Philip Martin has a very nice article on reading and books in, of all places, the "Northwest Arkansas Edition" of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Somehow his words seem relevant to what the LBC is about:
A couple of weeks before it won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, Marilynne Robinson’s novel Gilead arrived on my desk, along with a short letter of recommendation from a friend. "Hope you enjoy this book," it read. "I think it’s beautifully written."
This sort of thing doesn’t happen much anymore. When books come unbidden they are usually sent by publicists or authors on the make, people whose interest in the book is other than platonic. Thousands of books are published every year and it’s not always the best ones that wind up on the lists and in the shop windows. A friendly reference is the best credential a book by an unknown author can obtain.
Yet there are dangers inherent in recommending books, the most obvious being that when you submit anything for anyone else’s approval, that approval could be withheld. Your friend may not like the book; as a result he might question your taste or your sense. In the worst case, he may take your suggestion as a hostile act — not all endomorphs appreciate receiving a copy of the latest fad diet best seller.
With novels, it becomes dicier. There is a risk in admitting you are moved by a bunch of words made up by someone you (probably) don’t even know. It is specious to pretend that novels, even those that win Pulitzer Prizes, occupy more than a minor place in American culture — novels are generally rough drafts of movies that are never realized, or the hobbies of academics, or the fever dreams of less-than-serious people.
The LBC would like to give a "friendly reference" to a few of those thousands of books that aren't likely to "wind up on the lists." It is indeed possible that some readers who agree to "Read This" will be disappointed by it. You might question our tastes. But we're friends of books who assume there are many other mutual friends out there who might appreciate our recommendations. We don't pretend that novels (or short stories) occupy the central position in American culture we'd like them to, but we will be on the lookout for those precious works of fiction that are far from "rough drafts of movies" or the fever dreams of frivolous people.
Our recommendations will be as simple as the note sent by Martin's friend: "Try this book. We thinks it's beautifully written (or challenging or original or compelling in some other way) and well worth your time."
Ed Champion provided me with this link.
"But so soon as I am told that I ‘must’ read this or that, and have replied that I instantly will, I become strangely loth to do anything of the sort." - Max Beerbohm.
Posted by: carter | Apr 21, 2005 at 02:32 PM
RE: a very nice article on reading and books in, of all places, the "Northwest Arkansas Edition" of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette...
What do you mean by "of all places?"
Posted by: Cadwallader Decatur | Apr 22, 2005 at 11:27 AM
RE: a very nice article on reading and books in, of all places, the "Northwest Arkansas Edition" of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette...
What do you mean by "of all places?"
Posted by: Cadwallader Decatur | Apr 22, 2005 at 11:29 AM
The writer is just envious of us.
Posted by: Dairy Hollow | Apr 26, 2005 at 12:48 PM
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Posted by: Health News | Mar 15, 2011 at 12:04 AM