Category: words

“Hong Kong’s Obscene Articles Tribunal announced last week that the Chinese-language edition of Murakami’s Kishidancho Goroshi, or Killing Commendatore, had been temporarily classified as ‘Class II – indecent materials’.” This means that the book cannot be sold to minors and must be sold in a warning wrapper.

The prestige of the book as a cultural artifact has declined steeply of late, as is daily observable almost everywhere, but in the totalitarian century it was undiminished. Every tyrant wanted to publish a book; to have written one (or at least have his name affixed to it as the author) was proof of intellectual gravitas.

“The problem is that for the novelist the opposite question — How could I not? — also pertains. … Looking back on Empire Falls — both the novel and the fine HBO mini-series made from it — and trying to imagine what a novel on the same subject would look like today, I’m most struck by how innocent we all were.”

“[Their publisher] said dropping the controversial feminist and the outspoken former New South Wales premier from the September program [of the Brisbane Writers’ Festival] ‘seems counter to the ethos of freedom of speech’. The festival claimed it was merely trying to ensure a balance within the program in one case, and responding to the decisions of a partner organisation in another.” (Greer, of course, had some choice words on the matter.)

Organizers on Tuesday announced the 13 books in the long list for the prestigious award, chosen from 171 submissions this year — the highest number of titles that has been put forward in the prize’s 50-year history.

On Monday, amid growing criticism, Forbes pulled the article, releasing a statement that said, “Forbes advocates spirited dialogue on a range of topics, including those that often take a contrarian view. Libraries play an important role in our society. This article was outside of this contributor’s specific area of expertise, and has since been removed.”

“Nick Drnaso’s Sabrina, a work that Zadie Smith called ‘the best book — in any medium — I have read about our current moment,’ is the surprise name among the 13 finalists announced today. It appears alongside Rachel Kushner’s The Mars Room, Sally Rooney’s much-hyped Normal People and Michael Ondaatje’s Warlight.”

Around the time of the global recession, the Finns set out as a nation to find the “next Nokia.” It was all we talked about. In a small socially democratic nation like ours, where so much is shared, we felt a common responsibility over our exports. Anything and everything could be the next Nokia, we said, so long as we figure out how to brand it. Tech start-ups were the obvious choice, but cultural products emerged as a strong contender. Could we sell even more great design? Leverage our architecture? Finnish heavy metal started to do well in Germany and the Anglo American world. Then something decisive happened in Finnish literature.