Stories about Literature from March, 2011
China: The Interrogation (A Tale of AI and Revolution)
Stainless Steel Mouse, aka Liu Di, has seen many of her peers arrested or disappeared over the past several weeks. Looking at the unusual way in which China's failed Jasmine Revolution began, she has imagined a scenario which mixes fact with fiction.
Sri Lanka: The Future Of Books In Cupboards
“In this day and age, with houses getting smaller and space becoming an issue, with E-books being the rage in the West, and Kindles and i-pads common enough in Colombo”, Ameena Hussein wonders about the future of books.
Colombia: Fractal, a Sci-Fi event in Medellín
Juan Diego Gómez posts in his blog about Fractal'11, an event about fiction, art, science and technology that will take place in Medellín, Colombia, on April 8-9, 2011. Juan Diego introduces [es] some of the speakers: awarded Science Fiction writer Kij Johnson (@kijjohnson), cyborg anthropologist Amber Case (@caseorganic), researcher Johanna...
St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago: Bocas Shortlist
“A Nobel laureate, a MacArthur ‘genius’ fellow, and a first-time author are finalists for the 2011 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature”: Caribbean Book Blog has the details.
Brazil: More Poetry, Less Money
Following the discussion on The Cost of Financing Culture in Brazil, blogger Paulo Rená introduces [pt] a new project – “More Poetry, Less Money” (@maispoesia) – where “any person can pick up a poem, record it for a video platform” and post it using the hashtag #MaisPoesiaMenosDinheiro.
Bhutan: A Blog On Arts And Poetry
Aurora at Writers Association of Bhutan introduces Bhutan Artography, a site dedicated to providing a platform to aspiring Bhutanese artists and photographers. Aurora is a female ethnic Bhutanese writer and a photographer who blogs at WordsWorthMillions.
Trinidad & Tobago: “Bocas” Launches
“Literature doesn’t just mean fiction and poems — it’s also about ideas, questions, and debates, and using the tools of reading and writing to understand the world”: The Bocas Lit Fest announces its programme and list of participating authors for its inaugural event.
Thailand: Bangkok International Book Fair
The Bangkok International Book Fair 2011 in Thailand opens this week at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center
Malaysia: ‘Offensive’ Novel Creates Controversy
A recent controversy that has arisen in Malaysia is the issue of a novel used as a textbook for literature in secondary schools. Critics claim the book, which discussed the caste system, has racist content. The Indian community in Malaysia is demanding the removal of the book in the school syllabus
Lebanon: Online Book Club
The Cube is a blog of a group of Lebanese who have one thing in common, their passion for reading and books. On their blog, they share their impressions of the books they are reading.
Japan: Wondering About the Meaning of Life
Poet Shuntaro Tanikawa's famous poem "To Live", which explores the meaning of life, has been posted by many bloggers who wonder what's the best thing to do now.
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: ARC Interview
Repeating Islands interviews Holly Bynoe and Nadia Huggins about their new magazine “focusing on works by contemporary artists practicing in the Caribbean and its diaspora.”
Argentina: Controversy Over Mario Vargas Llosa Attending Book Fair
The 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature, Mario Vargas Llosa, has been invited to inaugurate the 37th International Book Fair in Buenos Aires. The invitation has sparked a debate among those who celebrate it and those who criticize the author's political stances and his recent comments related to Argentina.
India: How To Avoid Writer's Block
Blogadda has some practical tips on how to avoid a writer's block.
Haiti: “Literary Foremother” Dies
Writer Paulette Poujol Oriol recently died of a heart attack at her home in Port-au-Prince; Tande pays her tribute.
Botswana: Maun International Poetry Festival 2011
Maun International Poetry Festival 2011 in Botswana is just around the corner: “Performance poetry is taking Botswana by storm and if you are a fan like I am then on the 26th of March all your roads will lead you to Maun for the inaugural Maun International Poetry Festival 2011.”
Russia: First Guide on Twitter Released
Russian readers can finally enjoy the first guide on Twitter that was released in the country in March, 2011, Veri.ru reported. All sentences in the guide are no longer than 140 characters.
Africa: Africa Region Finalists for the 2011 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize
Here are the African Region finalists for the 2011 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize: “* Best Book: The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna (Sierra Leone) * Best First Book: Happiness is a four-letter word by Cynthia Jele (South Africa)”
Puerto Rico: remembering Corretjer
3 March was the birthday of Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and activist Juan Antonio Corretjer Montes (1908-1985). Repeating Islands summarises this year's anniversary commemorations across the island.
China: In Memory of Post-80s Trash Poet, Xiao Zhao
On February 14, 2011, 25-year-old poet Xiao Zhao ended his life by jumping off a bridge near his home in Hunan province. While the urban post-80s generation blogging star Han Han has caught the world's attention and become one of "The World's 50 Most Influential Figures in 2010", Xiao Zhao's short life tells a completely different story of the same generation in China.
Lebanon: Web Documentary About Young Lebanese Artists
The Libalel Project [fr] highlights the diversity of contemporary Lebanese art through web documentary. Their blog publishes analyses, biographies, interviews, videos and photos: “The Lebanese scene is a true laboratory of artistic experimentation attuned with a distinctive political context rich with deep questioning. The Libalel project endeavours to decipher this...
