Truda Spruyt

Elon Musk's 'Grok' AI Bot Goes Full Nazi Literally.

I’ve just been ignoring X recently but there’s some horrific stuff going on over there.
open.substack.com/pub/zeteo/p/...

Listening to RTE breakfast show waiting for Donal Ryan’s interview as winner of the @orwellprize.bsky.social Such a different world! Finance Minister talking about what to do with their surplus and finishing off by gushing about Donal being recognised by the prize.

Orwell prize for political writing awarded to novelist killed in Ukraine war Victoria Amelina wins with her unfinished book Looking at Women Looking at War while Donal Ryan takes the award for political fiction with an intimate portrait of an Irish town A novelist killed in the Ukraine war has won the Orwell prize for political writing. Victoria Amelina, who died in July 2023 from injuries sustained in a Russian bombing of a restaurant in Kramatorsk, won the prize with her unfinished book Looking at Women Looking at War. Continue reading...

Orwell prize for political writing awarded to novelist killed in Ukraine war

Irish author Donal Ryan wins Orwell Prize for Political Fiction for novel Heart, Be at Peace Tipperary writer says win ‘very unexpected’ for novel that explores the 21st century problems of a small, tight-knit community in Ireland

www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

Ukrainian author killed by Russia awarded UK’s prestigious Orwell Prize in political writing Two years after her tragic death in a Russian missile strike, Ukrainian author Victoria Amelina was posthumously awarded on June 25 the prestigious U.K. Orwell Prize for her book “Looking at Women, Lo...

kyivindependent.com/ukrainian-au...

Kamila Shamsie's #PENLecture, delivered last night in Newcastle, in partnership with @newwritingnorth.bsky.social and @nclanews.bsky.social, is now available to read in @literaryhub.bsky.social

Making sense of the chaos: 12 Orwell Prize finalists on why they write. The Orwell Prize for Political Writing and the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction reward books that meet “George Orwell’s own ambition ‘to make political writing into an art.'&#82…

lithub.com/making-sense...

I’m building a case against Putin — and this drama is part of the battle A radical new play is using real testimony of Russian war crimes in Ukraine, explains Peter Pomerantsev

Brilliant piece on the story behind The Reckoning, opening at @arcolatheatre.bsky.social this week: can a play hold real evil accountable?
www.thetimes.com/culture/thea...

We’re thrilled that #PENPresents & #PENTranslates award-winner Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq, trans. from the Kannada by Deepa Bhasthi has won the #InternationalBooker2025, the first work translated from Kannada to appear on the @thebookerprizes.bsky.social shortlist. Congratulations to the winners!

Another really hard won category. What struck me when judging these awards was the superhuman empathy and doggedness possessed by publicists.

It was such a hard job judging the Marketing Strategy of the Year: there are some super smart, creative marketeers out there in the book industry!

“These books show us how we got here." – Kim Darroch, Chair of Judges

Announcing the eight finalists for the 2025 Orwell Prize for Political Writing. Huge congratulations to all the authors!

Winner revealed 25 June.

Discover them now: orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-p...

“Troubled times lure out the very best from fiction. Only one can win. All should be read.” – Jim Crace, Chair of Judges

Introducing the finalists for the 2025 Orwell Prize for Political Fiction.

Discover the list: orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-p...

The Orwell Prizes 2025: Finalists announced From the best political fiction to powerful reporting on homelessness, discover this year's shortlists

📢 2025 Orwell Prize Finalists Announced!

The Orwell Prizes celebrate the year's best political writing and reporting, inspired by George Orwell's values of clarity, courage, and fidelity to truth.

Explore this year's shortlists & judges’ reflections: open.substack.com/pub/orwellfo...

Wonderful initiative! Looking forward to reading all of the books in due course!

It was inspiring to hear Mahmoud Muna talk about the power of the bookseller at London Book Fair last week, part of the @englishpen.bsky.social Literary Salon.

Ting-Tong Chang and Blast Theory Take SXSW Special Jury Award for ‘Unexpected Dance’ Between Tech and Human Behaviour Jurors at the 32nd edition of the festival said the reality-bending installation made them feel ‘lost, frustrated, and disconnected’ before giving it the award.

Is this the most back-handed compliment from a jury ever? ‘It made us feel lost, frustrated and disconnected.’ Congratulations to @blasttheory.bsky.social and Ting-Tong Chang on their @sxsw.com XR Special Jury Award. Fourth year of award winners for #futureartandculture

ocula.com/magazine/art...

British Underground: Enabling UK talent to flourish globally - Arts Professional A brand-new franchise of South by Southwest is coming to London in June. Crispin Parry thinks participation in the showcase enables the UK to be a leading incubator of immersive arts.

A brand-new franchise of South by Southwest is coming to London in June. Crispin Parry thinks participation in the showcase enables the UK to be a leading incubator of immersive arts.

Palestinian bookseller #MahmoudMuna will be in conversation with Olivia Snaije, in partnership with @englishpen.bsky.social - ⁠⁠Wed 12/03 at ⁠⁠Union Chapel, London N1 2UN.

All profits to Educational Bookshop, Jerusalem, Palestine.

Tickets available here: unionchapel.org.uk/venue/whats-...

Good to hear it Sam xx

Han Kang versus the Korean establishment The writer’s recent Nobel victory ought to have been a cause for celebration in her native country. Instead, it’s become a cause célèbre

www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/culture/6939...

Great piece by @fiammettarocco.bsky.social on @thebookerprizes.bsky.social and Nobel winner Han Kang.

Guaranteed lower growth and higher inflation in the US and globally.

At #bigsummit25: Robert Peston fresh back from the White House. Not at all cheering!

Great to see our client Saad Qureshi on the front page of the Telegraph & Argus in Bradford for his Bradford 2025 commission Tower of Now. And BBC too.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Looking forward to tucking in!

This really is troubling - despite Charlotte’s optimistic conclusion.

The first wave of the ALSO25 line-up has landed! ❤️ The spectacular 12th edition takes place on the weekend 11 - 13th July a bit of ‘LOVE AND HORROR’ is sprinkled over the magical Capability Brown landscaped lakeside. 🧟‍♀️

Rethink - Rethink... museums - BBC Sounds What are museums for?

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Timely discussion on the future of museums with @stephenkb.bsky.social Derby’s @tonybutler1.bsky.social and Birmingham’s Sara Wajid.

Today - 23/01/2025 - BBC Sounds News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.

Wonderful segment at 1:40 on William Blake by Blake Cottage Trust ambassador John Higgs www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

The UK should take a leaf from France’s book to boost arts funding Tax breaks for corporate sponsors can benefit the creative sector at a time of dwindling public funds

Can’t be repeated often enough

‘The UK’s creative industries are vital to the economy. Valued at £124bn, they are worth more than the life sciences, aerospace and automotive industries combined. Arts and culture alone contribute an impressive £34.6bn.’
on.ft.com/42hzVmL