Like most Irish writers, Colm Toibin takes history seriously. Cultural heritage forms the backdrop of most of his novels, and it is these motifs – rather than the stories themselves – that Toibin is interested in. This has led to an eclectic back catalogue including short story collections, literary criticism and autobiographical work.
By Graeme Stirling
Like most Irish writers, Colm Toibin takes history seriously. Cultural heritage forms the backdrop of most of his novels, and it is these motifs – rather than the stories themselves – that Toibin is interested in. This has led to an eclectic back catalogue including short story collections, literary criticism and autobiographical work. By Graeme Stirling Carlos Ruiz Zafon seems to have sneaked up on the literary world. After publishing his first young adult (YA) novel at the age of twenty-nine, the Barcelona native went on to work as an LA-based scriptwriter before producing his first adult novel, the massive The Shadow of the Wind, in 2001. The series now spans three books with a fourth due out in the near future, and has lifted Zafon to the post of most successful living Spanish writer. It has also captured a diverse international audience, with the first instalment having sold more than fifteen million copies. Interestingly, it has done so without much in the way of the book clubs, must-read lists, awards and general force-down-your-throat fashion culture that has come to dominate publishing and helped boost the career of many an author to ridiculous heights. By Graeme Stirling Remember short story collections? If so, you’re probably over 35 and enjoying a glass of port with your lunch. For the rest of you, we’ve decided to offer a brief World Book Day history lesson. by Graeme Stirling In a recent article for the Huffington Post book supplement, journalist and – you guessed it – novelist Lynn Shepherd raised a key issue afflicting the publishing industry: that of the disproportionate power of certain established authors over the market. In particular, she was none too pleased with JK Rowling, the tremendous sales figures for the lacklustre The Casual Vacancy or the emergence of her quirky new crime series, originally set to be penned under the clunky pseudonym Robert Galbraith. |
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