A cultural news roundup.

• A. Whitney Ellsworth, the first publisher of The New York Review of Books, has died at seventy-five.
• Even Kate Middleton’s spelling is under scrutiny.
• Andrea Levy’s The Long Song has won the Walter Scott prize for historical fiction.
• Whoa. Keanu Reeves writes poetry.
• Pottermore mania!
• Celebrate Independent Bookseller’s Week.
• The Hobbit movie will contain an elf character not found in the original book, to be played by Evangeline Lilly.
• The first self-published author to sell a million e-books is one John Locke (not to be confused with the philosopher).
• Says Jim Shepard of his ominously named story collection You Think That’s Bad: “It does seem to embody some of the characters’ worldviews … [It’s like saying,] ‘Wait until you see what’s coming.’”
• In order to compete against online retailers, independent bookstores may have to start charging for their events. Ann Patchett is concerned: “I wouldn’t want the people who have no idea who I am and have nothing else to do on a Wednesday night shut out. Those are your readers.”
• Who will win the Greenaway Medal?
• Meet the greatest baseball game ever played.