Booksology It’s a great irony that the last thing fascists want is to look stupid, yet they make it so easy for us. These people are not serious people. I would like more reporting that emphasizes this.
Once upon a time, a book review could change the world.
Gather around, children. Let’s talk about a time before data and algorithms influenced author choices. It used to be true that a good review by a well-known critic determined whether a book would be well-received by readers. It was also once true that one critic’s words could change the way a writer approached a work. David Streitfeld is washington postThe recently closed Book World led to the creation of books now considered modern classics, such as Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove and Annie Proulx’s Brokeback Mountain. These are good stories, and certainly good advertising for Streitfeld’s new book on McMurtry.
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While I’m not as nostalgic as Streitfeld about a past when a few anointed people (mostly white men) held the keys to the literary kingdom, I think we share a fundamental concern about what happens to art when personal taste and “liked/disliked” are confused with criticism. There are a lot of books out there right now that look the same and sound the same. Publishers sell books with a checklist of metaphors included in the book instead of details about the story or ideas. Today there is little incentive for writers to change direction like McMurtry and Proulx did, and historically it is changes in direction that ultimately change literary history. That’s the story we really need to tell.
fake date and mooncake Coming to a TV near you
It has been decided that Shirley’s queer YA youth novel “Fake Dates and Mooncakes” will be made into a TV series. Gearshift Films is developing the project in partnership with Steven J. Kung. Dear White People, fresh off the boatand leader man. Kun will write and executive produce the story of “two teenagers of Chinese descent, Dylan Tang and Theo Summers, who unexpectedly fall in love with each other as they search for identity, ambition and belonging.” Details will be announced later.
How to improve reading comprehension
I receive a lot of happy emails from Zero to Well-Read listeners. In this week’s episode, we answer questions about how to hone your reading skills, setting the right reading goals, knowing when to stop or move on with a book, and more. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcatcher.
