Some six million copies of The Da Vinci Code have been sold in the past year. Now there is a wave of books coming to refute the idea that “Christianity was founded on a cover-up — that the church has conspired for centuries to hide evidence that Jesus was a mere mortal, married Mary Magdalene and had children whose descendants live in France. More than 10 books are being released, most in April and May, with titles that promise to break, crack, unlock or decode “The Da Vinci Code.” Churches are offering pamphlets and study guides for readers who may have been prompted by the novel to question their faith. Large audiences are showing up for Da Vinci Code lectures and sermons.”
Month: April 2004
Grammar Book Becomes Global Hit
What is it about Lynne Truss’little book of grammar “Eats, Shoots & Leaves?” “The slim volume, subtitled The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, is storming bookshops in country after country, entrancing pedants everywhere from Saudi Arabia to South Korea. It has soared to number one in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa.”
New Arts University Launching (But What Arts?)
The new University of the Arts London is about to launch. “But the launch of the new institution as an “Imperial College for the arts” comes at a time when there is more confusion than ever about what arts students should be taught. A survey this week shows colleges and university arts departments in Britain agree on very little when it comes to the curriculum for future artists, except, bizarrely, black and white photography and silkscreen printing.”
In Praise Of Rules (For Grammar, At Least)
There seems to be new interest in the rules of grammar. So how come, and why now? “This new passion for grammatical rigour indicates a cultural sea change – in this country, any road. I’m not sure what kind of sea change it indicates in Hong Kong.” Maybe it’s a simple as wanting to impose a little more order on the world, rejecting the idea that perhaps there are no right answers…
Nigerian Named Orange Prize Finalist
Twenty-five-year-old Nigerian teacher Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has been chosen for the short list of this year’s £30,000 Orange award, “defeating more than a dozen highly tipped and experienced authors. Adichie is up against the Booker prizewinner Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake, Gillian Slovo’s panoramic vision of communist Russia, The Ice Road, and three other novels.”
Control Your Book
Self-published print-on-demand books are becoming more and more popular with writers. It’s all about control. “Why do all the work for a paltry 10 to 15 per cent when you can make triple that or more? Authors today like to be in control of their own destinies. The thought of a big publishing house changing their title, dressing the book or rearranging text is unacceptable.”
What’s It Take To Make It As An Artist?
“There are plenty of painters of real accomplishment working in as modern and abstract a mode as one could wish, who never achieve the support of any public gallery or institution, if they are perhaps a shade too old, their gallery is not quite advanced enough, their work is no longer seen as “cutting edge” or their face don’t fit.”
Bowie To Fans: Take My Songs
David Bowie isn’t concerned about piracy of his music. In fact he’s encouraging it and says he’ll give a prize for the most creative remix of his work. “The musician’s Web site urges fans to mix classic Bowie songs with material from his latest album, “Reality,” to create a “mash-up” — a track that uses vocals from one song superimposed over the backing tracks of another.”
Regina Gallery Saved By City Council
The Regina (Saskatchewan) city council has approved a controversial new library budget Monday that “delays the closures of three branches, the Dunlop Art Gallery and the Prairie History Room, but the new plan came at a price: the resignation of almost half of the library board.”
Riopelle Heirs Settle Estate Dispute
Heirs of the late Canadian painter Jean Paul Riopelle have settled their disputes and dropped their lawsuits against one another. Ripelle’s children “agreed to the sale of a small number of paintings to cover their father’s debts and to drop litigation against Huguette Vachon, their father’s common-law wife.”