Daily Dahl 9/29/13

The Daily Dahl -- MIDNIGHT EDITION
29 September, 2013

In honor of today's subject matter -- vampires -- today's edition is at the enchanted hour of twilight. 

Today's article comes from The Guardian and discusses the nature of YA Fiction for the Millennial generation. It doesn't take more than a trip to one's local book store to see that vampires and spells are dominating today's market. Julia Ecclashare writes her essay to explore this trend.

Article Title: Is There Life Beyond Vampires for Teenage Readers?
Originally written by Julia Ecclashare
published September 23, 2013
Found in The Guardian

My Thoughts:
Ecclashare makes the point that today's young adult fiction "keys into the anxieties of teen readers today" and that there may be no point for today's teens to read the must-read books of last generation. It seems dark fantasy is what teens want as it connects with their daily preoccupations and concerns. The market wants to deliver what teens are going to read and I admit this is an agreeable cause. Reading is a fundamental for learning and personal growth, so I support what it takes to get children and young adults to read. But should I wish the dystopian and dark fantasy cycle to end? Should anyone? Young adults need stimulating reads and while Twilight and The Hunger Games are great teen reads, their not entirely rich in content. These novels satiate the desires of teens and present complex issues for readers to live out and solve emotionally, but an abundance of this genre limits varied reading. There are plenty of rich novels being published consistently, so why does it seem like the vampires are the continued crowd pleasers? Maybe I'm wrong, but trends speak. And what's more, "research in the US indicates that 55% of YA fiction is read by over 18s," writes Ecclashare. This is another interesting trend. Why do myself and other adults follow the YA trends? What makes this trend so wildly contagious? Is it the sexy vampire? The romance in spite of death? Not new trends certainly, but being manipulated and spread throughout the YA novel culture. The results of this trend are mass production of both good and bad literature in the dystopian and paranormal genres. The trick is sorting out the good literature and adding a little variety to one's reading diet. By all means, I believe teens can read and enjoy Twilight and its counterparts, but it is my opinion that a healthy reader explores the richness of other genres and sub-genres. 

Citation:
Ecclashare, Julia. "Is There Life beyond Vampires for Teenage        Readers?" The Guardian. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.
 
 

The Daily Dahl 7/28/13

The Daily Dahl - Sunday Edition
28 July 2013

With my new book club, reading books before they are made into films, I became curious about past film adaptations. I wonder how book-to-movie films have fared over the years. Recently, it seems a high percentage of film adaptations come from popular young adult novels. While I enjoy a fast-paced paranormal fiction as much as the next, I wonder what the purpose of so many film adaptations for this specific genre may be. I don't have any kind of answer, I'm simply musing. Is this what sells? Is this what the next generation of movie-goers wants to see? It must be. 

Some older films based on books that I loved include The Godfather, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Blade Runner, and Misery. 

Recently, some great films have included Perks of Being a Wallflower, Silver Linings Playbook,Life of Pi, The Great Gatsby, and pretty much all of the Harry Potter films. 

I'm really excited for some upcoming movies this year too - Sea of Monsters comes out soon and looks adventurous, I'm thrilled for Ender's Game, and at the end of the year I look forward to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Share your favorites! Any book-to-film adaptations that really bombed? I'm curious about your opinions.

Here's a great post about some of the top 100 books made into films, and if you're interested what's upcoming, check out this list. 

The Daily Dahl 7/8/13

The Daily Dahl -- Monday Edition (because Sunday is somehow already over)
8 July 2013

Today I simply Googled the best books to read in college. Some of you may be familiar with the lists of literature's canon. These are hundreds of books that we are all supposed to read before graduating college, but how many of us have the time and resources to read all of them? I think it's great to read the books on these lists as well as explore new books. Anyway, what I liked about this article on the Daily Beast was that it asked current acclaimed novelists their opinion of the best book to read before finishing college. Find your favorite author and read his or her recommended book! This at least gives you a starting point. Many of these authors cited novels from the canon (here's an unsorted list from Goodreads). Listed were some good alternatives to popular books that may be too daunting for even the most literate person (i.e War and Peace). 

Article Title: The Books Everyone Must Read Before Graduating College
Found at thedailybeast.com
Published June 4, 2013

My Summary: 
Leading academics and authors give their opinion on books that are great for college reading and why. Some examples include Jill Lepore recommends Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man and Charlie Dicken's Great Expectations, Junot Diaz recommends Toni Morrison's Beloved, Cornel West suggests Adventures of Ideas by Alfred North Whitehead, Joyce Carol Oats recommends the Great Tragedies of Shakespeare, and others. This was a fun article to read (especially the comment section), but it doesn't truly offer an expanded list of recommended readings. I appreciated the insights of today's authors and scholars whom I have read and studied. There are books they suggested which I haven't read yet, and intend to read for my last semester of college. 

Of course, there are some personal favorites of mine that I was sad not to see listed by any of these authors. What are some books that you would take away or add to this brief list?

Citation:
"The Books Everyone Must Read Before Graduating College." The Daily Beast. Ed. Tina Brown. Newsweek, 4 June 2013. Web. 8 July      2013. <http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/06/04/the-books-everyone-must-read-before-graduating-college.html>.

The Daily Dahl 6/23/13

The Daily Dahl -- Sunday Edition
23 June 2013

I really enjoy reading the New York Times online. Today I jumped into the book section and found this interesting article. I have a lot of respect for Children's Literature and completely agree with the specialization of this genre. Here's a review of an exhibition for children's literature at the New York Public Library. 

Article Title: Bedtime with Puritans and Wild Things: Public Library's 'ABC of It' Looks at Children's Books
Found directly from source
Originally written by Edward Rothstein
Published June 20, 2013


My Summary:
In this review of the New York Public Library's exhibition, Rothstein makes many valid considerations of children's literature and its progression throughout the ages. The exhibition covers the history of children's literature from The New England Primer to Where the Wild Things Are. One point Rothstein makes is that the exhibition's use of ipads to encourage learning and interaction in the exhibition, is the realization that "you are using a technology that may already be displacing these hallowed artifacts." And that by the end you wonder how children's books today "can even come close." 
There's a certain power to children's literature, and it is witnessed throughout the history of the genre. Rothstein acknowledges the Romantic shift in children's literature to the Progressive writings. Both have merit in acclaimed children's literature. From the "here and now" philosophy of Progressive writings to the high fantasy of Romantic writings, yet both reflect the "world of authority and the world of play." 

Check out this slideshow from the exhibition. These are just a few images from the exhibition. I'd love to go! It looks great. 

I really enjoyed this article and I encourage all to read it. Children's literature is incredibly important. It brings the child and adult together to discover what growing up is all about, but also to remember the power of fantasy and curiosity. 

I'm interested what power your favorite children's books have had on you. No matter your age, returning to those books can be more than just nostalgic. What is that makes you love them still? Would you say the favorite books from your childhood had a stronger grip on you than the ones in adulthood? 


Citation:
Rothstein, Edward. "Bedtime with Puritans and Wild Things: Public Library's 'ABC of It' Looks    at Children's Books." New York Times     20 June 2013: C25. Web. 23 June 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/21/books/public-librarys-abc-of-it-looks-at-childrens-books.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=books&>.

The Daily Dahl 6/16/13

The Daily Dahl -- Sunday Edition
16 June 2013

This popped up on my Facebook feed yesterday. It's from Publisher's Weekly again - top book choices for this week! These all look like great reads and I intend to add them to my ever-growing "to-read" list. 

Article Title: PW Picks: The Best New Books for the Week of June 17, 2013

Found via: Facebook

Originally Written by Gabe Habash 

Published June 14, 2013

My Summary:

Since I can't really summarize a list, I've added the list here along with a link to its Goodreads page (click the number to follow the link). I like to visit Goodreads to see what other readers like myself think. You can read more about the books by following the links on the original article as well. Read the reviews and chip in if you've read any of these. Looks like some quality books on this list. I'd love to hear your opinion if you've read any of them!

Here's the list:

1. In The House Upon the Dirt Between the Lake and the Woods by Matt Bell (Soho Press) 

2. Italo Calvino: Letters, 1941-1985 by Italo Calvino (translated) (Princeton Univ.)

3. Cemetery Lake by Paul Cleave (Atria)

4. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman (William Morrow)

5. Bobcat and Other Stories by Rebecca Lee (Algonquin) 

[an extra link included with this original entry - don't miss it!]

6. Proxy by Alex London (Philomel)

7. Mo' Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and Ben Greenman (Grand Central)

I think The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Bobcat and Other Stories, and Proxy look like exciting reads to pick up. What's your top choice? Anything different you've read lately that you'd add to this list?

Citation: 

Habash, Gabe. "PW Picks: The Best New Books for the Week of June 17, 2013." Publishers Weekly. Ed. Michael Coffey and Jim Milliot. PWxyz, 14 June 2013. Web. 15 June 2013.

The Daily Dahl 6/9/13

The Daily Dahl - Sunday Edition
6 June 2013

I found today's article via Flipboard. Found at coolhunting.com, this story led me to discover Flying Eye Books. After reading this article I was compelled to get a few of their books. See what you think!

Article Title: Interview: Sam Arthur of Nobrow and Flying Eye Books
Found via Flipboard
Originally written by Gavin Lucas 
Published June 7, 2013

My Summary:
Flying Eye Books of Nobrow has gained recognition in deeply artistic books for youth and children. 
In this interview, Sam Arthur discusses the exciting new projects at Flying Eye Books. They have books for children aged 3-11. Books that have already been published include books about monsters, robots, and Topsy Turvy - a book about everything being backwards. Flying Eye Books is working on new titles as well as translating other children's books from other languages.
It all sounds like the new imprint of Nobrow publishing has some great things up and coming. I'm super excited to explore more from this company. Perhaps I'll even feature one of these books in my picturebook reviews!The images seen in the article are gorgeous. They are very artistic and bold.
Check out their fun website too. Watch the animated clip to enter the website - it's so fun!On the website you can purchase books and preview some more great book artwork. 
Check out this company dedicated to printing beautiful and entertaining books here. 

Citation: 
Lucas, Gavin. "Interview: Sam Arthur of Nobrow and Flying Eye Books." Cool Hunting. Ed. Josh Rubin. Captain Lucas Inc., 7 June 2013. Web. 9 June 2013.

Daily Dahl 5/26/13

The Daily Dahl - Sunday Edition
26 May 2013

Today's feature comes from Publishers Weekly. It's about two cousins and their serendipitous book publication. It was such an adorable story, I had to share it!

Article Title: Lost and Bound: A Misplaced Notebook Finds a Publisher
Found at Publishers Weekly website
Originally written by Sue Corbett
Published May 23, 2013

My Summary: 
When cousins Isabelle Busath and Isabelle Thordsen, ages 10 and 8 respectively, lost their hand-crafted rule book at a Walmart parking lot, I'm sure they were only hoping to have it returned to them. What actually happened is much more amazing. 
When the Walmart employee tried to return the lost rule book to its owners, he ended up contacting the local news to seek out the owner. From there, the story was picked up nationally. 
The girls were returned their rule book, and in response to their creative endeavor, were offered publication.
The book featured over 150 rules, but after some editing, now contains almost 200 rules written by the cousins. The text will be kept in its original format, with the girls' handwriting, misspellings, and illustrations. 
For a look at some of the rules of the book, click the link above. They're so much fun! My personal favorite is "Don't color on people". Those are words of wisdom for every soul, and an uplifting read for those who want to experience the cousins project to guide their younger siblings. 
Look for the book this October from Simon and Schuster!

Citation:
Corbett, Sue. "Lost and Bound: A Misplaced Notebook Finds a Publisher." Publishers Weekly. Publishers Weekly, 23 May 2013. Web. 25 May 2013.
Publishers Weekly Contact Information HERE

The Daily Dahl 5/19/13

The Daily Dahl - Sunday Edition
19 May 2013

Hey all! Welcome to The Daily Dahl. This is a new meme I'm starting every Sunday. Sometimes its nice to know what's happening in the book community beyond what is already being published, read, and reviewed. Here is an opportunity to discuss the nature of literature and its many productions. I will mostly be getting my information from the news and journals, but of course I'll write about whatever inspires me that day. I'll try to include the most recent news for you all to engage with. 

Today's stories come from The Guardian. Let's see what Neil Gaiman thinks about the new frontiers of publishing:

Neil Gaiman Encourages Publishing Mistakes in the Face of the Unpredictable Digital Future

Article title: Neil Gaiman urges publishers to 'make mistakes' in uncertain new era

Found in The Guardian

Originally written by Alison Flood

Published April 16, 2013

My Summary and Thoughts: 

This article relays the uplifting message from author Neil Gaiman to the major figures of book business. His message was for publishers to make mistakes. He argues that the future of the book business shouldn't be pre-calculated, but rather experienced. The future of publishing, especially with the expanding digital frontier so full of opportunity, is too unpredictable to waste time planning for - just jump in. To quote Gaimain from The Guardian, "try everything. Make mistakes.Surprise ourselves. Try anything else. Fail. Fail better. And succeed in ways we never would have imagined a year or a week ago." 

It's certainly inspirational. His speech makes me want to spur into action the second I finish reading it. It's also very Romantic. Will publishing be able to rise out of failure, stronger and better? Can it even afford the level of risk that Gaiman is calling for? I was swept of my feet my Gaiman's speech, but a nagging concern still irks me. How much can the book business risk? I completely agree that so much can be learned from failure. And one can only get better at failing; that is, learning how to progress from failure only becomes easier. However, I think it is important to scope out the future of the industry, to create surveys and the like to assess what readers want in order to deliver that to them the best one can. Sure, one might not get it right the first time, and that's perfectly okay, but at the same time I do think its smart to create a foothold in the future as best one can. 

This article ended with a unique look into the publishing frontier, perhaps without even meaning to. Gaiman comments,"instead of applause...what I got was a tweet feed which went 'oh, they loved it." Readers are responding to what they read and hear, and publishers can listen by checking out the different forms of social media  - that is the foothold to the new frontier of publishing and digital publishing.

What do you think of Gaiman's speech? Do you agree that the figures of the book business ought to fail or is there another, better way to predict and feel one's way around this exciting frontier of publishing?

How do you feel about social media and the way readers respond to what they are reading? (Hey, think about it, that's exactly what I'm doing right now.) What can book businesses discover from online interactions and the digital push?

UPDATE (5/21/13):
My sincere apologies, but I forgot to include the citation with this post. This is quite an unfortunate mistake and I assure readers I won't do so again!
Here it is:

Flood, Alison. "Neil Gaiman urges publishers to 'make mistakes' in uncertain new era: author's speech to
        London Book Fair calls for an experimental approach to a changing 'digital frontier'." The Guardian:
        Books. Ed. Janine Gibson. The Guardian, 16 Apr. 2013. Flipboard. Web. 18 May 2013.