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why bother with the NYT Book Review...
...when you can read Ed Champion's review of the reviews?He poses the question:
Will this week's NYTBR reflect today's literary and publishing climate? Or will editor Sam Tanenhaus demonstrate yet again that the NYTBR is irrelevant to today's needs? If the former, a tasty brownie will be sent to Mr. Tanenhaus' office. If the latter, the brownie will be denied.Unfortunately (but not surprisingly) Sam flunks every test, the column-inch test, the hard-on test, the quirky-pairing test, etc, and must do without brownies, yet again.
An answer to my own question: I find the Sam Tannenhaus Brownie Watch far more interesting and amusing than the NYTBR. Beyond that, it includes, in suitably abbreviated form, the basics of the major reviews. So my conclusion is this: Ed should keep all the brownies for himself, and the NYTBR should bow out gracefully and allow him to take over.
March 28, 2005 05:10 PM
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Comments
While I'm immensely honored by your suggestion, I should point out that I am not a brownie hoarder. I have been waiting for the inevitable day where Sam Tanenhaus will earn his brownie and it would please me to send some his way. It saddens me, perhaps as much as Sam, to deny an editor some tasty brownies.
Posted by: Ed at March 29, 2005 06:24 PM
Foo on Sam, say I. He's had his chance. Take the tasty brownies and run, Ed.
Posted by: sara at March 29, 2005 06:38 PM
Hi Rosina!
Great post. Have you read Memoirs of a Geisha? That book was wonderful for a number of reasons, but its similes are especially striking, original and always perfectly right.
By the way, I love your blog. It made me run to the bookstore and buy Into the Wilderness, which was very prominently on display along with its sequels- you're evidently very popular in NZ. :) Kiwis do have great taste- I loved the novel, and look forward to buying the rest of your books!
Take care,
SJ
relurking in 10, 9, 8...
Posted by: Sarahjane at March 30, 2005 03:37 AM