The Tempest Banned, Ezra Pound's Daughter Sues Neo-fascists, and More

Every day Poets & Writers Magazine scans the headlines—from publishing reports to academic announcements to literary dispatches—for all the news that creative writers need to know. Here are today's stories:

An Arizona school district has banned a long list of books, including all Mexican-American history textbooks, as well as Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The book ban is part of the removal of a program in ethnic studies. (New York Daily News)

In a battle to separate her father's poetry from his World War II politics, Ezra Pound's daughter, 86-year-old Mary De Rachewiltz, is suing an Italian neo-fascist group who've named themselves CasaPound. (Guardian)

GalleyCat reports on what editors are looking for in 2012.

The Houston Chronicle lists twelve must-read books coming out this year, including Dan Chaon's Stay Awake, and Cheryl Strayed's Wild.

Novelist Kristopher Jansma writes of the obsessive hunt for the physical remains of Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright, Miguel de Cervantes. (Electric Literature)

Meanwhile, author Garth Risk Hallberg asks, "Why write novels at all?" (New York Times)

The first episode of season two of PBS's Downton Abbey may have revived the literary reputation of an almost forgotten novelist, Elizabeth Von Arnim, sixty years after her death. Popular author Von Arnim moved in literary circles; she was a cousin of Katherine Mansfield, as well as one of H.G. Wells's many paramours. (Los Angeles Times)

According to the Telegraph, Michael Jackson recorded several songs based on the poetry of Robert Burns.

If you're interested in literary events in the New York City area, a new events calendar, Book Boroughing, has launched, created by book publicist Gabrielle Gantz and Largehearted Boy creator David Gutowski.