Stories about Literature from September, 2012
Jordan: Inkitab Group to Hold Second Used Book Fair
After the success of their first event, the Inkitab Group which works to promote reading, will hold their second used book fair in the Jordanian capital Amman on October 1, 2012.
Mexico: Writing from Jail
Enrique Aranda Ochoa writes literature from jail. Convicted of kidnapping in 1997 with a sentence of 50 years in prison, Enrique has used his time in jail to write six novels and earn various literature awards. His latest book, available for purchase in an electronic format, focuses on the mysteries of the Mayans.
Russia: Writers Put Down Pens to Stand Atop Soap Boxes
Now, nine people who self-identify as writers are running in the elections for the so-called "Coordinating Council of the Russian Opposition," and a tenth strongly considered registering as a candidate before ultimately dropping out. Bearing in mind that writing is not the most popular of professions, this is a hefty proportion of the total.
Colombia: A Love Poem for Bogotá
British writer Vicki Kellaway shares a love poem for Bogotá (Colombia's capital) in her blog Banana Skin Flip Flops.
Bringing the Venezuelan Literature Boom to English Speakers
In the first part of a two-part interview, blogger Guillermo Parra shares his experience with Venezuelan literature, social media, and the encouragement he has received from Venezuelan readers to publish some of his translations of the work of poet Jose Antonio Ramos Sucre into English.
Jamaica: The Modern Sonnet
Jamaican diaspora litblogger Geoffrey Philp interviews author Pamela Mordecai about her new work, ” Subversive Sonnets”.
Russia: Online Poetry's Vehement, Apolitical Politics
It's no surprise that a result of Russians' widespread interest in poetry is that there are plenty of online communities dedicated to its production and consumption. Stihi.ru, with a user base of almost half a million people, is the largest by far.
Egypt: Security Forces Destroy Alexandria's Historic Book Market
Egyptians woke up this morning to the news of the destruction of bookshops on pavements along Prophet Danial's street in Alexandria by the Ministry of Interior. The raid, at dawn, left netizens angry with the Muslim Brotherhood, which they claim is waging a war on culture.
