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:
Humorist author Firoozeh Dumas writes that Mohammad Soleimani Nia has been arrested in Iran "without any reason." Mohammad Soleimani Nia translated Dumas's book Funny in Farsi for publication in Iran, which was a huge bestseller before it was banned. (Huffington Post)
Meanwhile, the director of Tunisia’s Nessma television, Nabil Karoui, is on trial in Tunis, charged with “insulting sacred values” for broadcasting the 2007 animated film Persepolis, adapted from Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel. Persepolis is a coming-of-age story of an outspoken Iranian girl that begins during the Islamic Revolution. (Al Arabiya)
The Academy of American Poets announced that executive director Tree Swenson will exit the organization to become the new head of the Richard Hugo House in Seattle, Washington. (Harriet)
Alexander Nazaryan explains why Vladimir Putin's recent proposal to develop a national literary canon is "actually an assault on the freedom literature thrives on." (New York Daily News)
GalleyCat has more on this year's book-to-film adaptations given Oscar nods, including excerpts of seven adapted books and the trailer for Martin Scorsese's Hugo, which leads the pack with eleven nominations.
Low Life author Luc Sante writes of his first encounter with the work of Patti Smith, who claimed, “I’m one of the best poets in rock and roll.” (New York Review of Books)
If it seems there's small material success in literature, take a look at these beautiful estates of famous writers. (Flavorwire)
L Magazine lists six authors who've moonlighted as song lyricists, including Kathy Acker and Jonathan Lethem.
In case you missed this yesterday, on his personal Tumblr, Knopf publicity director Paul Bogaards created a tongue-in-cheek Hierarchy of Book Publishing.
