Penguin Random House author Michael Ondaatje has won the Golden Man Booker Prize for his classic novel THE ENGLISH PATIENT. This one-time prize was awarded for the best work of fiction from the last five decades of The Man Booker Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious annual fiction awards, as chosen by five judges, and then voted on by the public.Â
Upon receiving the news, Mr. Ondaatje said, “I am honored as well as very surprised to receive this award for THE ENGLISH PATIENT, as I was to be in the company of the other remarkable nominees. It feels the book was written so long ago! I would like to thank all who have supported me and been involved in my work over the years.”
Volunteers from across Penguin Random House participated in the Bronx Book Fair on May 5th. It was a jam-packed day of events at the Bronx Library Center, with speakers such as Noëlle Santos from The Lit. Bar, as well as coaching sessions with local writers and book sales from community bookstore Word Up. This was the first year Penguin Random House participated in the Bronx Book Fair, and we had a tremendous response to the call for volunteers! We were so impressed by the enthusiasm and support of our employee volunteers.
Here is what some of the volunteers had to say:
 “It was great to see so many PRH employees show up excited to help their fellow book lovers!” “Everywhere I turned at the Bronx Book Fair, there was passion–passion in the speakers, whose wealth of knowledge included everything from copyright law to fostering women’s leadership; passion in the authors, booksellers, and publishers reading from their work and selling books at their booths; and passion in the event staff, whose beaming faces were #BronxProud. It was such an honor to see the rich literary culture of the Bronx in action beyond the classroom where I used to teach ELA in the Bronx, and I especially loved the slam poetry and spoken word presentation by Project X–it’s heartwarming to see the youth shine a light on their fellow artists in their community!” “The Bronx Book Fair was wonderful–the event organizers were lovely, and the day’s events and panels were organized with great care. I welcomed the opportunity to get to know colleagues across other departments who I normally wouldn’t connect with in my day-to-day. A personal highlight was the chance to chat with young readers/writers who came to check out the book fair–their enthusiasm was infectious!”The Bronx Book Fair is dedicated to engaging and growing the community of poets and writers in the Bronx, and to connecting to readers and book lovers of all ages. Launched in 2013, The Bronx Book Fair, along with Bronx Book Festival and The Lit. Bar bookstore, are contributing to revitalizing book culture in the Bronx, needed especially after the 2016 closure of the Baychester Barnes & Noble.
An exclusive excerpt from Markus Zusak’s new novel, Bridge of Clay, is now available in anticipation of the novel’s publication set for October 9, 2018. Read the excerpt at bridgeofclaybook.com/excerpt.html.
Bridge of Clay is a breathtaking story following five brothers who bring each other up in a world run by their own rules. As the Dunbar boys love and fight and learn to reckon with the adult world, they discover the moving secret behind their father’s disappearance.
Markus Zusak is the masterful storyteller behind the extraordinary bestseller The Book Thief, which remains one of the most enduring stories of our time.
Find out more and pre-order your copy at bridgeofclaybook.com.
We all have book characters we love. Here are five that we love so much, we had to make stop-motion tributes. WARNING: some spoilers if you haven’t read the book!
1) Claire Fraser (Outlander):Â Time-traveling British combat nurse, sassy Sassenach, and so much more. 2)Â Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice):Â Sensitive sister, brainy bookworm, and all-around awesome independent woman.3)Â Daenerys Targaryen (A Game of Thrones):Â AKA Khaleesi, Mother of Dragons, and Breaker of Chains.
4)Â Mark Watney (The Martian):Â Why do we love astronaut Mark Watney? Hint: it’s more than just the form-fitting spacesuit.
5)Â Wade Watts (Ready Player One):Â Geeky, 80’s-loving, heroic, and often virtually simulated.
This article was written by Meghan McCullough and originally appeared on Signature Reads.
The idea of writing your own story is a daunting one. At first, it may seem easy; after all, you know your own life better than anyone else, and who could be better equipped to tell the story of your life? But the act of putting pen to paper and actually beginning your own memoir is much harder than that. Where to begin? How to sift out the important things from the mundane? What if your writing upsets your loved ones? Or worse, what if no one cares enough to read it?
The books listed below tackle all of those questions and more. From inspiration that’ll get you started to practical tips as you make your way through your first draft, these books will get you remembering and writing your memoir in no time.
