From: Norma Jean <nsawicki>
Date: Thu, 03 Jun 2004 23:37:47 -0500

As a former publisher, I believe the books that are published are a reflection of the society in which we live. Writers living and publishing in the thirties, forties, etc., reflected the culture at that particular time just as current writers reflect the current mores, concerns, and preoccupations of today's culture/society. Neither writer, nor publisher is
"separate " from the society in which they live which is not to say one cannot project, or speculate on the future ( as in The Giver). Sometimes a sea change happens quickly and librarians, etc. may wonder why is it publishers are not publishing books about this or that. Often it is because they are not being written, or if they are, the early ones can be an attempt to fill "a need" or a "trend" and may not be very good...the better books sometimes come later. Gifted editors are able to "sniff" the future but at the same time cannot publish what they do not have an opportunity to publish. One may cast a very wide net and still come up empty. Writers, not publishers "speak" for the society...as the extraordinary Max Perkins said,
"Publishers create and own nothing." Norma Jean
Received on Thu 03 Jun 2004 11:37:47 PM CDT