News: books

Philip Pullman reveals inspiration behind Secret Commonwealth at sold-out launch

Philip Pullman officially launched The Secret Commonwealth to huge cheers at a sold-out Alexandra Palace last night, where the author appeared in conversation with journalist Zing Tsjeng... Read more

British Book Awards and The Bookseller working class survey shortlisted for PPA Awards

The British Book Awards and The Bookseller’s working class survey have been shortlisted for prizes at this year’s Professional Publishers Association (PPA) Independent Publisher Awards.... Read more

Booksellers gear up for Super Thursday ahead of Bookshop Day 2019

Retailers are gearing up for a bumper Super Thursday ahead of this Saturday's Bookshop Day 2019 when events will be taking place up and down the country.... Read more

Obama, Porter and Thunberg shortlisted for BAMB reader awards

Bookshops have revealed their favourite books of 2019, with books by Michelle Obama, Max Porter and Greta Thunberg among the shortlisted titles for the Books... Read more

Ellmann, Haddon and Levy make Goldsmiths Prize shortlist

Lucy Ellmann, Mark Haddon and Deborah Levy are among the authors on a shortlist dominated by indie presses for this year’s Goldsmiths Prize.... Read more

Actor Fernandes to co-judge 2020 Blue Peter Book Awards

TV presenter and EastEnders actor Meryl Fernandes has joined the judging panel for the 2020 Blue Peter Book Awards. Read more

Quercus brings forward Boris diary and hires troop of impersonators

Quercus is bringing forward publication of its fictional diary of a teenage Boris Johnson and will promote it with a troop of bumbling blonde-haired impersonators.... Read more

Mitchell novel and Fleabag extract revealed at Sceptre Salon

David Mitchell read from his new novel at a Sceptre Salon storytelling event last night, which also featured an exclusive extract from Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s highly... Read more

Welsh writer Jo Lloyd scoops £15k BBC National Short Story Award 2019

Welsh writer Jo Lloyd has unanimously won the £15,000 BBC National Short Story Award with Cambridge University 2019 for her story inspired by a real-life... Read more

PRH stands by Prescott in Pasternak plagiarism row

Penguin Random House says claims by Boris Pasternak’s great niece that parts of Lara Prescott’s debut novel plagiarise her work are “unfounded” and will be... Read more

Feminism, cyber warfare and politics feature at sell-out Cliveden Literary Festival

The Cliveden Literary Festival returned for a third time last weekend with Ian McEwan, Howard Jacobson and Elif Shafak among the authors taking part in a... Read more

Bristol University to house historic copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover

Bristol University will house a copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover that once belonged to Sir Laurence Byrne, the judge who presided over the landmark 1960... Read more