Daniel Ross Goodman added this postscript to his opinion piece that the authorized Philip Roth biography should not be judged by its author or subject, and that readers and scholars ought to have access to the book.
Postscript: On May 17th, it was announced that Skyhorse Publishing had acquired Philip Roth: The Biography, and that it intends to begin distributing it in paperback, e-book, and audiobook formats on June 15. Informing the press of its decision, Tom Lyons, the president of Skyhorse, stated that “a biography must be judged by the quality of the writing, the importance of the subject matter, and the value of the scholarship,” and that its editors had concluded that [Blake] Bailey’s book met these criteria. “This is obviously an important and comprehensive book about an author The New Yorker called a ‘literary genius,’ said Lyons. “I’m proud to publish it.”
Read more at the paper of moderately capitalist record.
Although I don't plan on reading this book, I'm glad I stuck with Bailey's Charles Jackson biography. It would appeal to anyone interested in alcoholism, AA, fleeting fame, obscurity, writers in Hollywood, pre-Stonewall sexual identities, and much more.
Published on May 27, 2021 17:56
