A “drinkable book,” Andrés Neuman’s writing inspiration, and more

News, Reviews, and Interviews

Need a dose of literary inspiration? Watch the highlights reel from the 2014 Puterbaugh Festival, where award-winning Argentinean-Spanish writer and translator Andrés Neuman talks about why he writes and also delivers some clever tips for aspiring authors. 

In order to gather some understanding surrounding the kidnappings in Nigeria, WLT contributor Andrew Lam interviews Michael Watts, author of Silent Violence: Food, Famine, and Peasantry in Northern Nigeria, over the question: Who are the “Boko Haram”? 

For fans of Sherman Alexie’s Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian, Book Riot has put together a short reading list of similar books that address the discussion of diversity.

Translator Nancy Naomi Carlson is no stranger to the labors of language. This article from the NEA Arts magazine about literature’s invisible art takes a look at translation through Carlson’s eyes.

For Your Calendar 

The Saints and Sinner Literary Festival is underway in New Orleans, and you can still catch plenty of events today through Sunday by checking out the festival weekend information online.

Are you an aspiring writer in search of writing contests? The Poets & Writers annual writing contests issue is out and filled with more than 100 literary competitions that are free-of-charge to enter.

Fun Finds and Inspiration

Watch this video over on the NPR blog where you can discover a “drinkable book” that can actually be used to treat drinking water. 

This is a heartwarming story from the Roanoke-Chowan News Herald about a student teacher who drew inspiration from NSK laureate Vera B. Williams’s book A Chair for My Mother to teach her children that giving even a little bit goes a long way.