Category: Books

Do you know Miss Snark? Because if you have any interest in publishing a book some bright day in the future, you should. Miss Snark is the Howard Cosell of literary agents. She’s both in the business of telling it like it is and being scremingly funny and yet erudite while doing it. I’ve never seen photos but I’m guessing she’s kinda sexy too.

I never wanted to get with Howard Cosell (don’t do cigars) but Miss Snark? Perhaps if we met in a darkened book during BEA and she had a thing for geen-eyed yids with Irish first names?

Yes, lets make that happen.

I don’t have it in me for yet another article and the resultant debate over what the hell is the matter with publishing. I think we should begin a self-delusional holiday like Carvinal called “Everything is OK Day” where, for a single 24 hour, period, everyone who works in publishing must act like times are golden and there’s nothing to whine about.

So I realize the other day I’ve been totally slacking off on both my reading habbits and reporting in when I finish a book. To catch up then.

What I’ve Read Recently:

Public Radio: Behind the Voices by Lisa Philips

A collection of profiles of NPR’s biggest personalities. A treasure for the public radio geek and a shrug for just about anyone else. I fall into the former so finding out that Steve Inkseep and Renee Montagne don’t sit in the same room when recording Morning Edition Scott Simon is very handsome was just divine.

Third Girl from the Left by Martha Southgate

A wonderful novel about three generations of women whose story overlaps with the blaxploitation period of Hollywood. Fun, sassy, sad and touching. Highly recommended.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More by Roald Dahl.

My favorite of the lesser known Roald Dahl books that I hadn’t read in about 20 years. Glad I went back. “The Swan” and “The Fingersmith” are still two of my favorite short stories ever.

Reading Now:

Talking Right by Geoffrey Nunberg

Just started this one. More complicated than Going Nuclear so I have to read slowly. I’m already learning a bunch about how Republicans have, say, turned “liberal” into an insult and seem have a monopoly on the term “values.”

Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

Every now and then, I grab an older book by either a favorite writer or one whom I’ve always been curious about. I’ve known about Ishiguro for several years but have never tried him out. Enjoying it a lot.

Notes of a Native Son by
James Baldwin

For my two-person book club. Just getting started with this one.

In what is rapidly becoming a book industry cliche’, another old master (this time John Updike, formally Norman Mailer), has been trotted out to decry technological innovations in publishing. His remarks (among them the flown-in-from-Oz sentiment that “literary fiction should stand on its own, with or without author promotion”) drew huge applause from booksellers and publishers, a reaction I equate to doing a rain dance while the levees give away.

The whole ugly scenario (as reported by the Washington Post and discussed at some length at Readerville) went down at Book Expo America, the industry’s yearly hootnanny and examination of itself. I go every year because it makes me proud to work in the book business. Hearing this kind of foolishness makes me want to shoot my business in the head.

I don’t begrudge Mr. Updike his provincialism for one moment. The man has been writing books for a half-century and the system of his youth has served him well. But what I can’t stand is those cheering him on, those who have to fight the daily battles of decreased attention spans, Internet retailing and an industry dragging itself by the shorthairs into the present, giving standing ovations to what is essentially a sob story. Publishing might have been king of the hill at one point but now there are many smaller hills, each with their own royalty. This is not future fetish but reality. Ignoring it not only stupid but dangerous.

Yes, it would be lovely if it were as easy to sell books now as it was in 1968. It would also be lovely if I were 6’5, President of The United States and had x-ray vision. It will never happen. The sooner we accept this and plan for the future instead of cheering while knee deep in the tarpits of our past, the healthier our industry will be. Those who make it go everyday should know this.

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Note: I get a lot of books sent to me in the mail and usually am either a) not impressed or b) confused and not sure what to do with them. So I’m going to do an occasional feature herebouts where I highlight new books that I probably haven’t read  yet but have peaked my interest.

Title: Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation

Author: Jeff Chang

Relationship: Friends and mutual admirers. I’ve followed Jeff’s work for a few years now. We’ve hung out once and have several friends and project interests in common.

Synopsis: A political and social history of hip-hop. Intro by pioneering DJ Kool Herc.

Acquired: Beginning of the month from Booksmith, my neighborhood joint.

Why I’m excited: Been looking forward to another history-of-hip-hop book to read since loving Nelson George’s Hip-Hop America a few years ago and giving several copies of it as gifts. Jeff and I met right as he was wrapping up edits. I’ve been following his tour notes on his blog and though, I haven’t been free to attend his events, I’ve been more than eager to dive into his book. And let you all know about it.

Oh and if you need to know, the reviews have been killer. And Kool Herc, who wrote the introduction was on Fresh Air this afternoon.

Prelim Verdict: It’s next in my reading queue.

My buddy Jeff Chang’s first book Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation has just hit shelves. Jeff has been a presence in Bay Area hip-hop journalism for over a decade. Over the last year, we’ve gotten to know each other and mutually support each other’s projects. I’m also an avid reader of his hip-hop political blog Zentronix.

The book’s already gotten killa reviews from Entertainment Weekly, Publisher’s Weekly and Booklist. Hopefully I’ll be able to grab my copy before the launch party next week.

Congratulations Jeff!

Random House imprint Knopf has a new program called First Reads where they will send new books up to 50 registered participants before the book is published and solicit their reviews. I’m not quite sure what purpose this serves other than very minor advanced buzz. 50 people is barely any kind of critical mass and actually seems rather stingy when you consider that movies screen for hundreds of thousands of people for free before anyone has to pay.

So I ask then. Does Knopf know what it’s doing and I just don’t get it or is this yet another short-sighted, ham-handed attempt at viral marketing from an industry that just now seems to be warming up to the idea (via Bookslut)? .