This year’s National Book Foundation Literarian Award recipient Paul Coates has been accused of publishing “racist, antisemitic, and homophobic books and authors” in an “enthusiastic and uncritical” manner, in an article by Mark Oppenheimer in Arc Magazine. That article expands considerably on questions first raised in a piece in The Jewish Insider by Matthew Kassel, which focused on one book in particular. Additionally, Oppenheimer suggests the selection “was a surprising choice” because Coates previously served as a National Book Foundation board member. The Literarian Award is given for “outstanding service to the literary community.” Coates, who is the father of […]
Controversies
DarkLit Press Appears to Shut Down Amid Controversy
Canada-based independent horror publisher Dark Lit Press appears to have shuttered. Their website, social media accounts, and Substack are defunct, and an email to their contact address bounced back. DarkLit’s other imprints, Hedone Books and Third Estate Books, seem to still be active. Reportedly, many authors have pulled their books from DarkLit, and some say they are still owed royalties for books that have already sold. Some authors also report that their books are being sold on Amazon, despite having the rights reverted to them. A former editor also told PL that he is owed pay for working on several […]
PEN America Literary Awards Canceled
After weeks of criticism, including the withdrawal of approximately one third of nominated writers, PEN America announced on Monday that it will cancel this year’s Literary Awards ceremony. “We greatly respect that writers have followed their consciences, whether they chose to remain as nominees in their respective categories or not,” PEN America literary programming chief officer Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf said in a release. “We regret that this unprecedented situation has taken away the spotlight from the extraordinary work selected by esteemed, insightful and hard-working judges across all categories. As an organization dedicated to freedom of expression and writers, our commitment […]
PEN’s Top Literary Prize Potentially Un-Awardable Due to Author Withdrawal
Nine of the ten authors longlisted for the $75,000 PEN/Jean Stein Award have withdrawn their books from consideration, as part of a continued boycott of PEN America over the organization’s response to the war in Gaza. Camille Dungy’s SOIL is currently the book that remains. In a statement provided by her publisher, Dungy said, “Right now in America, book bans are increasing at an alarming rate. In states like the one where I live—Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Iowa—such bans are putting young people at risk, particularly Black, Brown, queer, and trans youths who can’t access books that represent and affirm who […]
Some Authors Decline PEN Awards Consideration
In a continuation of the protests against PEN America over their response to the war in Gaza, some authors have withdrawn from PEN awards consideration. The move comes as various authors have removed themselves from participating in the PEN World Voices Festival, more than 1300 writers have signed an open letter urging PEN to respond to the deaths of writers and scholars in Gaza, and protestors disrupted a January PEN event that featured Israel supporter Mayim Bialik. Camonghne Felix shared on social media that her book DYSCALCULIA was set to be longlisted for the PEN/Jean Stein award. She declined before […]
Harper Lists Comer Book, He Denies Having Publishing Agreement
Republican congressman James Comer has denied having a book deal with Harper Collins, after a book page with his name appeared on the Harper website, Axios reports. The page, which was still live on the Harper website on Monday, shows that ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MONEY, by an anonymous author, will be published on September 10 by Broadside. A cover image placeholder notes Comer as the author and says that the cover will be revealed. A page for the audio edition of the book, with Comer listed as the author, is also live on the Harper site. Retailers including Amazon and […]