USA's "Character Approved" Blog on TRUE GRIT

The excitement is building--here in our offices and throughout the country--for the new Coen Brothers film adaptation of TRUE GRIT. We love it! Check out the latest from the fantastic entertainment blog from USA, "Character Approved."

True Grit: A 1968 Novel Rides to Hollywood with Joel and Ethan Coen
Written By Ann Kingman
Nov 26, 2010

One of the most anticipated films of 2010 may also bring new life to a classic work of fiction. True Grit, the latest film from Joel and Ethan Coen, stars Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, Matt Damon, and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld. It is set to open December 22nd. The Coen brothers are on record as saying that their Character Approved project is not a remake of the 1969 John Wayne film, but that they are basing their movie on the 1968 novel of the same name that was written by Charles Portis.

Speaking about the earlier film, Ethan Coen told Comingsoon.net: "It made very little impression on me, the movie. We subsequently both read the book and the book made a huge impression and I guess that's kind of why we're interested in doing the movie."

"It's not a great movie but it is a great book actually," Joel Coen added.

Portis' book tells the the tale of Mattie Ross, a 14 year-old girl in 1880 Arkansas who leaves home to avenge her father's murder at the hands of farmhand Tom Chaney. Along the way, Mattie convinces mean, one-eyed U.S.Marshal Rooster Cogburn to assist her, and the two form an uneasy partnership as they track down the outlaw gang that Chaney has joined.

The trailer (embedded below) for the reimagined True Grit has recently hit theaters. It will remind many of No Country for Old Men, which the Coen brothers wrote and directed in 2007. The film was a faithful adaptation of the original Cormac McCarthy novel, and the hit western spurred sales of McCarthy's book. I'm willing to bet that True Grit brings the Portis novel to top of the bestseller lists as well.

SOUTH AFRICA'S BRAVE NEW WORLD in the Wall Street Journal

Today's Wall Street Journal features an excellent overview of our new book from R.W. Johnson, SOUTH AFRICA'S BRAVE NEW WORLD: THE BELOVED COUNTRY SINCE THE END OF APARTHEID. How has South Africa changed since Nelson Mandela's election? And after the 2010 World Cup, have Americans lost interest in the nation?

Click here to read the article in its entirety, or scroll down for an excerpt.

Good Hope in Bad Trouble 'If we didn't dine with thugs and crooks,' says one South African leader, 'then we'd always eat alone.' By GRAEME WOOD

Trevor Manuel, the South African finance minister from 1996 to 2009, got his job when the aging Nelson Mandela asked, at a cabinet meeting, who was a good economist. Mr. Manuel raised his hand thinking Mr. Mandela had asked who was "a good communist." Mr. Manuel served his country ably. But the appointment of the sole competent minister in the first government of African National Congress was a matter of blind luck.

This will hardly come as a surprise to anyone who has followed R.W. Johnson's reporting. The South Africa correspondent for the (London) Sunday Times and a frequent contributor to the London Review of Books, Mr. Johnson has been a prolific critic of the ANC's 16-year tenure in power. "South Africa's Brave New World," his political history of the post- apartheid era, amounts to a book-length indictment of the ANC. Its leaders come through as so corrupt, lecherous and violent that governance is not even an afterthought. "If we didn't dine with thugs and crooks," says one to Mr. Johnson, "then we'd always eat alone." The book is a catalog of sins and rumors (footnoted, though often attributed to private sources or, for example, "old girlfriends" of ANC members). It is big and disorganized but filled with credible gossip—like the Trevor Manuel story—and therefore a delight.

Sixteen years is longer than any honeymoon should last, and it is past time that a book as unrelentingly negative as Mr. Johnson's emerged to correct for the optimism lavished on South Africa's rainbow nation following the collapse of apartheid in 1993. In Mr. Johnson's view, the ANC turned South Africa into a giant kleptocracy run by thugs who would gladly sell their people back into serfdom as long as the price was right.

A self-described liberal who "cheered on" the wave of African nationalism of the postwar era, Mr. Johnson now sees the black supremacist ANC as the third in a trilogy of nationalisms (the first two were British and Afrikaner) that have ravaged South Africa. He is nostalgic for the economic growth of the apartheid era; the country was run by hardscrabble racists who built nuclear weapons, but they increased everyone's standard of living.

Go here to read the rest of the article.

BOOK OF ENGLISH MAGIC on Wonders & Marvels!

Here's a wonderful piece on one of our favorite history blogs, Wonders and Marvels, by the authors of THE BOOK OF ENGLISH MAGIC on alchemy. Philip Carr-Gomm and Sir Richard Heygate discuss this theme from their book here:

There is something enduringly romantic about the image of the alchemist in their laboratory. It is no wonder that J.K.Rowling said “I’ve never wanted to be a witch, but an alchemist, now that’s a different matter.” Alchemy emerged into recorded history in Alexandria, in the West, and in China and India, in the East, at about the same time: the fourth to the third century BC. No one is sure whether this happened independently, or whether it first arose in one part of the world and was then carried by travellers to the other, which would certainly have been possible, since the Silk Route was already in operation.

...

By the sixteenth century alchemy was flourishing in England, and although most alchemists were male, one of the most unusual and talented women in England’s history – Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke – maintained an alchemical laboratory, assisted by Sir Walter Raleigh’s half-brother Adrian Gilbert, who also created an elaborate magical garden in the grounds.

Mary Sidney is remarkable for being one of the few women whose names appear in the history of alchemy in England and, indeed, the world. She was also the first English woman to achieve a significant literary reputation.

Go here to read the article in its entirety, and to enter to win a copy of THE BOOK OF ENGLISH MAGIC!



And here's a clip from Monty Python about witches. Just because.

Publishers Weekly: Overlook Sees Portis Boost from 'Grit'

We are, of course, avid devotees of Publishers Weekly, but it's nice to see our very own publicity director quoted in their pages about one of our most beloved projects this fall--bringing Charles Portis' backlist to a new generation of fans. Check out the article below, or go here to read it on the PW site!

Overlook Sees Portis Boost from 'Grit' By Rachel Deahl Nov 16, 2010

The Coen Brothers' forthcoming adaptation of Charles Portis's True Grit has brought the celebrated, if reclusive, author back into the headlines...and onto readers' bookshelves. Overlook, Portis's publisher, has seen strong sales on its tie-in edition of the book, which it published on November 4. The indie house went to press for 100,000 copies of the edition--it features, as the house's previous edition did, an afterward by Donna Tartt, with updated cover art that references the movie. A rep from Overlook predicted that a second printing of the tie-in will happen before Christmas.

The Coens' film, which is scheduled to open wide on December 22, has also ignited an interest in Portis's backlist. Overlook's Jack Lamplough said the press "rescued" Portis's backlist a few years ago. Portis is known, Lamplough said, as America's "greatest 'unknown' author," and now Overlook is seeing a sales spark in other Portis titles like The Dog of the South, Gringos, Masters of Atlantis, and Norwood.

While movie adaptations are expected to spark sales for their print source material, Lamplough thinks the Coens' adaptation is a unique example of how a movie can help a book. True Grit, Portis's best known novel, was in some ways overshadowed by the popular 1968 John Wayne film of the same name, a film which veered in tone and content from the book. According to Lamplough, though, the Coens' have stayed closer to Portis's book than the Wayne western, and they've been talking that fact up. "The Coen Brothers and [their] stars Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon have repeatedly said the new movie takes its inspiration from the Portis novel, and not the 1968 movie starring John Wayne," Lamplough said.

Overlook has also been doing its part to publicize the book. The house launched a True Grit Facebook page and Lamplough said the house is working with Paramount on a publicity campaign that pushes both the movie and the book. To that end, an interview with Overlook publisher Peter Mayer will be featured on the planned DVD edition of the film.

Thanks, PW!

R.J. Ellory in the FINANCIAL TIMES

One of our favorite authors, R.J. Ellory, was recently profiled in the Financial Times. A few of our favorite parts are below.


Watch for his CIA thriller A SIMPLE ACT OF VIOLENCE coming this summer from The Overlook Press! Below, a few of our favorite excerpts from his Q&A with the FT. Go here to read it all!

Roger Jon Ellory began writing in 1987, producing 22 novels in six years, but he remained unpublished until he returned to writing in 2001. The first of his eight thrillers, Candlemoth, was published in 2003. A Quiet Belief in Angels (2006) has been translated into 23 languages and several of his books have been shortlisted for Crime Writers Association awards. Born in Birmingham in 1965, Ellory lives in the West Midlands with his wife and son.

What book changed your life?

The Shining by Stephen King. When I was 13 and quarantined for chicken pox in my school dormitory, I would hear the footsteps of nurses in the corridor and by the time I’d got to the door to look, there was nobody there. I realised then the power of fiction.

...

Who are your literary influences?

I read as many writers as possible who make me feel embarrassed about how clumsy my words are: Steinbeck, Faulkner, Hemingway, Capote, Cormac McCarthy, Annie Proulx.

....

Who would you like to be stuck in a lift with?

Phillip Seymour Hoffman, John Steinbeck, Charlie Chaplin, Arthur Conan Doyle, Audrey Hepburn and Elvis.

Happy Veteran's Day To All

Happy Veteran's Day to all of our readers who served or know someone who has.



While we don't take off for Veteran's Day, we do celebrate our nation's defenders year-round with our military history list. It's always a fascinating area for us to work with, and our most recent addition to the category, MARITIME DOMINION, is a wonderful study of naval power that focuses on the modern U.S. navy.

Thanks for your service, and be sure to tell a veteran you appreciate him or her today!

TRUE GRIT ... and other great book-to-film adaptations this fall!

We always count on the New Yorker to point us in the direction of the best-looking books and film, and this literary guide to holiday movies is no exception. We're glad they mentioned our slick new edition of TRUE GRIT (read that excerpt below!) but we're also excited for the new adaptation of THE TEMPEST starring Helen Mirren as Prospera.

“True Grit” (December 25th) is the latest from the Coen brothers, and is based on the novel by Charles Portis ,which has been given a spruced-up new package and an afterward by Donna Tartt (“The Secret History”). Featuring Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, and Jeff Bridges, “True Grit” is the tale of Mattie Ross, whose father has been murdered; she attempts to track down the killer with assistance from a U.S. Marshal.

Do you plan on seeing any of these films? (And more importantly, will you read the book first?) Happy movie-going!

Philip Carlo, 61, Has Died

It is a sad day for us at Overlook as we mourn the death of one of our authors, Philip Carlo, who died Monday at 61 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also known as Lou Gherig's disease. The New York Times CityRoom blog has a wonderful obituary for this very special person, and we will continue to work on THE KILLER WITHIN, his memoir of living with ALS.

Matt Damon praises Charles Portis in Empire Magazine

And of course, Matt Damon's not alone--Portis has long been considered one of the great living American novelists and True Grit is beloved among readers. But it's wonderful to hear people involved with the new Coen Brothers film acknowledge the influence of the original novel in the new adaptation.

"It's just a brilliant adaptation," enthuses Damon. "They change stuff to make a two-hour film out of it, but retain so much of the dialogue, and Charles Portis - who is still alive - has an ear for the way people talk. It's a really special script."

Check out Empire Magazine's exclusive interview with Matt Damon for more. And don't forget to become a fan of True Grit on Facebook to keep up with all of the latest news and buzz surrounding the film, set to release in December!

Duckworth Academic teams up with Bloomsbury

Today Peter Mayer, MD of Gerald Duckworth & Company Ltd, and Nigel Newton, Chief Executive of Bloomsbury Publishing, announced the sale of the Duckworth Academic list to Bloomsbury. Integral to the sale, the Duckworth Trade list will be sold by Bloomsbury in the UK and all overseas markets from March 1, 2011. Duckworth remains independent.

Duckworth Academic will operate henceforth as Bristol Classical Press, taking effect immediately. Duckworth’s Academic list has long been known for its strong publishing centered on books about the ancient world. This new arrangement will allow Bloomsbury Academic to build on its inherent strength alongside the company’s worldwide strategy in other academic disciplines.

Mayer comments, ‘After seven years of growth at Duckworth, our Trade list now matches in size the traditionally strong Academic list. Bloomsbury is the perfect home for the Duckworth Academic list. This sale gives Bloomsbury Academic the ability to build that side of Bloomsbury’s business but the important thing for us is that it gives Duckworth a much broader infrastructural sales context within which to continue to build the Trade list, working closely as well with our US sister company, The Overlook Press.

‘To that end, we have recently appointed Jon Jackson, previously of Osprey and before that Weidenfeld, as Editorial Director of the Duckworth Trade list and Ben Slight, coming from a position as a Waterstone’s regional manager, as Duckworth Sales Coordinator, both working with Publicity Manager Suzannah Rich.’

Nigel Newton, Chief Executive of Bloomsbury Publishing said ‘Bringing such a distinguished academic list into Bloomsbury Academic is an important stepping stone in the development of our publishing in this area. We are also delighted to be representing the Duckworth Trade list, one which I have long admired, in the UK and overseas markets.’

Mayer adds ‘The Duckworth name is one of the oldest and most famous in British publishing. It has grown from what had become a small base in 2003 by nearly five times since then. Working together with Overlook in the US, with a strong staff and the support and facilities of Bloomsbury in the UK and abroad, this growth looks set to continue.

‘We have sought to develop a structure for our two parts and we found it with Bloomsbury. The new structure looks to a future in which both parts of the present Duckworth can prosper in different ways. On the General side we aim to fulfil the promise of the historic Duckworth Trade list, a trade publisher since its founding by Gerald Duckworth in 1898. It continues as independent as ever.

‘Two Duckworth stalwarts, Deborah Blake and Ray Davies, will be joining Bloomsbury Academic and, based on long years of service, I can truly say that they have both been the soul of our publishing. Even in the time of Colin Haycraft, when Duckworth embarked on Academic publishing, Deborah, as Editorial Director of the Academic list, helped form it. She finally came to be virtually the Academic list’s embodiment. Also that in the first very difficult years after Overlook and Duckworth became associated, she and Ray, our Production Director, were the sturdiest of linchpins connecting the past with the present.

‘I believe Academic publishing, like many editorial areas, needs a larger environment today in which to prosper. I really have no doubts that both the creative and economic sides of the Duckworth Academic list will prosper within Bloomsbury Academic, with its ever-broader stance.

‘With the recent appointments, and with additional funds now available for the further expansion of Duckworth as a trade publisher, I think there is much optimism.’