Russia is following in the footsteps of Venezuela and Nigeria in promoting national reading programs, but what might seem like idealism is often something more.
Putin Proposes a New Russian Great Books Program
Purportedly inspired by the US Great Books project of the 1920s, Vladimir Putin has proposed a 100 book canon of required Russian reading for every graduate.
Tired of “Best of” lists, here’s a “Bottom of 2009” list
By Erin L. Cox In addition to her “Top 10 of 2009,” Bethanne Patrick, managing editor and host of the Web TV show “The Book Studio,” delivered her “Bottom 10 Books of 2009” list. While you may not agree with all of them, it is a refreshing look at the books of 2009 that didn’t deliver. Tell us about your …
Translate This!
By Erin L. Cox The online literary review The Quarterly Conversation offered a unique spin on the “year-end book list,” suggesting several dozen titles they would eagerly like to see translated into English. Among those interviewed for the piece are some names familiar to Publishing Perspectives readers, including Chad Post and Christopher Merrill. As only 3% of books published in …
Hugo Chávez’s Color Coded “Revolutionary Reading Plan”
By Emily Williams No friend to publishing (see our earlier coverage here) Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez has nevertheless started to implement his four-part color coded “Revolutionary Reading Plan.” Announced in May, the goal of the project as stated by the Venezuelan government, is “the democratization of books and reading, with a new conception of reading as a collective act under …
Bonus Material: How to Pack (Books) for Summer Vacation
By Erin L. Cox Home is where your stack of books is… Maybe you, like me, have a stack of books sitting on your nightstand or piled next to your bed. I love that stack of books. I cultivate it like some people cultivate gardens. I take a book off here, add a book there — all according to my …
Bonus Material: Summer Reading Lists
It’s Memorial Day in the United States, the traditional start of the summer reading season. Here are some links to reliable Summer reading lists from around the Web. STEPHEN KING: The master of horror offers a top seven for summer. Pay attention, he championed Daniel Wroblewski’s “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” last year and it lept onto bestseller lists soon …