A Conversation with Sheila Kohler on Book Reviews
The National Book Critics Circle has launched a Campaign to Save Book Reviewing. This post is part of the campaign's blog series, which features posts by concerned writers, op-eds, Q and As, and tips about how you can get involved to make sure those same owners and editors know that book sections and book culture matter.NBCC member Heller McAlpin spoke with fiction writer Sheila Kohler about her reactions to the change in book reviews.
Q. As a writer of literary fiction, how important have newspaper reviews of your work been to you? Do you read reviews of your work? Have you ever learned from them?
A. Reviews are extremely important to me as a writer. They are what lets the public know about our books. Without them I don't really see how books could survive. I always read them--even the bad ones, and certainly I have learned from them, if only that different, qualified people have very different ideas about my work.
Q. Does your work get reviewed/discussed much on literary blogs? If so, how do those reviews compare with print reviews of your books?
A.Occasionally someone may mention my books in a blog. I believe the dangers of this indiscriminate reporting on books is that people who have no knowledge of literature can air their views as though they were of value and may influence readers. Critics may not always be right, of course, but at least they have read and studied literature, the great books, and have some outside knowledge to refer to when critiquing our work.
Q. What are your thoughts on what's happening to critical discourse in this country's newspapers?
A. I'm appalled that the review pages are being cut. It means that books are no longer to be taken seriously. What will happen to our children and our children's children without this essential means of getting to know others and themselves?--Heller McAlpin
posted by Jane Ciabattari 8:15:00 PM
10 Comments:
Interesting. "... different QUALIFIED (my emphasis) people have very different views..." but ".. people who have NO KNOWLEDGE (again, my emphasis) of literature can air their views as though they were of value and may influence readers."
So, the only ones who SHOULD influence readers are those who are qualified, having "read and studied literature, the great books," etc. Even though, having done so, they may completely disagree with another qualified individual, thus crossing out the initial qualified individual's influence.
Then there's that other damn confusion when those who are not qualified become qualified due to outside sources, say the Philadelphia Inquirer, or L.A. Times, or Baltimor Sun, etc. giving them credence by soliciting their services in the form of a written review of a book or two. But then what do I, as a reader, do when I see their blogs? Are they still qualified? Or is it only when I see their byline in print?
Oh wait, that's right. Good thing I have a brain and can spend a few minutes actually reading the "indiscriminate reporting on books" by an individual and make my own determination (though, unqualified at that, not having taken more than four or five literature classes in my life) as to whether or not I, again as a reader, find them qualified to my own personal tastes.
Defensive? Probably moreso than necessary, but as a blogger who has stated again and again that I think print reviews are necessary, I'm amazed at the continuous ridiculous blanket statements being made. I mean, I think there are some disastrous NBCC members in terms of their reviews. And there are certainly a few book pages that are on the verge of embarrassing - but I would NEVER make a blanket statement based on those few that claimed anything close to "Critics may not always be right, of course, but at least they have read and studied literature, the great books, and have some outside knowledge to refer to when critiquing our work."
Regarding blogs that review or mention books...It's a shame that Sheila Kohler has the attitude that there is a "danger" in blogs indiscriminately reporting on books. While a thoughtful review is always nice, first and foremost it is the mention of the book itself--whether in a newspaper, magazine, on the radio or television or, indeed, on a blog or website--that is most important. It allows the book to become known in a very crowded marketplace.
Also, if a person reads a book and enjoys it or dislikes it isn't that person entitled to an opinion even if he or she doesn't have a PhD in literature or extensive experience as a reviewer? And shouldn't that person be allowed to express his or her opinion (good or bad) to others who are interested in hearing it?
It's unfortunate when authors have such elitist attitudes. It doesn't do the book business any favors, and it only alienates more people.
I think as long as book reviews are positive, mature and written with prospective, even if a critic doesn't think the book is all that great, that will make a significant difference in what we get out of reviews. I have found some negative criticism and immature reviews by some critics, for instance; rambling on with a bunch of mambo jumbo. These are major things that turn me off. And I think that as long as a book review is written in prospective, language is to the point, word choices are entertaining, that will make reviews more meanful.
How statements like those made in this interview are going to help the cause of the NBCC is beyond me.
i definitely take issue with kohler's implication that the only views of any "value" are those of the qualified experts.
look, if the goal of book reviews is to get lots of people talking about books--including "unqualified" people--well and good; i'm all for them. and i would hope that there is room for both online reviews (yes, including blogs) and print reviews in this sphere. if, however, the purpose of book reviews is only to spark conversations at some intellectually elite level, with the trickle-down effect of just making sure the poor unliterary proles at the bottom do nothing beyond forking over the cash for the books that have been reviewed while keeping their indiscriminate mouths shut (unless they can echo the thoroughly expert opinions found in print reviews!), then i can't really get onboard.
i'm willing to give kohler the benefit of the doubt that she didn't mean anything so ludicrous by her statement. still, implications can trump the best intentions!
Many people have commented here and emailed me privately, complaining about Sheila's statements about litblogs ... Just to remind everyone: All opinions posted here are the poster's. They're not those of the NBCC or the Critical Mass bloggers as a whole. We invite a huge range of people to contribute here, and with that, we get a huge range of opinions. Our attitude about posts is the same as our attitude about comments: We don't censor them. If someone we invite to post here has something negative to say about litblogs, we'll post it just like we approve comments critical of print reviews or the NBCC.
Personally, I agree with some of the complaints I've been hearing about the anti-blog sentiment in this post. As anyone who's a regular Critical Mass reader knows, I'm a huge fan of lit blogs (which is why I started this one in the first place), and I think the whole print vs. litblog thing is pointless.
The way I see it, complaining about lit blogs is akin to complaining about the advent of the telephone, the internet, the BlackBerry ... technology advances and brings with it many wonderful opportunities. And plenty of headaches. What you get from it depends on what you put into it, how open you are to change, and how willing you are to work around the headaches (it's true, there are many mediocre and bad blogs out there, but that doesn't mean they're all bad. Far from it, actually). Litblogs offer an endless new platform for talking about books, sharing books, keeping books alive ... That's a good thing.
Ms. Kohler: I have a Master's Degree in literature. I have studied the "great books." This doesn't make me any smarter than Mr. Wickett, or Ed Champion, or any of the other passionately committed readers blogging out here in the 'sphere.
Rebecca: Amen! Our society is divided enough without lovers of books engaging in infighting.
I've just posted about this. I've communicated with Sheila Kohler about how people are reacting to her dismissive words about blogs. She said that she hadn't meant to offend people, can see how her choice of words was unfortunate and has great deal of respect for many bloggers.
Can't wait to read some of her books but sadly never heard of here in the UK and seems likely to stay that way because blogs have become the very best way to get your books known these days.Cheapest marketing and PR strategy ever invented, I don't hear the publishers crying over it all.
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