Comments on: The Knopf Times Book Review http://www.edrants.com/the-knopf-times-book-review/ a cultural website in ever-shifting standing Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:01:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: FascinatedCuriously http://www.edrants.com/the-knopf-times-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-256344 FascinatedCuriously Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:35:42 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=9643#comment-256344 Good reporting and an excellent post, which I just stumbled on googling Tanenhaus's name. I've recently done a couple posts at my blog on an unrelated lousy move by Mr. T. Maybe of interest to you? http://fascinatedcuriously.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/right-wing-loonies-read-my-blog/ Anyway, thanks again for this great post--a little more high-brow than the stuff I do, but great nonetheless... Good reporting and an excellent post, which I just stumbled on googling Tanenhaus’s name. I’ve recently done a couple posts at my blog on an unrelated lousy move by Mr. T. Maybe of interest to you?

http://fascinatedcuriously.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/right-wing-loonies-read-my-blog/

Anyway, thanks again for this great post–a little more high-brow than the stuff I do, but great nonetheless…

]]> By: Robert Nagle http://www.edrants.com/the-knopf-times-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-250501 Robert Nagle Sat, 24 Jan 2009 18:43:09 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=9643#comment-250501 I always got the impression that NYTBR was beholden to NY publishers. (Fun fact: did you know that NY is no longer the second most populated state in the US?). It is unbelievable that Knopf had so many titles. But here are three mitigating factors: 1)Knopf can afford to send out lots of review copies; smaller publishers are not able to (although I suspect most of them still send it to NYTBR--a person can hope after all). 2)Knopf bids on talent. In other words, they no longer discover talent; they just watch out which writers are making money in the minor leagues, and offer them bigger contracts. 3)NYT is clueless about the ebook revolution. That's where a lot of groundbreaking titles are coming from . NYT is totally blind about this. 4)Groupthink. It's hard to read a lot of books these days. And the type of critics who write for NYTBR are already fairly well-known and have traditional highbrow tastes. They don't strike me as adventurous readers. It's hard enough just keeping up with what's coming from NY publishers. I suspect the regular critics just never have the time to venture much further. I always got the impression that NYTBR was beholden to NY publishers. (Fun fact: did you know that NY is no longer the second most populated state in the US?). It is unbelievable that Knopf had so many titles. But here are three mitigating factors:

1)Knopf can afford to send out lots of review copies; smaller publishers are not able to (although I suspect most of them still send it to NYTBR–a person can hope after all).

2)Knopf bids on talent. In other words, they no longer discover talent; they just watch out which writers are making money in the minor leagues, and offer them bigger contracts.

3)NYT is clueless about the ebook revolution. That’s where a lot of groundbreaking titles are coming from . NYT is totally blind about this.

4)Groupthink. It’s hard to read a lot of books these days. And the type of critics who write for NYTBR are already fairly well-known and have traditional highbrow tastes. They don’t strike me as adventurous readers. It’s hard enough just keeping up with what’s coming from NY publishers. I suspect the regular critics just never have the time to venture much further.

]]> By: In Which I Talk with Tanenhaus : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits http://www.edrants.com/the-knopf-times-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-250424 In Which I Talk with Tanenhaus : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:18:30 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=9643#comment-250424 [...] was particularly fixated on my “The Knopf Times Book Review” post, in which I had proposed that The New York Times Book Review had been bought and paid for by Knopf. [...] [...] was particularly fixated on my “The Knopf Times Book Review” post, in which I had proposed that The New York Times Book Review had been bought and paid for by Knopf. [...]

]]> By: tom lopy http://www.edrants.com/the-knopf-times-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-249359 tom lopy Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:38:03 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=9643#comment-249359 I agree with the author. It's time to find independent sources for fiction like newfiction.com . It's all about quality. I agree with the author. It’s time to find independent sources for fiction like newfiction.com . It’s all about quality.

]]> By: A Decent Issue of the NYTBR for Once? : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits http://www.edrants.com/the-knopf-times-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-249317 A Decent Issue of the NYTBR for Once? : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits Sat, 13 Dec 2008 05:15:41 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=9643#comment-249317 [...] the issue still carries the stigma of sleazily tendentious decision making, at least it has managed to restore itself with pretty decent [...] [...] the issue still carries the stigma of sleazily tendentious decision making, at least it has managed to restore itself with pretty decent [...]

]]> By: Top Ten Books of 2008 : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits http://www.edrants.com/the-knopf-times-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-249239 Top Ten Books of 2008 : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:17:16 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=9643#comment-249239 [...] will certainly not see the sleazy favoritism practiced by Sam Tanenhaus (I have tried to spread the love across multiple publishers), nor the gutless and tone-deaf choices [...] [...] will certainly not see the sleazy favoritism practiced by Sam Tanenhaus (I have tried to spread the love across multiple publishers), nor the gutless and tone-deaf choices [...]

]]> By: Nathan Hockney http://www.edrants.com/the-knopf-times-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-249181 Nathan Hockney Sat, 06 Dec 2008 20:02:38 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=9643#comment-249181 Say what you want about Knopf, but they do put out a lot more important books than many other publishers. Small presses are good for literature but they don't have the resources to publish as many good books. I tried to send the NYT my top ten list of 2008 but they had already closed the comments. Can I send it to you, Ed? It does have 2 Knopf titles and 8 by major presses. That seems par for the course. Here are my Top Ten Books for 2008: 1. 2666, by Roberto Bolano (FSG) 2. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, David Wroblewski (Ecco) 3. In the Devil’s Territory, by Kyle Minor (Dzanc Books) 4. Unaccustomed Earth, by Jhumpa Lahiri (Knopf) 5. Lush Life, by Richard Price (FSG) 6. Oh, Baby, by Kim Chinquee (Ravenna Press) 7. Our Story Begins, by Tobias Wolff (Knopf) 8. Indignation, by Philip Roth (Houghton Mifflin) 9. Say You’re One of Them, by Uwem Akpan (Little, Brown) 10. Serena, by Ron Rash (Ecco) Say what you want about Knopf, but they do put out a lot more important books than many other publishers. Small presses are good for literature but they don’t have the resources to publish as many good books. I tried to send the NYT my top ten list of 2008 but they had already closed the comments. Can I send it to you, Ed? It does have 2 Knopf titles and 8 by major presses. That seems par for the course.

Here are my Top Ten Books for 2008:

1. 2666, by Roberto Bolano (FSG)
2. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, David Wroblewski (Ecco)
3. In the Devil’s Territory, by Kyle Minor (Dzanc Books)
4. Unaccustomed Earth, by Jhumpa Lahiri (Knopf)
5. Lush Life, by Richard Price (FSG)
6. Oh, Baby, by Kim Chinquee (Ravenna Press)
7. Our Story Begins, by Tobias Wolff (Knopf)
8. Indignation, by Philip Roth (Houghton Mifflin)
9. Say You’re One of Them, by Uwem Akpan (Little, Brown)
10. Serena, by Ron Rash (Ecco)

]]> By: Frances Madeson http://www.edrants.com/the-knopf-times-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-249153 Frances Madeson Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:47:16 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=9643#comment-249153 And The New Yorker is running ads from Monsanto Corporation, buying a one-way ticket into an especially fiery circle of hell. And The New Yorker is running ads from Monsanto Corporation, buying a one-way ticket into an especially fiery circle of hell.

]]> By: James http://www.edrants.com/the-knopf-times-book-review/comment-page-1/#comment-249150 James Thu, 04 Dec 2008 02:58:14 +0000 http://www.edrants.com/?p=9643#comment-249150 So Random House is hermaphroditic? So Random House is hermaphroditic?

]]>