Leah Golder discusses the reality of book banning and censorship.
‘Purist and Elementary’: Issues of Censorship and Book Banning
The ‘David Walliams Phenomenon’
If I could recite a list of celebs-turned-children’s-authors, we would be here all day. From actress Julianne Moore, to footballer Frank Lampard, there are no limits as to who can give it a go. But what are the downfalls of this? And is it always ethical?
Originality has Died so that the Book Cover May Live On
Amelia Chambers discusses the unoriginality of recent book covers
Stories within Stories: Secondhand Books
Secondhand books don’t often have much financial value. However, last year 54 million used books were sold online in the UK. So, what is the appeal? Don’t get me wrong, I love a shiny, previously unopened paperback from time to time but there is something about secondhand books that captures me more.
‘whether it actually was or not’ : The truth about book shop displays
The bold covers and big names entice us, but just how authentically impartial are the bookshop displays that influence our book buying habits?
The Brave New World of Cover Design and Audience
We are living in an age of book covers that pander to social media users, viewing their prospective purchases on small smartphone screens. Publishers have to know their particular audience, and their books must be able to catch your eye immediately. But must universal success always come in the form of bold strokes of bright colour and block titles that swallow up the page?
Clothbound Classics: New Aesthetics and Old Assumptions
2008 marked the official release of Penguin UK’s clothbound classics – a collection of 10 classic literary works, each wrapped in its own delicate, linen case, specially designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith. 14 years later, the project’s popularity has grown exponentially, as too has its contents.
When Is a Book Most Valuable?
The OED defines value as something of worth or quality. Arguably everyone’s idea of value varies, based on what it is that you are talking about. Likewise, the value associated with a book varies, based on who it belongs to.
What to Do With That Book Which You Simply Can’t Stand
We all know at least one book which we just can’t stand. In this piece, Luise Werner gives a few suggestions of what you could do with those books.
Don’t Let Your Children See…Michelle Obama’s Shoulder?
On 2nd March 2021, a young readers’ edition of Michelle Obama’s best-selling autobiography Becoming was released. Having felt inspired by Becoming as a young adult, I was delighted to hear that a young readers edition was going to be published.
thestray.org 