Nice Things Said Re: EWN

  • "Dan Wickett is serious about a good read. But the EWN email list doesn't just deliver his sure-footed reviews; it also brings you news and connections to other writers. Sign up now - he understands what readers want to know about books." Quinn Dalton, author, Bulletproof Girl
  • 1.
    "Mr. Wickett is that rarely heard from but best of all possible reviewers - the dedicated and knowledgeable fan. He writes clean-cutting and fresh reviews that represent a sensibility unspoiled by over-exposure to the biz of books, but deeply in love with them." Daniel Woodrell, author, Winter's Bone
  • 3.
    "Dan Wickett is a reader's best friend. Not only does he read and trenchantly review new work, but he looks back to books that deserve ongoing readership. I've lost track of the number of times he's led me to boks that I overlooked (or never knew about), and that were a delight. There aren't many reviewers I will let shape my library, but Dan Wickett is one." Erin McGraw, author, The Baby Tree

Twitter Updates

    follow me on Twitter

    Blog Nation

    • Book Blogs

    Paid Advertising

    • Dzanc Creative Writing Sessions
    • Dzanc Books - Best of the Web 2010

    LitBlogs

    Author Websites

    « Book Review: 2008 the rest of them | Main | Don't judge a book by its ... »

    January 05, 2009

    Comments

    sarah

    LIfEUNDERGROUND

    Matt Moorman

    Tongue and Groove

    Whitney

    band name - Queen Kicktoria

    (this is also my roller derby name, so DON'T STEAL IT)

    Kathleen Maher

    St. Dymphna and the Five Lunatics.

    dustin

    Quidado and the Piso Mojados

    Pete

    Precious Bodily Fluids.

    Cowtown Pattie

    Can I have more than one?

    Terlingua Jesus

    Virtual Fridays

    Reverent Slim & the Fervor

    harmony

    The Freudian Slips

    Red Light Special

    Alabaster Twin

    Mike Wendling

    Scowcroft Brzezinski
    Bette Davis Lies
    The Market Corrections

    thelittlefluffycat

    An Undefinable Word

    The End Of The World As We Know It

    Sitting In The Dark

    Cowtown Pattie

    Sorry, this is addicting:

    Merely Traitors

    Engines of Lust

    Foolish Idle Boys

    Theory of War

    Overtures of Peace

    kyle

    1. Gandhi and the Gatt Gunners
    2. RU-486
    3. The Geologists

    Matt

    Allegra and the Dust Mites

    Done and Done

    Constellation Class

    Zipp and the Do Das

    Ward Jones

    A cover showing kids shooting the finger arouses the wonder of why any publisher with the vaguest aspiration of reaching a broad audience, whose readership is predominately older, non-I Pod men and women, would pander so narrowly. You're not alone. Tin House, in announcing their Winter Issue of fiction and poetry touted in its first paragraph "letters from a shit-house friend." Like you, immune to good taste, they reached out to our youth, our future, where sadness and humor, reflection and irony are all relics of an ancient age. And maybe they are.

    Amanda

    Agnostic Mouse and the Rude Polka Dots

    Caryn

    Tea Wrecks

    Dan Wickett

    Ward,

    Taste matters aside, are you seriously suggesting that there's something wrong for a publisher (which by the way, "You're not alone," I am not the publisher of this title, only one that enjoyed reading it) to try to develop a younger audience? Once that is currently less broad than the older, non-I Pod, etc. which I'll read into as "more mature"?

    If you're instead stating that pandering to a younger audience by giving them lesser quality works, and only offering them something of a deviant nature to garner their interest, well, I'd say I concur. I don't believe that's what Michael Shilling has done with this novel though. But, again, tastes and opinions will certainly vary from reader to reader.

    My own tastes have a pretty wide range, which is probably obvious if you look at the books I reviewed in the end of the year posting. Many much quieter titles within that list as well as a few very loud ones. I do think for the most part though, that the louder ones still bring with them quite a few redeeming aspects.

    Your statement, "they reached out to our youth," just seem to go beyond the worrying about pandering - which is what led to my original question. I personally think publishers need to find a way to develop that younger audience, for without doing so, they will not have an audience to publish for in 20 or 30 years.

    I might just be reading too much into a sentence or two from your reaction to the post. It may be that we agree in spirit, and simply have different tastes. Based on the "huge" volume of readership around here, if that's the case you probably aren't alone.

    Thanks for stopping by and offering your point of view - it's appreciated.

    steven gillis

    I would like to reply further to Ward Jones' inane comments. (Did he say inane? Yes. To quote Chris Rock: I said it.) Dan Wickett is writing a review of a book. A book, sir. He is not writing about the cover. For you to quite literally judge a book by its cover and then rail against the reviewer of said book for allegedly pandering to bad taste is absurd. Do I agree that Tin House may be too cool for its own good in using vulgarities to sell its press? Yes. But to compare what Tin House did with Dan's review of a novel which happens to have a cover you dont like, well sir, the absurdity is there for all to see. Take your dog and walk it home, Ward. You came off the fool in this exchange.

    Oskar

    Woah, Gillis.

    You sound "wickett" angry. Chill out.

    Ward's entitled to his opinion, just like you are yours. Do you only want those in agreement to read and discuss on this blog? If I wanted cheerleaders, I'd go watch a football game.

    I own an iPod, probably look like someone from the cover of this book, and don't really agree with what Ward is saying, but I'm glad that he did. I immediately honed in on the middle fingers too, and paused to consider it for a bit.

    Covers ARE important. Call me shallow if you want, but I always do a little judging based on them. One of my favorite blogs is dedicated just to cover designs (Readerville Journal). I was seriously turned off by Keysey's ALL OVER cover. Still am. Took me a while to read it.

    It's important to me, it's obviously important to Ward. It's important to a lot of us.

    I think you owe him an apology for calling him a fool, as well as for just being poopy in this exchange.

    steven gillis

    hey oskar - dont tell me to chill out man. am I not also entitled to my opinion? Ward baby would have been fine with his comment until - repeat UNTIL - he made it personal and said in no uncertain terms that dan (and I quote) was immune to good taste. Once that comment was made the gloves were off. Understand?

    Dan Wickett

    Oskar, you've got me curious - was there a particular aspect of Kesey's cover you didn't like, or the whole thing?

    Jim Nichols

    The Monotones

    Vic Gagnon

    Jughead

    Oskar

    the close up of the cigs just didn't do it for me. i found it obnoxious, and not really justified by the content.

    Verify your Comment

    Previewing your Comment

    This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

    Working...
    Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
    Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

    The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

    As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

    Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

    Working...

    Post a comment

    Visiting Hours and Other Stories

    Best of the Web - Online Journals

    Blog powered by TypePad

    Sitemeter