To Kill A Mockingbird will get its first graphic-novel adaptation. Harper / AP photo
To Kill A Mockingbird will get its first graphic-novel adaptation. Harper / AP photo

Book news: Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird to get first graphic-novel adaptation and more



To Draw a Mockingbird

New Harper Lee books certainly cause a stir, as we saw in 2015 when Go Set A Watchman, her To Kill a Mockingbird sequel, was published. Now we can look forward to the first graphic-novel adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, by Fred Fordham, who describes the project as "a great honour and responsibility, and, mercifully, also a great pleasure". Harper Lee's estate said: "Fred's work has a quality that surpasses time, just like the novel he will bring to life in a new way." It will be published on November 1 next year.

A powerful message

Dubbed "feminist science fiction", The Power by Naomi Alderman won the Baileys prize for women's fiction last week. Set in a future dystopia where women and girls can kill men simply by touching them, chair of judges Tessa Ross marvelled at Alderman's approach to greed and power, describing it as "bold, accessible and beautifully written". Topical comparisons with Margaret Atwood's The Handmade's Tale, and its acclaimed TV adaptation, will no doubt be made – not unreasonably given Atwood mentored Alderman.

Dubai author’s Good news

Karen Osman's brilliant year got even better with the news that the Dubai-based author, who won the Montegrappa Writing Prize at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature last year, will have her first novel published by Head of Zeus in November. Currently titled The Good Mother, the thriller – the first of a three-book deal – is set in a prison and the publishers describe it as "a fantastically tense novel, with twists and turns galore, and a shock at the end even the keenest of thriller readers won't see coming".

artslife@thenational.ae

%3Cp%3EThe%20Department%20of%20Culture%20and%20Tourism%20-%20Abu%20Dhabi%E2%80%99s%20Arabic%20Language%20Centre%20will%20mark%20International%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Day%20at%20the%20Bologna%20Children's%20Book%20Fair%20with%20the%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Translation%20Conference.%20Prolific%20Emirati%20author%20Noora%20Al%20Shammari%2C%20who%20has%20written%20eight%20books%20that%20%20feature%20in%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Education's%20curriculum%2C%20will%20appear%20in%20a%20session%20on%20Wednesday%20to%20discuss%20the%20challenges%20women%20face%20in%20getting%20their%20works%20translated.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Name: Airev
Started: September 2023
Founder: Muhammad Khalid
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Generative AI
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
 

The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books

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Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

Company%20Profile
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

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Audio: Stereo speakers

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Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Jigra
Director: Vasan Bala
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Rated: 3.5/5
Usain Bolt's World Championships record

2007 Osaka

200m Silver

4x100m relay Silver

 

2009 Berlin

100m Gold

200m Gold

4x100m relay Gold

 

2011 Daegu

100m Disqualified in final for false start

200m Gold

4x100m relay Gold

 

2013 Moscow

100m Gold

200m Gold

4x100m relay Gold

 

2015 Beijing

100m Gold

200m Gold

4x100m relay Gold

 

Company%20Profile
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