A podcast about books, art & life — not necessarily in that order
I suppose that when I ran a link to the NYMag article on “the death of book publishing,” I should’ve made it part of my F*** You, You Whining F*** series. I failed you, dear readers.
Fortunately, Kassia Kroszer is out there as my F*** You Backstop with a good post that bashes the living crap out of that article and its synecdochal contention that “literary fiction” is book publishing. Thanks, KK!
I just couldn’t resist that headline after I saw this story.
If Slate‘s business/finance site, The Big Money, is going to run inane articles like this one that calls for TV and movies to receive ratings about product placement, then let’s hope it dies a swift and quiet death:
In contrast with the late ’60s, our period is one of inexhaustible consumption and materialism, and the collapse of personality and aspirations into a culture of brands and logos. We are bankrupt and filling our seas with plastic. Yet we have no method by which to regulate-or even measure-the hidden ads the fill all of our many screens.
And speaking of “if only things were more like the late ’60s” . . .
Update: RR’s policy suggestions are unsafe at any speed.
I haven’t slept well lately, so I assume my fourth estate alter ego has been working overtime on plumbing my mind for good arts articles. What’s in today’s edition of the Official Newspaper of Gil Roth?
I guess this means I’ll get better nights of sleep once the Sun closes up shop, but my arts life is going to be a lot less interesting.
The book publishing business remains blockbuster-driven, continues slide down crapper. Return to what you were doing.
I’ll sure miss the NYSun when it closes up shop at the end of the month (barring a buyer who’s willing to lose a bunch of money). Today’s gem is Against Oblivion, Adam Kirsch’s review of The Terezin Album of Marianka Zadikow. I can’t do it justice, so go read it for yourself.
Two anecdotes that help me make sense (of humor) out of the Lehman Bros. bankruptcy, the Merrill Lynch buyout, the Fannie/Freddie seizure, Bear Stearns debacle and all else:
1.
Around 1991, I walked into a local-ish comic store, as is my wont. As I was checking out, I noticed that the store had the first issue of Justice League International for sale at $20. It had come out in 1987 and I had a copy at home. A semi-impoverished college student, I figured I could use a few bucks, and asked if they were buying copies of that comic.
The clerk said, “No, man. We’ve got a whole box of that issue back in the storeroom.”
“Then why are you selling it for $20?” I asked.
“Because that’s what [The Guide] says it’s worth,” he told me.
Ah: [The Guide]. I don’t recall which price guide was in vogue back then, but I think that was the beginning of the era when comic magazines were publishing revised price guides on a monthly basis.
“But [The Guide] doesn’t make money selling copies of JLI #1,” I replied. “It makes money selling copies of [The Guide]. You oughtta put ‘HALF-OFF!’ signs up and I bet you could move the whole box pretty quickly.”
“But [The Guide] says they’re worth $20!”
“It’s only worth what you can get for it,” I said. Never let it be said I didn’t learn anything from my dad.
Mark to market. That’s why Lehman Bros. went into bankruptcy while Merrill Lynch managed to get itself bought.
2.
My next-door neighbor took his stockbroker exam in October 1987. This was three days before the Black Monday collapse, in which the Dow tanked 22%. He went on to work as a substitute teacher in our high school for the next several years.
In that spirit, congratulations to Slate, which launched its new business/finance site, The Big Money, yesterday.
My favorite part of this Daily News headline is that the News is supposed to be the “smarter” of the two NYC tabloids. Your a genious!
What I’m reading: The Long Goodbye
What I’m listening to: Beck’s Modern Guilt
What I’m watching: Your mom. There. I’ve said it. (Amy had a pretty busy week, so we didn’t get around to finishing up the last season of The Wire. Two episodes left!)
What I’m drinking: Red Stripe! Hooray beer!
What Rufus is up to: Accidentally showing up at a greyhound meet & greet! The admin of the Greyhound Friends NJ list dropped our e-mail by accident, so we didn’t know that our local pet store was hosting an event on Saturday. Coincidentally, we took Rufus up there to buy his pet food (we could’ve done it without him, but he loves going to the store), and discovered 4 or 5 greyhounds & owners in the parking-lot. Rufus, of course, was very happy to make some new friends.
Where I’m going: To the GFNJ Annual Fall Picnic/Greyhound Planet Day on Sunday in Bridgewater, NJ! My pal/co-worker Jason & his wife are picking up their grey at the picnic, so we’ll find out if their girl gets along with Rufus before we set up a playdate.
What I’m happy about: Having a quiet weekend, between pretty busy weeks.
What I’m sad about: David Foster Wallace’s suicide, even though I hadn’t read a book of his in around 10 years. (I suppose this title
What I’m pondering: How SiteMeter made so many poor decisions when it “upgraded” this weekend.