Tag: 03.17.04

Little Book Makes Big

The reality of the publishing business these days is that it’s the rare “little” book that gets any traction in the marketplace. All the more remarkable then, for Matthew Sharpe’s “stunning, offbeat coming-of-age novel,” The Sleeping Father, which, though rejected by 20 publishers and published by a small press for only a $1,000 advance, has become a hit.

Ten Irish Playwrights Who Got It Right

What is it about Irish playwrights? “No one seems to know what makes it happen. Some claim it’s the weather, others insist it’s the whiskey. But if one of the major qualities that a good stage writer needs is the ability to create sparkling dialogue, then the legendary “gift of the gab” that comes with an Irish heritage must surely be part and parcel of the deal.”

The NYTBR’s New Leader

What will Sam Tanenhaus’ appointment as editor of the New York Times Book Review mean for the publication? “Tanenhaus said he would re-examine the Book Review’s approach to fiction, which he said had long been ‘the great conundrum of the Book Review.’ And while he has no plans to abandon fiction—contrary to the fears of many in the publishing world—his enthusiasms seem to lie more in nonfiction. ‘We’re living in really an exemplary age of nonfiction narrative, and to some extent nonfiction has taken over some of the earlier attributes of the novel, which is story-telling’.”

Thieves Hit Elvis Museum

Thieves have raided the Las Vegas Elvis Presley Museum – known as Elvis-A-Rama. “Police said the suspects stole a tow truck and drove it into the museum’s rear door, then used lead pipes to break open three Plexiglas cases. The bandits were in the museum less than five minutes, police estimated. Among the stolen inventory: a gold-plated handgun, a custom scarf, a bracelet and watch, Presley’s Humes High School ring from 1953 and a Louisiana Hayride “E. Presley Day” ring from 1956.”

Because, As We All Know, Poetry Sells Newspapers

A strange phenomenon in Italy has caught the attention of publishers worldwide. At least one day a week, many Italian newspapers have begun offering discounted books of poetry and prose to anyone who buys the paper, and the promotion has been a rousing success. “The sales have helped raise circulation modestly and have given an unexpected infusion of cash to newspapers.” The strategy itself – using culture to sell the mainstream media – doesn’t seem to raise too many eyebrows in Italy, but in America, where consumers frequently have to be bribed to pick up a book, it seems like a complete reversal from the usual relationship between media types and artists.

Orchestra of the Future?

If there can be said to be a single American orchestra which has consistently been at the forefront of efforts to revitalize the classical music industry, the orchestra would have to be the San Francisco Symphony under music director Michael Tilson Thomas. From innovative recordings to fearless marketing techniques to an embrace of technological synergy, the SFS/MTT partnership may be providing a crucial example for other American ensembles to follow as the 19th-century art strives for relevance in the 21st.

Fighting The FCC

“Recording artists joined radio hosts yesterday in blasting proposed broadcast indecency legislation that could subject ‘nonlicensees’ – including hosts, artists, guests and callers – to huge fines for inappropriate utterances. Current House and Senate bills would let the FCC fine individuals up to $500,000 per violation. FCC rules now place most of the burden for violations on stations and owners, with a ceiling of $11,000 for individuals. In the past, the FCC has almost never fined individuals.”

Whitney 2004: Anxious Art For A Dangerous Age

Canadian journalist Sarah Milroy visits the Whitney Biennial looking for the state of the American soul, and finds an awful lot of anxious uncertainty: “If I had to choose a word for the show it would be ‘tremulous’ — a tremulous biennial for a time of dramatic change, trauma and anxiety. A sense of fragility and flux prevails, reflecting the United States’ sense of an uncertain future and its own unsteady place in the international arena.”