The Thursday Book Beat: Kathy Lette Criticizes Man Booker’s Lack of Women On 2014 List

Photograph by Ardo Omer. Books. Reading. Thursday Book Beat.

Edgar Wright To Direct Grasshopper Jungle Adaptation

Edgar Wright

“Grasshopper Jungle” is a coming-of-age tale about an Iowa teen who, along with his friends, causes a deadly plague that unleashes an army of human-sized praying mantises, whose hedonistic lifestyle is admired by the young protagonist. – The Wrap

After the earth stood still when Edgar Wright left Marvel’s Ant-Man, we all wondered which property he will work on next (no? just me?). Looks like a book adaptation is the route he’s taking and, from what I’ve heard from those who’ve read it, Grasshopper Jungle seems to be a great fit for Wright’s style. I’m not particularly interested in reading the book but I’m now very intrigued for this film.

Alloy Entertainment And Amazon Team Up On New Digital Imprint

Amazon Publishing and Alloy Entertainment have partnered on a new digital-first imprint to be called Alloy Entertainment. The unit will focus on young adult, new adult, and commercial fiction, which are Alloy’s specialty areas in its book packaging business.

– Publisher’s Weekly

I have feelings about book packaging publishers but we can’t deny that Alloy has put out books that teens love whether it’s Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars or The Vampire Diaries. They’ve already released their first three titles – Imitation by Heather Hildenbrand, Every Ugly Word by Aimee Salter, and Rebel Wing by Tracy Banghart -but the company has no plan set on the number of titles to be published in a given year but they hope to add a print in the future. 

The Goldfinch Is Becoming A Film

Donna Tartt. The Goldfinch. Little, Brown and Company. October 22nd 2013. Novel.

Tartt’s novel is 784 pages long and follows a grieving 13-year-old boy, whose fate becomes intertwined with a mysterious 17th-century painting at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

– The Telegraphy

Donna Tartt’s book, The Goldfinch, is one of many books being adapted into a film but what makes this announcement hilarious is that X-Men: The Last Stand director, Brett Ratner, will be directing the film. Yeah. I still hold a grudge. Warner Bros bought the rights and they seem to know their way around book to film adaptations with successful franchises such as Harry Potter and The Lord of Rings.

Author Kathy Lette Accuses Man Booker Of Writing Off Women

Kathy Lette criticizes the 2014 Man Booker judges for it’s lack of women on the recently revealed longlist. Out of the thirteen, only three of them are women (Ali Smith, Karen Joy Fowler and Siri Hustvedt):

“Women are clearly runners up in the human race. Women writers have been written off by Booker judges, with only three females on the list. I wonder if women authors are going to have to go back to the days of using male pseudonyms – like Sir Donym, maybe, to give people a clue about what’s going on, to get rated.” – The Telegraph

You can find the list here.

The Underated Feminist Horror Writer We Should Be Reading

Angela Carter. Burning Your Boats. Collection. Short Stories. Penguin Books. August 1st 1997.

In school, I read two short stories by Angela Carter (“The Werewolf “and “The Lady In The House of Love”). It’s surprising how under the radar Angela Carter is given how amazing her short stories and novels are. I happened to be reading through a massive collection of her short stories when Vulture published a profile on the author. I definitely suggest giving that a read and then immediately run to a bookstore to buy her works.

The best horror writer of the 20th century you’ve probably never heard of was a British woman who looked like a benign but mildly dotty Hogwarts teacher. But do not miss the occult mischief behind those 1980s mom-glasses; in a fairly standard Angela Carter story, Harry Potter would be mauled to death by a werewolf before a pan-species initiation of Hermione’s pubescent sexual power. She made things weird like that, which is why she was great. Carter, however, was not a horror writer in the same sense as Anne Rice or Stephen King; the bulk of her work is classified as magical realism (a made-up, jerk-off genre that permits English departments to acknowledge the existence of the human imagination), but her most celebrated book is a high gothic collection of short stories called The Bloody Chamber that you should read immediately if the genre holds any appeal for you. – Vulture

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Ardo Omer

Ardo Omer

Former WWAC editor. Current curmudgeon and Batman's personal assistant. Icon art by Diana Sim.

3 thoughts on “The Thursday Book Beat: Kathy Lette Criticizes Man Booker’s Lack of Women On 2014 List

  1. I read Grasshopper Jungle and it is one weird book. Like SUPER weird. But yet surprisingly thoughtful? I am intrigued how it will translate onto the big screen. Especially the six-foot bugs who only want to do two things…

  2. A Goldfinch movie. I’m salivating. It may have a questionable director, but I am dying to see this. I love everything Donna Tartt touches, early short stories included (viewfinders and Codeine, anyone?). I’ve never understood why people didn’t like The Little Friend. The ending had me on the edge of my seat. They should make a movie out of that, too.

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