Publishing Showdown

What a weekend in the publishing world!  For those of you who weren’t obsessively reading Publisher’s Lunch bulletins (cool people), here’s the lowdown: Amazon and “big 6″ publisher Macmillan could not come to an agreement on e-book pricing.  Amazon wants to continue to be allowed to set whatever price it wants, which is usually $9.99 and means they take a loss on the sale.  In the short term this plan promotes Kindle and boosts e-sales.  In the long term, it could mean a dramatic devaluing of e-books and a big loss of revenue for publishers, agents, and authors.  On the other side, Macmillan wants to protect the value of its products and has introduced an “agency model” for pricing books.  Most of their e-books would be between $12.99 and $15.99, with the retailer keeping 30% profit.  (That’s actually a much better deal for Amazon, since they are currently losing money on every digital book they sell.)

Neither company liked the other’s ideas and so they came to an impasse on Friday.  By Saturday Amazon had removed the “buy” button from all Macmillan titles, both print and digital.  Censorship at its worst!  (Okay, not its worst, but isn’t censorship of any kind pretty bad?)  Shock and panic spread throughout the book world…if anyone had ever doubted the power of the mighty Jeff Bezos, we felt it this weekend.

Amazon finally “stopped acting like a 14-year old girl” (in the wise words of my roommate) and realized that it can’t just drop all the books from an entire publisher.  Macmillan sales will recommence  in March at their set price point, so the crisis is over, for now.  But pricing is a major problem that will continue to plague publishers and booksellers.

My take on all this: I think Amazon acted rashly and improperly in disallowing the purchase of Macmillan titles.  Yeah, it got them some attention but really, does anyone feel sorry for Amazon?  I’m pretty much just waiting for them to battle it out with Google for World Domination.  Macmillan has the right to set any price it wants for its products, but as long as retailers pay the asking price, I think sellers also have the right to sell products at a loss if they so choose.  So I don’t agree with the agency model as it now stands, although I do think there is a serious need for pricing reform.  (Perhaps a summit?  Obama, get on this!)  The problem with Amazon under-pricing e-books is not that they lose money–cause who cares?–but that consumers start to believe that e-books are only worth $9.99, which is not the case at all.  It actually takes a lot of money to create an e-book–publishers, authors, and agents deserve to be compensated for their hard work.  Plus, if this under-pricing continues it’s just going to hurt everyone in the long run, including Amazon.  No one can sell at a loss forever, and at some point prices will have to go up.  But by that point consumers will be so used to $9.99 that they won’t be willing to pay more.  So I’d have to say that Macmillan won this battle, but the war is far from over.

An Inconvenient Truth

Al Gore

Paperback, $23.95

St. Martin’s Press

June 2006

328 pages

I’m going to try something a little different for this review.  This book is so important, so full of potential to affect real change, that nothing I say in response can possibly compare.  Therefore, I will let the book speak for itself:

• “In Antarctica, measurements of CO2 concentrations and temperatures go back 650,000 years. At no point in the last 650,000 years before the pre-industrial era did the CO2 concentration go above 300 parts per million (ppm). Where CO2 is now–350 ppm–is way above anything measured in the prior 650,000-year record.”
• “Just 40 years ago Lake Chad was as large as Lake Erie–formerly the 6th largest lake in the world. But now due to declining rainfall and ever-intensifying human use, it has shrunk to 1/20th of its original size. The lake’s dissipation has led to collapsing fisheries and crops.  While Lake Chad withered, intense drought set the stage for the violence that erupted in neighboring Darfur, a war-torn region of Sudan.”
• 
• “The US is responsible for more greenhouse gas pollution than South America, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, Japan, and Asia–all put together.”
• “There is a misconception that the scientific community is in a state of disagreement about global warming. In fact, there is virtually no serious disagreement on the central points.”
• “We can’t sell our cars in China today because we don’t meet the Chinese environmental standards.”

So those are the bad things.  To put it simply, increased CO2  causes more of the sun’s heat to be trapped in our atmosphere, meaning global temperature is rising and ice caps are melting.  Not a polar bear?  You should still be worried.  An influx of frigid freshwater into the world’s oceans is decreasing salinity and wrecking havoc on currents, most notably the Gulf Stream, which supplies Europe with a temperate climate.  So weather patterns are changing–severe flooding in some areas, drought in others, and crazy hurricanes, tornadoes, and tsunamis.  Plus, water levels are rising, meaning land that we now enjoy (you know, like Florida and Manhattan) will eventually be gone.  Not to mention the impact on life–entire ecosystems and species are being destroyed.  And as mentioned above, global warming can be directly linked to tragic world events like the genocide in Darfur.

So why do some people still “not believe” in global warming, as if it’s Santa Claus or the Abominable Snowman?  Well my friend, that would be thanks to the Bushies.  GW hired a lobbyist for the oil industry to be his White House Council on Environmental Policy.  Philip A. Cooney spent years engaging in the art of misinformation (otherwise known as propaganda), planting the idea in people’s minds that scientists had a lot of doubt about the validity of global warming and that even if it is happening, it’s a natural phenomenon that has nothing to do with humans.  Well–and I know this is going to shock you, so prepare yourself–he lied.  Scientists do not dispute the basic concept of or facts concerning global warming.  There may be a few squabbles over the details, but absolutely no one is saying that it’s not real or that we’re not the cause.  (I mean no one with any credibility, of course.)

Here are some simple things you can do to get involved.  Remember, it is absolutely possible to stop and reverse this terrible trend.  Individual effort can make a huge difference, locally and globally.

The Illuminator

Brenda Rickman Vantrease

Paperback, $13.95

St. Martin’s Griffin

December 2005

492 pages

Getting back to my favorite–historical fiction–I enjoyed this book over the Thanksgiving holiday.  For a first novel the writing is pretty good, which is particularly hard to pull off when dealing with historical dialogue.  Though the main plot is not super interesting, the subplot and time period are fascinating, something about which I had no prior knowledge but now want to investigate further.

The main plot: In 14th Century England, the widow Lady Kathryn takes in an illuminator (illustrator) who is working on church texts.  She is losing all her money to greedy priests and rising taxes, and just wants to keep her estate in tact for her children.  Oh, and she really likes this new guy.

The subplot: Finn the Illuminator is not just working on approved church texts; he is creating an illegal English version of the Bible as part of the Lollard movement started by John Wycliffe to oppose papal authority.  The growing struggle between the establishment (i.e. Rome and the King) and the opposition (the Lollards and their protector, John of Gaunt) is riveting–I can’t believe we didn’t study this in school!  The way I learned it, the Protestant Reformation started with Martin Luther and Henry VIII, but the seeds of that movement were actually planted much earlier.

The “true history” contained in this novel makes it well worth a read, though as a protagonist Lady Kathryn alternates between stupid and annoying.  Maybe the author should consider a non-fiction project next time!

A Wolf at the Table

Augusten Burroughs

Paperback, $14

Picador

April 2008

272 pages

Last summer I was lucky enough to meet Augusten Burroughs at a reading of this book in Bryant Park.  He was extremely gracious and is a publisher’s dream–an author who can speak and read as well as he writes.

Like most of Burroughs’s other books, Wolf is a memoir.  This one focuses on a childhood with an alcoholic, depressed, sociopath for a father.  The stories will make you cringe in horror–unless you too are a sociopath–but Burroughs writes with deft good humor and wise understanding, saving the book from becoming a “pity me” plea and making it a touching, emotional journey instead.  As memoir goes, Burroughs is right up there with David Sedaris–funny, poignant, and just enough spicy to make you wonder.

Florence Nightingale

Mark Bostridge

Hardcover, $35

Farrar, Straus & Giroux

October 2008

672 pages

Last month my roommate and I watched a fairly awful made-for-TV-movie called Florence Nightingale starring one Jaclyn Smith.  The film ended abruptly as Florence’s time in the Crimea was coming to a close, and since I knew that she had lived to be 90, I was curious about the rest of her life.  Thus, this giant tome entered my life.

As a biographer, Mark Bostridge is sympathetic without losing a grasp on the truth.  But as a writer, he ought to have more sympathy for his readers!  As many, many biographers have discovered over the years, FN left behind a plethora of diaries, letters, notes, and manuscripts.  There is scarcely a thought that entered her head or a belief in her heart that did not make it to paper.  As an historian, I can understand the excitement of finding such a treasure trove of information, but a writer needs to be able to step back and say “This factoid doesn’t actually matter.”  Bostridge’s book is littered with dates, names, facts, and quotations that don’t really give us a clearer picture of who Florence Nightingale was–they just clutter up the information readers are looking for.

However, if you can skim judiciously I highly recommend this biography, as it paints a balanced picture of Florence, flaws and all.  It is a terrible  irony that as one of the most biographed women in history, she remains one of the least understood.  Bostridge certainly moves beyond the Lady with the Lamp myth to discover the real person underneath.  The last third of the book is repetitious beyond belief, but stick with it and you’ll be rewarded with a great understanding of a great woman.

Christmas Books I Heart

As part of a long-standing family tradition, every year my aunt (a schoolteacher) and I (a former child) receive a children’s book for Christmas.  They make great, easy holiday decorations and are fun to boot!  Here are a few nostalgic favorites:

The Mitten by Jan Brett–more of a winter book, but absolutely lovely.  Children’s books are just as much about the illustrations as the writing, and this book is a fine example of both.  (Also check out The Hat and The Wild Christmas Reindeer.)

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg.  Holiday classic that I loved so much as a child, I actually wrote to Santa requesting a bell from his sleigh (and, as usual, the man in red came through).

Merry Christmas, Strega Nona and The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie de Paola.  Beautifully illustrated and poignant stories that will stick with kids for a long time.  (I still think of Strega Nona  every time I have noodles!)

The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston.  A lovely mother-daughter story

The Jolly Christmas Postman by Allan Ahlberg.  Fun & interactive, still one that I enjoy flipping through.

And of course there are the perinnial favs that I wanted to read all year round–The Night Before Christmas and Santa’s Workshop (Little Golden books). Merry Reading!!

Christmas Shopping

Okay, here’s the problem with holiday shopping.  I don’t have a clue as to what my friends and family would like, but I see lots and lots of things that I would enjoy.  And thus we enter the moral dilemma of Christmas: Should I (a) drop hints that someone should get it for me (b) out-right tell someone I want it (c) just buy it for myself, while it’s in stock and on sale (d) make a note to come back after the holidays with xmas money and hope it’s still there.

Being in New York City, surrounded by the world’s best stores and some really enjoyable holiday markets, ignoring temptation is getting harder every year.  After a full week of hitting stores on my lunch break and after work, I was really proud of myself for resisting jewelry, clothes, and art.  But then my roommate suggested that we take a peek inside Barnes & Noble.  Now, if shopping is a weakness of mine, bookstores are an absolute addiction.  Before we had even gotten through the vestibule, I had spotted 12 books that I absolutely had to have.  Here’s a small sample of some great works that anyone should be delighted to find under the tree:

For the Socially-Conscious: Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, an insightful look into what we eat and why; Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis by Al Gore.  (How often does a politician have an actual plan and then tell you what it is?  Take advantage of this rare opportunity!)

For the Curious: The Anglo Files: A Field Guide to the British by Sarah Lyell, an intriguing look into our friends across the pond; The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson, a fascinating study of the worst cholera epidemic in British history.

For Those Who Want Their History in the Form of a Novel: Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum, a powerfully suspenseful look at the Holocaust through modern eyes; New York: The Novel by Edward Rutherford, a 350-year journey through NY’s history.

So, did I splurge?  Nope.  I went with option (e) letter to Santa.  Happy shopping!

Oprah Murders Books

Goodbye, Columbus Oprah

Paradise Oprah Lost

As I Lay Dying Watching Oprah on DVR

Well that’s it folks.  In case you’ve been living under a rock, the news that we have all feared for years has finally come–Oprah is ending her long-running talkshow to become dictator of the world concentrate on her charity work.  Obviously her decision to step down was a direct and intentional kick in the pants to the publishing industry.  Based on the way everyone from the Random House CEO to WSJ writers are taking the news, it’s clear that no one will ever read a book ever again.  Ever.  I mean, without Oprah to explain a book’s plot, to interview its author, and to authorize a pretty sticker for the specially-printed cover, how will we know what’s good?  How will the American public be able to ensure that we are all reading the exact same book at the exact same time so that we can talk about it at the water cooler?

But forget the problems this is causing for lemmings readers.  Just think about the heartache Oprah’s abdication brings to publishers and booksellers.  Gone are the days when a single endorsement meant instant bestsellerdom.  I’m afraid that we may have to go back to relying on well-written books that have smart, coherent people working on them.  Sure, it may be a lot of work…editors will have to acquire judiciously, publicists will have to be relentless, marketers will have to think outside the box, sales staff will have to be persistent…but–

What?  Jon Stewart’s still on the air?  Okay, never mind.

The Darwin Conspiracy

John Darnton

Paperback, $14.00

Anchor

September 2006

320 pages

Loved it, loved it, loved it.  This book is a prime example of historical mystery.  Told from three perspectives, it is–in alternating chapters–the modern-day story of Hugh Kellem, an antrhopology grad student; the young Charles Darwin; and Charles’s daughter Lizzie.  Hugh and Charles’s stories are third-person, while Lizzie speaks to us through her diary, 30 years after her father’s infamous Beagle voyage.

While researching his thesis, Hugh stumbles upon some never-before-seen documents, namely Lizzie’s diary and some letters that reveal startling information about her father.  As this information unfolds, it becomes clear that the origin of “The Origin” is not all that we thought it to be…Historians have long wondered how and why Darwin went from being a strong, active young man to a near-invalid in just a few years.  Also intriguing…Just how did he come up with that famous theory?

The ending is a little convoluted, but getting there is a pleasure.

The Lost Symbol

Dan Brown

Hardcover, $29.95 (!!!)

Doubleday

Septermber 2009

528 pages

 

Sorry to be so late on this one, kids.  I actually read this two months ago–when everyone else in the country was reading it–so this review may turn into more of a diatribe re: Dan Brown.

The Lost Symbol will feel verrrrry familiar to readers of Brown’s previous two Robert Langdon mysteries.  I have to say that I am not in the camp of people who disparage Brown’s writing style, but I do wish he could get a little more creative with his basic plot lines.  [Langdon is awakened in the night by a mysterious phone call, travels somewhere far away, meets a girl, teams up with her to solve crazy ancient puzzle before everyone gets kills, wears Tweed.]  And no, his writing isn’t going to win him any Pulitzers, but I like its fast pace and heavy dialogue (i.e. not bogged down with description).  And those 2-page long chapters….as we say in New York, fuggiddaboudit.  They make great stopping points for reading sessions of any length of time.

The plot itself is not exactly what I would call “believable,” (not like, you know, meeting the human descendant of Christ or saving the Vatican from an explosion of antimatter) and it’s my least favorite of all the Langdon novels.  In The Lost Symbol, Robert attempts to follow a series of Masonic clues while his friend is held captive by a crazy guy.  Also some stuff about science.  (And as we all know, Science+Religion+Clues=Dan Brown Novel.)  The weakest part of the novel is actually the crux of the entire plot, so that’s not good.  (Apparently a bunch of D.C. bigwigs are high-degree Masons, and it would be “really bad” if the public found out.  Ugh.)

Skip it.  Watch National Treasure instead.  All of the Masons, the clues, and the running around, none of the Harris Tweed.