James Metcalf on the fictionality of the latest archaeological page-turners
Stephen Puddicombe looks at the unusual appeal of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot
Ciaran Rafferty investigates the science of book classification
Not such a Brave New World?
The American Library Association has revealed that Aldous Huxley’s classic dystopian novel Brave New World was among the top 10 books Americans want banned last year. The book has caused controversy ever since its publication in 1932, with a subsequent ban in Ireland and numerous complaints and removal from shelves ever since. With books on the 2010 list ranging from Twilight by Stephenie Meyer to Crank by Ellen Hopkins, Brave New World is the only classic title to be on it. Readers protested that the book was insensitive and sexually explicit with offensive language. Huxley’s classic novel is set in a dystopian future where humans are genetically engineered in order to perform their role in society. Coming in at third place on the list, in 1980 Brave New World was removed from classrooms in the US for making promiscuous sex “look like fun”. The very idea.
Apple biography proving popular
The 40th London Book Fair was dominated by talk of new Apple boss biography, iSteve: The Book of Jobs. Written by journalist Walter Isaacson over a three year span of interviews, this is the first biography which Steve Jobs has agreed to cooperate on and will be published in 2012. Also announced at the fair was the sequel to Push, filmed as Precious. The sequel written by author Sapphire will be published in August this year and will focus on Precious’ orphaned son. And for all those Gypsy Weddings lovers amongst you, the publisher Cornerstone have snapped up Gypsy Wedding, the novel. We’re betting there will be as much glitter, grabbing and greasy hair as you could wish for.
Don’t censor Mark Twain, says new American poll
The debate over the word “nigger” being removed from Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has taken an interesting twist. A new poll showed that only 13% of Americans believed that the decision taken to remove the offensive term by publisher NewSouth Books was the right one. Their version of the classic book, first published in 1884, replaces the word “nigger” (used over 200 times) with the word “slave.” They have defended their decision by stating that the edition is an “alternative for teachers who want to use the books in their classrooms, but are unable to present them in their original form because of pressure from parents or administrators to exclude the books”. And what pressure there is.
The poll also showed that 41% believe books that include witchcraft or sorcery should not be available in school libraries and around a quarter felt that the Torah, Talmud and Koran should not be on school library shelves. Only 11% were against the Bible being available. However, with the new poll result, it seems 87% believe that Twain’s novel should be left alone.
Tate Modern protest at artist’s “disappearance”
Ai Weiwei, the Chinese artist and designer, has been detained by the Chinese government, provoking protest at the Tate Modern gallery in London. Weiwei’s work is currently being shown there, the installation of millions of ceramic sunflower seeds filling the floor of the gallery's Turbine Hall. Protestors have lain pictures on the grass of sunflower seeds bearing the names of 50 Chinese dissidents and artists who are being held by their country's government or who have "disappeared".
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