大象传媒

Marlon James
Acclaimed Jamaican author Marlon James' gripping novel, The Book of Night Women, is an unflinching portrayal of slavery in 18th century Caribbean. Described as 'beautifully written and devastating'... 'an undeniable success' by the New York Times, his work has drawn comparisons with Toni Morrison Alice Walker and even Thackeray.

Cambodia Art
After years of civil war and killings that decimated artistic expression in Cambodia, the country is experiencing a resurgence of new talent. The Strand meets two of the bright young artists on the Phnom Penh art scene.

Unsuk Chin
South Korean composer Unsuk Chin talks to us ahead of the World Premiere of 艩u, her new concerto for Chinese sheng and orchestra at the Suntory Summer Festival in Tokyo.

Should children read only happy stories?
Anne Fine, one of the UK's top children's writers has recently spoken out about the need for happy endings in books aimed at a younger audience. According to the author, much of what is published today has too much gritty realism, and not enough hope. We speak to four different writers from around the world to discuss the need for children to read stories of a sad nature, and what they can learn from them.

WEB INFO:
Michael Morpurgo's book is called Running Wild, published September 3rd by Harper Collins Children's Books.
www.michaelmorpurgo.org
Adeline Yen Mah's most recent book in the Chinese Cinderella series is The Mystery of the Song Dynasty Painting. Published in August by Puffin Books.
www.adelineyenmah.com
Michelle Paver's 6th and final installment of the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, Ghost Hunter, is published in August by Orion Children's Books.
www.michellepaver.com
Veronique Tadjo's book is called Ayanda, la petite fille qui ne voulait pas grandir. It's published by Actes Sud Junior in France.
www.actes-sud-junior.fr/ficheisbn.php?isbn=9782742769995

District Nine
Produced by Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings), District 9 is the debut-feature film of South African director Neill Blomkamp. The low-budget sci-fi film has used a viral marketing campaign and word of mouth to great effect to reach the top of the US box office. The story of an alien race which is forced to live in slum-like conditions in a South African internment camp is reminiscent of the country's past with apartheid. Film critic Kim Newman tells us if the film succeeds in merging the political elements with the sci-fi genre.

US Land Art
Arguably the most iconic image from the US Land Art movement in the 1960's and 70's is Robert Smithson's Spiral Jetty, a spiral constructed from basalt rock and earth which juts into the Great Salt Lake in Utah, USA, from its northeastern shore. It was created in 1970 and its beauty and isolation have been a constant source of fascination for visitors but now the site is under threat from possible oil drilliing, as Alastair Sooke reports.

Tracy Chevalier
Tracy Chevalier is known around the world for her historical fiction focussing on the lives of women. The author of Girl with a Pearl Earring talks to the Strand about her latest novel, Remarkable Creatures, which tells the story of the 19th century fossil hunter Mary Anning... whose discoveries paved the way for Darwin's Origin of the Species.