Michael Ondaatje

PEN has witnessed some strong internal opposition and argument over the decision of the PEN America Center to award its Freedom of Expression Courage Award to Charlie Hebdo, after the attacks in Paris. Six writers, Teju Cole, Rachel Kushner, Michael Ondaatje, Francine Prose, Peter Carey, and Taiye Selasi, declined to attend the associated gala over […]

The post PEN decides “Je suis Charlie” – but some authors don’t appeared first on TeleRead: News and views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics.

Following the Canadian Booksellers Association’s fourth national conference held June 3 to 5 near Toronto, the organization seems to have some soul-searching and tough decisions ahead. Timing its conference to suit its partner, the Retail Council of Canada, meant losing publishers and booksellers to BEA. This year’s conference almost didn’t happen at all, CBA senior manager Jodi White told PW in the lead-up to the event. The previous year’s conference lost money after the federal government didn’t come through with promised funding for last year’s event, and there was no funding for this year either. Since the CBA could

Canada’s biggest multinational publishing house just got bigger. Random House of Canada has become the sole owner of McClelland & Stewart, one of Canada’s oldest publishing houses.

Random House has owned a share of M&S since 2000 when its sole owner and chairman Avie Bennett sold it 25% of the company and donated 75% to the University of Toronto with the intent that M&S would maintain its editorial independence. Random House had been providing services such as sales, production, human resources and accounting to M&S since that time.

Zukiswa Wanner l Thando Mgqolozana’s feminist take on one of the oldest stories told in Christendom, the story of the virgin birth. With Hear Me Alone, Mgqolozana moves from being a brilliant South African writer to being a brilliant writer. I’ve read it seven times and every time there is a fresh angle to make me laugh or sigh. l The Helon Habila-edited The African Short Story, which showcases some of the best short stories from all over the continent in the last 40 years or so. l The Commonwealth Prize Best Book, Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna,

Happy Thanksgiving, Book Business readers!

May we recommend you check out (but don't gore yourself on)the year's 100 notable tomes in fiction, poetry and nonfiction as selected by the New York Times between drumsticks, football games and "quality time" with extended family. Remember, it's about portion control, people.