The clumsy, ill-conceived rollout of “American Dirt” illustrates how broken the system is, how myopic it is to hype one book at the expense of others and how unethical it is to allow a gatekeeper like Oprah’s Book Club to wield such power. Imagine a publishing industry that dispensed with hit-making, that used the millions of dollars poured into “American Dirt” to invest more into promoting a greater number and panoply of authors. – The New York Times
Tag: 01.27.20
Where Broadway’s Super-Fans Are: BroadwayCon
Some arrived in full character for the event, where attendees can meet and take photos with the stars of their favorite shows. Passes range from $80 for one day to $1,000 for a full weekend platinum pass with extra perks. – The New York Times
Boycott Brexit Commemorative Medal Over Lack Of Oxford Comma?
“The ‘Brexit’ 50p coin is missing an Oxford comma, and should be boycotted by all literate people,” wrote the novelist Philip Pullman on Twitter, while Times Literary Supplement editor Stig Abell wrote that, while it was “not perhaps the only objection” to the Brexit-celebrating coin, “the lack of a comma after ‘prosperity’ is killing me”. – The Guardian
Kosher Becomes Croissant
Those nostalgic for the closed Moishe’s Kosher Bake Shop in the East Village may wish to read this. (I walk the other way when nostalgia comes around the corner.) – Jeff Weinstein
Time enough
What if I never write another book, or direct another play? Will I die a disappointed man? – Terry Teachout
“American Dirt” Was Supposed To Be A Monster Hit. So What Happened?
In the face of critiques, Jeanine Cummins is pushing back in public. Her publisher released a statement encouraging discussion around the title, while some authors and booksellers have come to Cummins’ defense. In a culture that is used to debating black and Asian representation and stereotypes, the entrenchment around “American Dirt” is fueling even more complaints over the ease with which popular culture still employs Latino-related stereotypes in contemporary movies, television and fiction. – Los Angeles Times
Australia Must Change Its Laws To Protect Aboriginal Artists From Artistic Carpetbagging
The Indigenous Art Code, established in 2008, is a voluntary code “designed to protect artists by getting dealers to commit to treating them fairly and honestly. Sanctions can be imposed on dealer members who have acted unethically. But the code has no power to regulate private dealers who are not members. [The Minister for Indigenous Australians] said it was not working.” – The Guardian (UK)
Should Architects Work For Tyrants?
The answer seems obvious, and it seems like it must be no. And yet, says a (supposedly) liberal and progressive architect who recently agreed to work with the homophobic and environmentally horrifying Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, “If there’s a responsibility that comes from the creative platform we’ve created, it is to use that platform to change the world for the better.” – The Guardian (UK)