Certain names carry with them the whiff of brimstone. In the world of bibliophiles and booksellers, perhaps no name is more sulphurous than that of Thomas James Wise." - Literary Review (UK)
"When Vladimir Kosarevsky received orders late last year to destroy books referencing same-sex relationships, … (he) knew it was a line he wouldn’t cross. 'I realised that if I did it, I would never ever be able to forgive myself,' (he said) from northern Spain, where he is claiming asylum." - The Guardian
"Despite no known historical connection with the author, Deventer, in the eastern province of Overijssel, now plays host to … 950 volunteers … performing street theatre and selling hot punch." And all because, once shops were allowed to open on Sundays, one store manager decided to make a party of it. - The Guardian
Among the books being flung into the fiery pit this time around: Walter Isaacson’s “dull, insight-free doorstop” biography of Elon Musk; Paris Hilton’s “vapid and vaporous” memoir; Tom Hanks’ “bland busman’s holiday dressed up as literary fiction”; and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “hollow PR exercise.” - LitHub
In 1998, Michelle Tea, who started the first series of events called "Drag Queen Story Hour," published her first novel with Semiotext(e), publisher of William S. Burroughs and Andrea Dworkin. Now Hedi El Kholti, Semiotext(e)'s co-editor (and Colm Tóibín's partner), will host Tea's new imprint, Dopamine. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo!)
One of the big debates which lasted up to the Renaissance was about who invented writing. With both archaeology and chronology all but unknown, what thinkers had to go on was largely the Hebrew Bible and Graeco-Roman writers. - The Conversation
The ratification follows 10 months of negotiations and multiple rejected contracts, including one proposed by Powell's management in August and another in November. - Publishers Weekly
The writers, including Pulitzer Prize winners Taylor Branch, Stacy Schiff and Kai Bird told the court on Tuesday that the companies infringed their copyrights by using their work to train OpenAI's GPT large language models. - Reuters
An author called Demetrious Polychron wrote and self-published a "pitch-perfect" (his word) sequel titled The Fellowship of the King. Then he sued Tolkien's estate and Amazon, claiming the streaming series The Rings of Power infringed his copyright. Oh, goodness, did that backfire … - The Washington Post (MSN)
Less than a decade ago, readers, authors, and publishers put a lot of faith in the site and the ability of its user-written reviews to launch a book into bestseller territory. But with the repeated "dumpster fires" (as one author called them) of recent years, the site's authority is waning. - The Guardian
The parties, which began in May, take place on rooftops, in parks and at bars. The premise is simple: Show up with a book, commit to vanquishing a chapter or two and chat with strangers about what you’ve just read. - The New York Times
The annual honor by the Association of American Publishers normally goes to a house in a beleaguered country (e.g., Guatemala, Bangladesh, Venezuela) who has "demonstrated courage and fortitude in defending freedom of expression" — but this year's candidates told AAP they were scared of the hostile scrutiny the award would bring. - AP
A few students at Boyle County High School in central Kentucky learned that their school district had quietly banned more than 100 titles under a notoriously vague state law — and they and their parents raised the alarm loudly enough to attract statewide media attention and get the ban reversed. - The Nation
