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Jan
22
The Sunday Salon 1.22.12
2012 at 8am Posted by Rebecca Joines Schinsky
Good morning from Richmond, where we are not having a snowy weekend and are deeply jealous of all of you who are. We’re observing a snowday in spirit, though, by staying in our pajamas, drinking a lot of coffee, and doing as little as possible. (Okay, that’s what we do every Sunday, but still.) It’s been a few weeks since I did a Salon post, so let’s get caught up!
Reading Life
The closest I’ve gotten to winter weather this year has been in my reading of The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (out February 10 from Reagan Arthur). Set in Alaska in the 1920s, it’s about a couple who desperately want a child but cannot have one. Their attempt to build a homestead in the wilderness is a constant struggle that pulls them further and further apart. In a rare moment of buoyancy, they build a little girl out of snow only to discover the next morning that she is gone. Then they see a young girl running through the forest, wearing the mittens they left on their snow child, and despite the niggling sense that they might be coming down with a shared case of cabin fever, they hope that she is real. Or at least really magical. It’s a thoroughly enchanting story and a very strong debut novel, and I certainly hope it’s not the last we’ll hear from Eowyn Ivey. I’ll be writing more about it later. For now, you can check out the gorgeous book trailer.
It was quiet around the blog this week because I couldn’t bear to tear myself away from the new John Irving novel long enough to write much of anything. I always think it’s a good problem when I’m enjoying reading too much to blog. I’ve also been dipping into Edna O’Brien’s short story collection Saints and Sinners. I’m liking it well enough, but it took me longer than usual to get into it because the opening piece is more than 40 pages long–easily the longest in the bunch–and collections that start with long pieces are one of my readerly peeves. I know collections are organized as they are for artistic reasons, but I find it’s harder to get into the flow of reading short fiction when the first story feels more like reading a novel. But that’s my problem, not the book’s. And because I’m a good little book polygamist now, I’m also reading Townie by Andre Dubus III. I’m not far enough into it to have an opinion yet, but I have high hopes. Finally, I’m working on a collaborative post about American Dervish by Ayad Akhtar, which is remarkable in several ways and disappointing in several others.
Writing/Blogging Life
I’m still having a blast with my gig at Book Riot, which is a delicious mixture of writing and social media (which is a sort of writing, too). It’s exciting to be part of a young site trying new things and keeping the conversation about books fun and irreverent, and the smart, creative posts our contributors write have pushed me to crack a different part of my brain open and start thinking and writing about about books in a new way. This week, I had a post about how to merge bookshelves with your partner, started a collaborative column with Liberty Hardy called The Well-Readheads, and took a deep dive into Pinterest. I’m still figuring out how to balance Book Lady with Book Riot, and I expect it to be more of an ongoing process than a one-time solution. Again, a great problem to have.
If the number of internet kerfuffles this week is any indication, the bookosphere has officially woken up from its holiday slumber. I won’t pretend to be in the know about the YA blogging world, but I saw enough this week to know that there’s been yet another argument about the definition of “review” and the standards of professional behavior. I’m on record in many places with the opinion that a review is an objective examination of a work–it is about the book, the writing, the craft–whereas a discussion of a book that is primarily about the reader is something not-review–a reaction or response, perhaps. My thoughts on use of the term “review” have evolved quite a bit in the four years I’ve been blogging, and while I don’t think we should ever expect to get to standardized terminology, I do think the conversation about what bloggers do and how it is similar to and different from traditional reviewers is important, as is the conversation about the value bloggers add to the literary community. I also think that Kit Steinkellner’s suggestion that the only way to prevent ridiculous drama that is counterproductive to bloggers’ struggle for credibility is to disengage from it is right on–her post about it is possibly the smartest thing I’ve ever read about the author-blogger relationship, and I’m not just recommending that you read it because it appeared on Book Riot.
And then there’s the asshat who wrote a complaint-riddled post about the press kit that accompanied a galley he received, accusing the publicist of “intellectual bullying.” I can’t decide what’s more absurd–that a blogger is upset about a publicist doing her job and sending information about a book she is paid to promote–and that he received for free and was in no way required to pay attention to–or that Publishing Perspectives actually ran the post. Must have been a slow news day.
This concludes the latest bloggy brain dump. What’s up in your reading and writing life these days?
No related posts.
Not only does Florida have no snow, we’ve got 80 degree weather. Can’t a girl wear a sweater now and then? Loved that article on BookRiot, and it really just boils everything down to the basics…GROW UP. This isn’t the first time there has been drama surrounding the YA bloggers. I choose to stay as far from drama as possible. I have enough of that with my kids.
Sandy´s last [type] ..The Angel of Death
“The Snow Child” is really high on my wish list, combining all my favorite elements: Alaska (where I lived for 9 years), the 1920s (where I *wish* I lived), and snow (where I currently live–i.e. western Montana). Thanks for the tantalizing report.
And John Irving? Also super-high on my wish-list–even though I’ve been disappointed by some of his more recent novels.
David Abrams´s last [type] .."Hello…Is it Joseph Conrad you’re looking for?"
I’m excited to see how BookRiot utilizes Pinterest. I’ve used it mostly to indulge my hobbies outside of book blogging (foodie inclinations, fashion, design), but I have a few bookish boards and hope to use it to spread the word on some of my favorite reviews and blog posts I see popping up.
Being so into a book that you don’t blog is definitely the right problem to have.
Andi (Estella’s Revenge)´s last [type] ..Linkapalooza, Vol. 3
Townie has been sitting on my bookshelf for a while now, it was a Powell’s Indiespensable selection not long after it came out. I’m interested to see your thoughts one it.
I’ve been on a pinterest kick lately, so I’m curious to see how you guys are going to use it, clicking over now.
Have a happy [fake snowy] Sunday! We just have mostly ice here in DC, which is not fun and because of I will be staying inside all day, had to deal with it enough running errand yesterday!
Victoria´s last [type] ..Scrumptious Sunday: Red Wine Cake
It’s all in the “throw spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks” phase with Pinterest right now–it’s so new, that I think that’s where pretty much everyone is with it. But it’s superfun, and it’s nice to have something so highly visual to balance out all the written/verbal input. I’ve played with it a bit for myself, too, and it’s all shoes, basset hounds, and pretty book covers.
Hi, Rebecca. I’m a regular Bookrageous listener but I’ve only just recently started reading your blog. Sorry I didn’t come by sooner. I as well am really interested in The Snow Child after having recently learned of the Waterstones 11 from another podcast. So I’ve peeped that list and this was one of the two I’ve definitely plugged in to the wish list. The other being ‘The Panopticon’ by Jenni Fagan. Cheers, and keep up the great work.
Jereme´s last [type] ..It Starts Again
Thanks, Jereme! Glad you’re enjoying the show and hope to see you around here again.
Sound like a mysterious book. The story sounds like a bit similar to Pinocchio yet I am excited to know the story came to be.
Donna´s last [type] ..DTS Home