The Literary Review has released the shortlist for this year’s Bad Sex in Fiction award. The award is designed to
“…gently dissuading authors and publishers from including unconvincing, perfunctory, embarrassing or redundant passages of a sexual nature in otherwise sound literary novels”.
Here is the shortlist, in full:
James Buchan for The Gate of Air
Simon Montefiore for Sashenka
John Updike for The Widows of Eastwick
Kathy Lette for To Love, Honour and Betray
Alastair Campbell for All in the Mind
Rachel Johnson for Shire Hell
Isabel Fonseca for Attachment
Ann Allestree for Triptych of a Young Wolf
Russell Banks for The Reserve
Paulo Coelho for Brida
BookTV has re-posted an appearance Bill Bryson did back in 2003 when he was traveling to promote his then-new A Short History of Nearly Everything. You’ll need the Real Player to watch, but he always makes me laugh.
One of Birmingham’s more eclectic literary spots is breaking out the guerilla tactics to help keep the doors open. Home to one of the best local collections of used books and staffed by volunteers, Greencup Books sponsors local music shows, reading and classes. Most of which bring in a few dollars in donations as best. The shop has tried to make a go at it on meager foot traffic and online sales, but they’re just not footing the bill.
So, the every energetic and creative staff have organized a Read-a-thon. They’re asking local Birmingham folks to gather up “nickle a page” sponsorships and then stop by the store and start reading 8am Friday, December 19th through 8am Monday, December 22nd.
I mean, there were some GORGEOUS covers done this year. Maybe Amazon’s editors just let some random number generator pick these. Even with the Chip Kidd cover included, this list is just weird, at best. Feel free to disagree and if you do, please explain why. I just don’t get it.
