US prose poet and University of California lecturer Gary Young has been named the recipient of the Shelley Memorial award by the Poetry Society of America, according to the Guardian.

The $3,500 (£2,500) award is given annually to a living American poet “selected with reference of genius and need”. Previous...

Richard Holloway, chairman of the Scottish Arts Council, author, broadcaster and former Bishop of Edinburgh, is to act as Guest Director for this year's Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF).

Holloway will act as guest director on a pro tem basis, following consultation with the Scottish government, while Catherine Lockerbie,...

The US National Geographic books division has cut nine positions, including its publisher. Publisher Kevin Mulroy, photography books director Leah Bendavid-Val, and travel publishing director Symmie Newhouse were released last week, according to reports. Barbara Brownell Grogan now serves as editor-in-chief for adult books.

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Jhumpa Lahiri has beaten fellow shortlisted authors Salman Rushdie, Philip Hensher and David Lodge to the Best Book Award at the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize 2009, in the Europe and South Asia region.

Lahiri’s short story collection Unaccustomed Earth (Bloomsbury) scored the £1,000 prize while Guardian...