"The publishing business is by nature a public activity. Reading and writing are essentially solitary.. when the reader recommends a book her or she has enjoyed to someone else, the act is the most powerful single factor in the book business: the word-of-mouth."
I was browsing John McGahern's book of essays Love of the World this weekend and that seemed like a good quote to use to tell you about a forthcoming dovegreyreader 'appearance' on the London bookish scene in September as a guest of English PEN and which might be of interest to readers and fellow litbloggers alike...
Everyone's a Critic?
In association with FLOW - the Free Word Festival
The book pages of UK newspapers are under threat. Literary editors are facing huge changes in the way that they review books, yet at the same time our choice of reading matter is bigger than ever before. Whose recommendations can readers trust? Is the blogosphere a shot in the arm for reviewing culture or does democracy mean dumbing down? Join Sam Leith, former literary editor of The Daily Telegraph, Lynne Hatwell, aka top books blogger (I didn't say that, they did) dovegreyreader and Erica Wagner, literary editor of The Times as they ask if there is there still a role for the professional literary critic. Chaired by Alex Clark.
Tickets: £6; £3 concessions and PEN members.
How to Book: Call the Free Word Centre on 0207 3242 570 or visit www.freewordonline.com
I'm very much looking forward to the event and it would be lovely to say hello to any of you who might be able to be there, but even better tell me what you think about the subject in comments, because though I know what I think, in this democracy that is book blogging I'd love to be able to share what you think too.
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