Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Great Regulars: The hottest read in Norway this year is

packed with polygamy, prostitutes--even corporal punishment. But this isn't Fifty Shades of Grey; instead, Norwegians have been rushing to pick up copies of the Bible.

Published last October, a new Norwegian translation of the Bible has been one of the top 15 bestsellers in the country for 54 out of the last 56 weeks, jostling for position with more populist titles from the likes of EL James, James Nesbø, Ken Follett and Per Petterson.

from Alison Flood: The Guardian: The Bible is surprise bestseller in Norway

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"Mummy porn", "Gangnam style" and "legbomb" have been named among Collins' online dictionary's words of 2012.

Consulting editor Ian Brookes said: "Choosing just one word for 2012 didn't match the pace at which our language is changing, so we selected one popular word to represent each month from the whole range of those submitted."

from Alison Flood: The Guardian: Gangnam style and Romneyshambles among Collins dictionary's words of 2012

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An exchange of letters between JM Coetzee and Paul Auster, delving into everything from fatherhood to philosophy, will be published next summer.

The two acclaimed authors--the South African Coetzee won the Nobel prize in 2003, while Auster has been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters--had been fans of each other's writing for years, but only met for the first time in February 2008. Shortly afterwards, Coetzee wrote to Auster, suggesting they begin a regular correspondence, and, "God willing, strike sparks off each other."

from Alison Flood: The Guardian: JM Coetzee and Paul Auster letters to be published next spring

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