Comments on: Class and the American Novelist http://booksquare.com/class-and-the-american-novelist/ Dissecting the publishing industry with love and skepticism Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:52:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: David Queenann http://booksquare.com/class-and-the-american-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-165586 David Queenann Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:56:49 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2007/04/25/2373/#comment-165586 Writers write about what interests them, what disturbs them, and what they think makes a rip roaring good tale; publishers filter for what they think interests the public, what the disturbs the public, and what they think makes a rip roaring good tale; and the public purchases what interests them and what disturbs them in the hopes of finding a rip roaring good tale. If the critics are not interested and disturbed by the same rip roaring good tales that the author-publisher-reader is interested in then they should stop criticizing and start writing. Writers write about what interests them, what disturbs them, and what they think makes a rip roaring good tale; publishers filter for what they think interests the public, what the disturbs the public, and what they think makes a rip roaring good tale; and the public purchases what interests them and what disturbs them in the hopes of finding a rip roaring good tale. If the critics are not interested and disturbed by the same rip roaring good tales that the author-publisher-reader is interested in then they should stop criticizing and start writing.

]]> By: Brian Hadd http://booksquare.com/class-and-the-american-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-165583 Brian Hadd Thu, 26 Apr 2007 19:35:10 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2007/04/25/2373/#comment-165583 Your disappointment comes from the judicial lax right? Not so much their choices but the fact that in choosing they disavow, don't make any. Topic? Modern topic forms right, functions? I think changing or even talking about these books as objects that have subjects yet critiquing these best subjects politicizes the award fiercely right? Political book best. Best become <a href="http://www.hoodpublishing.com" rel="nofollow">The Hood Company</a> Your disappointment comes from the judicial lax right? Not so much their choices but the fact that in choosing they disavow, don’t make any.

Topic? Modern topic forms right, functions?

I think changing or even talking about these books as objects that have subjects yet critiquing these best subjects politicizes the award fiercely right? Political book best. Best become

The Hood Company

]]> By: Greg Freed http://booksquare.com/class-and-the-american-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-165579 Greg Freed Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:42:53 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2007/04/25/2373/#comment-165579 Laura Miller seems a bit unfair when she says, “Writing about immigrants saves you from having to write about mass culture." Looking for the next F. Scott Fitzgerald, who focused on 20s Americans, she would overlook an Upton Sinclair, whose immigrant made it to Chicago and managed to give a scathing and palpable critique of our culture. Further, discussions of the segragation of Mexicans in the south and the lingering distaste for European immigrants in the blue-collar northeast could provide very good vantage points for discussion of class. Whether or not the author decides to take the opportunity to explore the issue is their perogative, seconding what you had to say: We see this as projecting ideas of what authors should write rather than what they are writing. Immigration is a cliche only if you let it: the class of issues it presents is not void of meaning yet, nor can it be since it brings to bear particular moments of the human experience stronger than any competiting topic: isolation and alienation. I agree with Brenda: nice post. Laura Miller seems a bit unfair when she says, “Writing about immigrants saves you from having to write about mass culture.” Looking for the next F. Scott Fitzgerald, who focused on 20s Americans, she would overlook an Upton Sinclair, whose immigrant made it to Chicago and managed to give a scathing and palpable critique of our culture. Further, discussions of the segragation of Mexicans in the south and the lingering distaste for European immigrants in the blue-collar northeast could provide very good vantage points for discussion of class. Whether or not the author decides to take the opportunity to explore the issue is their perogative, seconding what you had to say: We see this as projecting ideas of what authors should write rather than what they are writing.

Immigration is a cliche only if you let it: the class of issues it presents is not void of meaning yet, nor can it be since it brings to bear particular moments of the human experience stronger than any competiting topic: isolation and alienation.

I agree with Brenda: nice post.

]]> By: Brenda Coulter http://booksquare.com/class-and-the-american-novelist/comment-page-1/#comment-165578 Brenda Coulter Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:55:01 +0000 http://www.booksquare.com/archives/2007/04/25/2373/#comment-165578 Very nice post, Booksquare. Very nice post, Booksquare.

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