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From: Jeffrey Canton <jeffrey_canton>
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 06:26:28 -0800 (PST)
I don't think it's vain or self?ntred of Franzen to want his book to stand on his own -- without the
"Oprah Seal of Approval" -- especially with the book still in cloth. I know that we're thrilled here in Canadsa that Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance has been chosen for the book club -- but it's also a novel that has already received all the awards and critical acclaim it deserves and what the book club will do is to re-vitalize and give it a second chance to reach readers.
But I totally disagree with Denise's comment that Oprah has raised the standards of the American reading public -- Oprah's has added a visibility to reading in America -- people who watch Oprah, want to be like Oprah, read the books that Oprah reads also want to be seen with an Oprah book -- and like the sales of novels re-released with a movie tie-in jacket, I am just as sure that many of these books get shelved post haste if the book isn't to the readers' taste after all -- though most of those readers would't admit to shelving an Oprah book! How do you measure the difference between books sold versus books read? I can tell you, for a fact, that over a million Americans bought Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient but I can't tell you how many really read the book. And the same, I would argue, holds true of Oprah. The lack of critical acumen that Oprah brings to her choices is an enormous issue for me -- despite the fact that I am delighted to see authors like Toni Morrison and Andre Dubus III designated as Oprah choices because they are superb writers period. But that these fine literary books stand teeth by jowl with some of the Oprah picks is a huge problem. Keep in mind, Childlit, that Oprah choses writers like Bill Cosby and Katie Couric to represent children's literature.
Jeffrey Canton Books in Canada, Toronto
====Jeffrey Canton 54 Fenwick Avenue Toronto, ON M4K 3H3 416F1717
__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Check out Yahoo! Shopping and Yahoo! Auctions for all of your unique holiday gifts! Buy at http://shopping.yahoo.com or bid at http://auctions.yahoo.com
Received on Wed 12 Dec 2001 08:26:28 AM CST
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2001 06:26:28 -0800 (PST)
I don't think it's vain or self?ntred of Franzen to want his book to stand on his own -- without the
"Oprah Seal of Approval" -- especially with the book still in cloth. I know that we're thrilled here in Canadsa that Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance has been chosen for the book club -- but it's also a novel that has already received all the awards and critical acclaim it deserves and what the book club will do is to re-vitalize and give it a second chance to reach readers.
But I totally disagree with Denise's comment that Oprah has raised the standards of the American reading public -- Oprah's has added a visibility to reading in America -- people who watch Oprah, want to be like Oprah, read the books that Oprah reads also want to be seen with an Oprah book -- and like the sales of novels re-released with a movie tie-in jacket, I am just as sure that many of these books get shelved post haste if the book isn't to the readers' taste after all -- though most of those readers would't admit to shelving an Oprah book! How do you measure the difference between books sold versus books read? I can tell you, for a fact, that over a million Americans bought Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient but I can't tell you how many really read the book. And the same, I would argue, holds true of Oprah. The lack of critical acumen that Oprah brings to her choices is an enormous issue for me -- despite the fact that I am delighted to see authors like Toni Morrison and Andre Dubus III designated as Oprah choices because they are superb writers period. But that these fine literary books stand teeth by jowl with some of the Oprah picks is a huge problem. Keep in mind, Childlit, that Oprah choses writers like Bill Cosby and Katie Couric to represent children's literature.
Jeffrey Canton Books in Canada, Toronto
====Jeffrey Canton 54 Fenwick Avenue Toronto, ON M4K 3H3 416F1717
__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Check out Yahoo! Shopping and Yahoo! Auctions for all of your unique holiday gifts! Buy at http://shopping.yahoo.com or bid at http://auctions.yahoo.com
Received on Wed 12 Dec 2001 08:26:28 AM CST
