The latest cultural headlines in the media.

Tehran Book City to hold workshop on Russian literature

Tehran Times: The cultural center of Tehran’s Book City will be holding a workshop on Russian literature beginning on July 27.
Scholar and translator Hamidreza Atashbarab will be holding the eight-session workshop where he will familiarize participants with different topics in Russian literature.

Creation and evolution of the Russian language, old Russian literature from the 11th to 18th centuries, modern literature of Russia as well as reviewing different modern schools of literature are among the topics to be discussed.

The first session will cover issues such as culture, civilization, religion and the appearance of language as well as the formation of religious literature, poetry, travelogues and stories.

Applicants do not need to know Russian to attend the workshop. Interested applicants are asked to register no later than July 14 at the center located on the corner of Third Alley, Ahmad Qasir St., Shahid Beheshti Ave.

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JK Rowling, Agent Split

Iran Daily: Harry Potter creator JK Rowling has parted company with her longtime literary agent Christopher Little, it has been announced.

The millionaire author has worked with Mr Little since he found a publisher for her first novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in 1996.

Rowling said it had been a ‘painful decision’ but ‘was not taken without good reason’.

Her books have sold more than 400 million copies worldwide, BBC wrote.

“This was a painful decision, especially as Ms Rowling had actively sought a different outcome for some weeks,” said a statement issued on her behalf.
“However, it was not taken without good reason and it finally became unavoidable.”

A spokesman for Mr Little confirmed the news and said that the agent was ‘surprised’ and ‘disappointed’ at the decision.

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S. Korea unveils retrieved royal books

Presstv: The National Museum of South Korea has unveiled Oegyuganggak, the ancient royal book which the Asian country recently retrieved from France.

The 297-volume book was one of the five books revealed to media for the first time on Monday, Bernama reported.

The royal books which describe and illustrate rituals, protocols and daily court routine, were returned to Seoul after South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his French counterpart Nicholas Sarkozy came to an agreement during a Group of 20 summit in Seoul last November.

Sarkozy agreed that his country would return the manuscripts to Korea in the form of a permanent lease that would be renewed every five years.

Since the French law only allows cultural assets taken out of the country temporarily, the two countries agreed on the renewable lease.

The books are currently housed at the National Museum of Korea in central Seoul and include the oldest one titled Pungjeongdogam Uigwae (1630).

"Three of the five books are the only remaining copy and had not been kept in Korea," said a museum official.

French troops looted hundreds of Korean manuscripts including the Oegyuganggakand burned 5,000 more when they raided a royal library in 1866 on Ganghwa Island off Korea's west coast.

Historians believe the drawings of the manuscripts can unveil more information about the history, art and handicrafts of the Joseon Dynasty that ended when Japan's 35-year colonial rule began.

The Korean museum also displayed parts of the original silk covers of the royal books, which France had returned to South Korea along with the royal texts.

The museum will hold a special exhibition of the retrieved royal books from July 19 to Sept 18, 2011.

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