Elizabeth Bishop's Letters, Jonathan Franzen's Glasses, Macmillan Films, and More

by Staff
10.5.10

Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today's stories:

Macmillan Publishers has launched Macmillan Films to adapt the publisher's books into movie projects. (Deadline New York)

The Center for the Humanities at the Graduate Center, CUNY, will present a staged theatrical reading of Elizabeth Bishop's letters as a work-in-progress tonight in New York City.

Two e-books currently cost more than their hardcover counterparts in the Amazon store. (New York Times)

Jonathan Franzen's glasses were stolen off his face at a reading in London on Monday night. "A police helicopter was dispatched and one of the larcenists was found hiding in bushes, leading to the safe return of Mr. Franzen’s glasses." (New York Times)

Kenyon author Ngugi wa Thiong'o has emerged as a "late favorite" by the bookmakers to win this year's Nobel Prize for Literature. (Guardian) Cormac McCarthy has also seen his odds improve dramatically in recent days. (Jacket Copy) The winner will be announced on Thursday.

Former president of Penguin Canada David Davidar, who stepped down last year "amid accusations of sexual harassment," has sold a novel about the publishing industry to McClelland & Stewart. (Star)

Booksellers finally heard details about Google Editions, which is planned to launch in the United States later this year, at a conference in Rhode Island last week. (Publishers Weekly)

Why do we love fiction? (Axess)