Latest news

Need something to fill the long hours until the release of the Pirates! movie next March? Head to the Pirates! website to create your very own wanted poster and watch the latest trailer.

Orange shortlister, Xiaolu Guo, will join Nick Barnsley, director of the Edinburgh International Book Fair, on the judging panel for the 2012 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize. The award is unique in its recognition of both author and translator in international contemporary fiction, and the winner will receive a prize of ?10,000. Last years the prize went to RED APRIL by the Peruvian author Santiago Roncagliolo, translated from the Spanish by Edith Grossman.The 2012 Winner will be announced in April of next year.

Alex?s Adventures in Numberland has been selected as one of only six remaining books in competition for the Royal Society Winton Prize for science books. The judging panel, which includes writer, actor and TV presenter, Robert Llewellyn, commented: "This book is a complete revelation. A rich and diverse story of mathematics, peppered with anecdote and personalities, whirling round the globe and through history from Euclid to the supercomputer, it brings maths bursting to life in a way we never expected." Previous winners include Bill Bryson, Professor Stephen Hawking and Richard Holmes, who is also part of this years panel. The winner will be announced at a ceremony at the Royal Society on 17th November 2011

Ours Are the Streets,the fantastic first novel from Sunjeev Sahota, has been selected as book of the month for the Orange New Writers programme. Described by John Burnside as ?A moral work of real intelligence and power? this debut is one worth keeping a close eye on. Click here to be directed to the Orange New Writers Page.

Is That A Fish In Your Ear? by David Bellos is a wonderful, all-encompassing book about translation and the meaning of everything. Published this month, here?s a tantalising little film to whet your appetite?

A great turnout of J&N authors at this year?s Edinburgh Festival. Speaking today are Jasper Fforde, author of THE LAST DRAGONSLAYER and the brilliant THURSDAY NEXT series, and journalist Gavin Knight, whose prescient HOOD RAT, described by The Independent as ?Britain?s Gomorrah?, is an exploration of UK gang culture with the narrative drive of a thriller. Click here to read an extended interview with Gavin, or here to join the Guardian?s live webchat, hosted by Jasper, starting at 3pm today. Authors Sunjeev Sahota and Tim Radford will also be taking to the stage later on in the festival to discuss their latest books. Follow these links for bookings and further information: http://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/article/36717-first-writes-sunjeev-sahota-author-of-ours-are-the-streets/ http://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/event/230577-tim-radford/

In his new three part series architecture critic Tom Dyckhoff explores the impact the design of buildings can have on us - on our identity and self-esteem, our relationships, our chances at school, and even our weight and immune system. The first episode premieres tonight on Channel 4 at 8pm. For more information, click here.

HOOD RAT, Gavin Knight?s reports from the frontline of Glasgow's ganglands, has been chosen as this week?s BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week. Click here to listen to the first of 4 serialised readings that will be broadcast over the week to come.

Charlie Cumming?s latest spy-thriller,THE TRINITY SIX, has been longlisted for the 2011 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. Described by the panel as 'an intriguing concept, elegantly and deftly written?, THE TRINITY SIX is one of eight novels in contention for the prize, announced at the Theakston?s Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate last week.

As Atlantis, touches down in Kennedy Space Centre, marking the end of NASA?s STS program, and the end of an era in manned space travel, Kevin Fong presents ?Space Shuttle: The last Mission?, the accompanying BBC documentary that ventures behind the scenes of human space exploration. Click here to watch on BBC iplayer, or catch it again on BBC 2, Thursday night at 7pm. Adam Rutherford also pays tribute to the extraordinary achievements and tragic losses of the last 30 years this brilliant short film for Nature Video.

Click here for a first look at the trailer for Aardman's film adaptation of the brilliant Pirates! books, by Gideon Defoe. Released in March 2012, this will be Aardman's first stop-motion film since Wallace and Gromit and is all set to be a swashbuckling smash-hit.

Fran Abrams? latest report for Radio 4?s ?File on 4? programme, Elderly Care, is a shocking exploration of the state of Britain's care system. Visit the Radio 4 website where you can listen to the broadcast, download the podcast, or read the transcript. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01247gy

Tonight at 9pm on BBC2, catch the second episode of Made In Britain, the accompanying 3 part TV series to Evan Davis?s recently published book of the same title. Presenting the show himself, Evan offers viewers an insight into the true landscape of the British economy. He explores what our country is good at and how it can pay its way in the world, bursting some of the myths that have sprung up in recent decades and reacquainting us with some forgotten areas of the economy. And the book itself, was it MADE IN BRITIAN? Follow this link to find out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHCt5MB7Cm4

Alex Bellos is investigating the phenomenon of favourite numbers. Do you have one? Is it your birthday? Something superstitious, or mathematical? Over the summer, Alex is asking people to tell him what their favourite number is, if they have one, and why it is their favourite. The results will feature in Alex?s new book, The Game Of Life, the follow up to his bestselling Alex?s Adventures in Numberland . To listen to Alex?s appearance on the Today Programme, click here. And to take part in the survey, click here.