Thursday 15 January 2009

Lowlights

I spoke this week with a couple of writers who haven’t been reading the pieces about the publishing highlights of 2009 with much glee. The next book of one (who’s been publishing successfully for decades), scheduled for later this year, has been postponed and no, the publishers can’t say when they’ll get round to it. The next book of the other author (prizes, mega sales) has been adapted for a stage performance, very high profile, and there’ll be a series of TV programmes about this production, but no publisher wants the book.

These are just two of a number of similar current tales. What, I continue to wonder, are publishers for? Suddenly they seem to have become much kinder to trees.

Meanwhile, here is another good online review of Lichtenberg & The Little Flower Girl. Please buy the book. It’s not much to ask. And Anthony Rudolf names BBB's translations of Ponge, Unfinished Ode to Mud, as one his Books of 2008 on the RSB site.

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