Another Monday morning is here. The Easter in Greece was celebrated yesterday and soon the holidays will be over. In two days, I have my birthday and the cake is not a lie (actually it will be the Chocolate Celebration Cake from Jamie's Comfort Food). For once more, let's discover what happened in the literary world this week.
- This week's award news concern winners! Atticus Lish is the 2015 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction winner for his novel Preparation for the Next Life. The other award in an art prize. To be precise, Tessa Farmer won the British Science Fiction Award for her sculptural tribute to Iain Bank's first novel, the Wasp Factory.
- A story written by Queen Victoria when she was 10 years old will be published on June 8. The story is called The Adventures of Alice Laselles, and the young future queen signed under the name of Alexandrina Victoria, aged 10 3/4.
- A fake play by William Shakespeare has been proved genuine. Double Falsehood was first published in 1728 by Lewis Theobald but was soon considered a forgery. Now a new study has proven that the play was indeed written by Shakespeare himself.
- Colouring books for adults are a thing. And they are amazing! Johanna Basford, a Scottish illustrator, tops the Amazon bestsellers list with her impressive colouring books, Secret Garden and the follow-up Enchanted Forest. I think I've just found myself a new hobby!
- In a few days, 200 years from the birth of Anthony Trollope will be celebrated. To honour him, various authors pick their favourite novels, including The Way We Live Now and He Knew He Was Right. Have you read any of Trollope's works?
- The cover for the new novel by Jonathan Freedland has been revealed. It's the author's sixth novel and it's called The 3rd Woman. Expected date of publication is July 2. What do you think about the cover?
- Grimm Brothers' Fairy Tales are different to the versions and the retellings we are accustomed to. But how much do we know about the original ones? Test yourself with this quiz. Luckily I've read them quiet recently and I got 10/12, how about you?
Happy Easter !!
ReplyDeleteMelissa @ www.aroundtheworldinbooks.ca
Thank you very much! :)
DeleteIt's interesting that young Victoria wrote a story. I am going to try to find it. She was not the queen, however, until she was 18.
ReplyDelete"Warmhearted and lively, Victoria had a gift for drawing and painting; educated by a governess at home, she was a natural diarist and kept a regular journal throughout her life.
On William IV's death in 1837, she became Queen at the age of 18."
"http://www.royal.gov.uk/historyofthemonarchy/kingsandqueensoftheunitedkingdom/thehanoverians/victoria.aspx
If she had been 10 at William IV's death, it is likely their would have been a regency period until she had come of age.
William IV's death marked the end of the Georgian period in the British monarchy.
Thank you for the comment and all those interesting information!
DeleteAlthough I didn't mean that Queen Victoria wrote it while she was queen, it surely sounded like it, so I've made a slight alteration. The point is that apart from her extensive diaries, a story never before published will become public this summer.
Great post, as usual! It'll be cool to see the story written by Queen Victoria. I'm not big on the royals, but it'll still be pretty interesting to see what she wrote. That 'new' Shakespeare play is also really interesting. I wonder if it's any good?
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
DeleteIt certainly will be interesting, as Jacqueline Wilson said that she would be "a remarkable novelist" if she had gone on to write adult books.
As for the play, well Lewis Theobald upon publishing it said that he combined three plays be Shakespeare. This was discarded and now some centuries later this study showed some interesting things.
Happy Easter! Those coloring books look like a lot of fun. I've done the mandala ones and they can get overwhelming with the patterns. I like the idea of having something to depict other than loops and swirls. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThank you! They are amazing, the patterns are so unique, I've already ordered one from Amazon.
DeleteHappy Easter and Happy birthday!
ReplyDeleteTina, The Bookworm
Thank you very much! :)
DeleteI'm a big Shakespeare fan though I haven't read all of his plays yet, and I'm super excited for Double Falsehood!
ReplyDeleteLoving your blog, by the way. :)
Thank you very much :)
DeleteYes, it will be very interesting, although I'm pretty sure that we can already find it under the name of Lewis Theobald and Shakespeare.