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various thoughts and reactions
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From: Robbie Mayes <robbie.mayes>
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2004 12:31:02 -0400
I feel compelled to pipe in this Friday afternoon.
I believe one can't really discuss publishing and pop culture without admitting that publishing phenomena are pop culture. I can't be persuaded to hold book publishing on a higher ground than, say, the film industry. I hold as much respect for a great film as I do for a great novel. Forget the movies--Harry Potter is the definition of pop culture. The chick-lit trend is pop culture. Tolkien has had an influence on pop culture since his books were originally published. Books that become famous help define our culture like any other source of entertainment.
I believe merchandising, movie-making, televising, that sort of thing, usually actually help children's books get read. (I don't guess it's always so true for grownup books, though one could look at how Michael Cunningham's THE HOURS ended up on the bestseller list in synch with the movie's release and increasing popularity.) FSG did its first movie tie-in paperback ever to coincide with the release of the film TUCK EVERLASTING. The movie rather tanked at the box office, but book sales soared. Was it because of the heartthrob cutie on the cover? Maybe. But if so, should we lament the new readership? So many of our books feature illustrations or photographs of their characters on their covers. How is this different in ruining how our minds' eyes imagine the characters to look? I for one do not mind that Inman looks like Jude Law.
Merchandising can be offensive when the books represented essentially serve as vehicles for toys. (Books of course can be merchandise themselves when they're off-shoots of TV shows, etc.) But who can begrudge someone a Wild Thing doll? (Do they still make those?) Or a LOTR chess set?
(Well...maybe, for the enormous geek factor.) These are toys for people who know the books and want further reminders of them.
I would say there is a popular cultural phenomenon going on now in the entire genre of young adult literature. The Barnes and Noble across the park from my office has stragetically placed a large table of YA titles directly when one gets off the escalator to the second floor (there are four floors, and adult fiction is on the top). Their section of books for this age target--both hardcover and paperback--has enormously increased as a direct cause of recent best-sellers. And the shame for teenagers in browsing the YA sections seems to have lifted.
The NEA report seems a little short-sighted to me. Admittedly, I've only read it in summary. But it is a survey of 17,000 adults. It's depressing, yes, that adult readership has declined. But am I wrong to feel hopeful that this generation is spawning a greater appetite for reading in children directly because it has become popular amongst one's peers to be up-to?te on certain successful individual books and series?
My real worry about today's and tomorrow's readers is that they seem to be losing patience for the best writing--that is, works of high and original literary style. I have nothing against the enjoyment of a fast-paced, well-told yarn. But the word as art seems to be losing ground to story, worst of all among adults who aren't helping to get the most excellent writing noticed, and who seem to be somewhat underestimating the intelligence of children and teenagers.
I realize this missive is a bit unfocused, but these are my initial reactions to the notion of discussing popular culture.
This is an occasionally funny, occasionally insightful Web page on the subject:
http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Popular_culture
I like this quotation especially:
The work of scientists and scholars is mined by the news media and promulgated to the general public, often emphasizing "factoids" that have the power to amaze, or other items with an inherent appeal. To give an example, giant pandas are prominent items of popular culture; parasitic worms , though of greater practical importance, are not.
A popular children's book about a parasitic worm could no doubt elevate this poor creature's status. Madonna, help us!
Cheers from Robbie Mayes Robert Mayes Editor Books for Young Readers Farrar, Straus and Giroux 19 Union Square West New York, NY 10003
phone: 212t1i00, ext. 232 fax: 212c3$27 e-mail: robbie.mayes at fsgbooks.com
Received on Fri 09 Jul 2004 11:31:02 AM CDT
Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2004 12:31:02 -0400
I feel compelled to pipe in this Friday afternoon.
I believe one can't really discuss publishing and pop culture without admitting that publishing phenomena are pop culture. I can't be persuaded to hold book publishing on a higher ground than, say, the film industry. I hold as much respect for a great film as I do for a great novel. Forget the movies--Harry Potter is the definition of pop culture. The chick-lit trend is pop culture. Tolkien has had an influence on pop culture since his books were originally published. Books that become famous help define our culture like any other source of entertainment.
I believe merchandising, movie-making, televising, that sort of thing, usually actually help children's books get read. (I don't guess it's always so true for grownup books, though one could look at how Michael Cunningham's THE HOURS ended up on the bestseller list in synch with the movie's release and increasing popularity.) FSG did its first movie tie-in paperback ever to coincide with the release of the film TUCK EVERLASTING. The movie rather tanked at the box office, but book sales soared. Was it because of the heartthrob cutie on the cover? Maybe. But if so, should we lament the new readership? So many of our books feature illustrations or photographs of their characters on their covers. How is this different in ruining how our minds' eyes imagine the characters to look? I for one do not mind that Inman looks like Jude Law.
Merchandising can be offensive when the books represented essentially serve as vehicles for toys. (Books of course can be merchandise themselves when they're off-shoots of TV shows, etc.) But who can begrudge someone a Wild Thing doll? (Do they still make those?) Or a LOTR chess set?
(Well...maybe, for the enormous geek factor.) These are toys for people who know the books and want further reminders of them.
I would say there is a popular cultural phenomenon going on now in the entire genre of young adult literature. The Barnes and Noble across the park from my office has stragetically placed a large table of YA titles directly when one gets off the escalator to the second floor (there are four floors, and adult fiction is on the top). Their section of books for this age target--both hardcover and paperback--has enormously increased as a direct cause of recent best-sellers. And the shame for teenagers in browsing the YA sections seems to have lifted.
The NEA report seems a little short-sighted to me. Admittedly, I've only read it in summary. But it is a survey of 17,000 adults. It's depressing, yes, that adult readership has declined. But am I wrong to feel hopeful that this generation is spawning a greater appetite for reading in children directly because it has become popular amongst one's peers to be up-to?te on certain successful individual books and series?
My real worry about today's and tomorrow's readers is that they seem to be losing patience for the best writing--that is, works of high and original literary style. I have nothing against the enjoyment of a fast-paced, well-told yarn. But the word as art seems to be losing ground to story, worst of all among adults who aren't helping to get the most excellent writing noticed, and who seem to be somewhat underestimating the intelligence of children and teenagers.
I realize this missive is a bit unfocused, but these are my initial reactions to the notion of discussing popular culture.
This is an occasionally funny, occasionally insightful Web page on the subject:
http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Popular_culture
I like this quotation especially:
The work of scientists and scholars is mined by the news media and promulgated to the general public, often emphasizing "factoids" that have the power to amaze, or other items with an inherent appeal. To give an example, giant pandas are prominent items of popular culture; parasitic worms , though of greater practical importance, are not.
A popular children's book about a parasitic worm could no doubt elevate this poor creature's status. Madonna, help us!
Cheers from Robbie Mayes Robert Mayes Editor Books for Young Readers Farrar, Straus and Giroux 19 Union Square West New York, NY 10003
phone: 212t1i00, ext. 232 fax: 212c3$27 e-mail: robbie.mayes at fsgbooks.com
Received on Fri 09 Jul 2004 11:31:02 AM CDT
