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
Go the Fuck to Sleep is an instant hit
“The cubs and the lions are snoring, Wrapped in a big snuggly heap. How come you can do all this other great shit, But you can't lie the fuck down and sleep?” If you were slightly surprised by the last two lines, then you were quite right to be. Go the Fuck to Sleep by Adam Mansbach isn't your average children's book, it's, well, not a children's book at all. This tongue in cheek bedtime story for parents has already gone straight to the top of Amazon's best-selling book chart, despite being a month away from publication. Complete with cutesy animal illustrations and expletive rhymes, this anti-children's book has clearly struck a chord with tired parents everywhere and the film rights have now been optioned by Fox 2000, and Canongate has snapped up UK rights in the title. Definitely not a book to give your baby cousin for Christmas.
Only The Bible allowed for prisoners
Prisoners at a jail in North Carolina are being refused all kind of reading material apart from The Bible, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. As prisoners are not allowed “any materials that contain staples or pictures of any level of nudity, including beachwear or underwear”, this effectively rules out most forms of reading material, especially newspapers and magazines. Only soft back bibles delivered directly from the publisher are permitted to be read by inmates, and the Civil Liberties Union is challenging this as unlawful, pointing out that legal pads containing staples are sold at the prison. It is argued that in order to maintain links with the outside world, aiming eventually at rehabilitation, prisoners must have access to learning material and to keep up with events happening around the world.
JK Rowling reveals her favourite Potter character
Unsurprisingly JK Rowling has revealed that her favourite Harry Potter character is, well, the bespectacled wizard himself. Bloomsbury is asking fans of the books to vote online for their favourite character, out of a list of over 40. Despite general public opinion preferring the loyal and slightly dim Ron, Harry Potter is Rowling's favourite creation (not really very shocking when you consider how much money he's made her). The character she would most like to have dinner with would be Albus Dumbledore. Well she shouldn't have killed him off then should she?
Art stolen from the Forbidden City
Despite being extremely heavily guarded, Beijing's home of its former emperors, the Forbidden City, has been broken into. Seven art pieces made of gold and precious stones have been stolen, making it the first theft from the site in twenty years. The thieves surprisingly made for less valuable items, not nearly as expensive or rare as the museum's other exhibits, for example scroll paintings. Officials have admitted that there was less security on the lower value exhibits, although by anyone's standards, the Forbidden City is very highly guarded. Security is to be increased on the site but we here at The Yorker can't help but think – a little too late chaps?
You must log in to submit a comment.
