Books on the Nightstand discussion
What do you want us to talk/write about?
Linda wrote: "OK, why does an author need different editors in each country? "
One reason that I can think of is that we like to think of the British and ourselves as sharing the same culture; but there is often enough of a variation in even the quotidian vocabulary to make a difference. Besides vocabulary, the way single and double quotation marks is different, decimals and commas, even what constitutes the number of "one-million." It's all the little things that add up and that can distract from the story. One example is the writing of R.J. Ellory. Ellory is a British writer who sets his books in the U.S. All well and good until the detective pulls out his pocketbook to display his badge! A good editor would catch that. In the UK, "pocketbook" makes sense; here "wallet" works better.
Outside of the British-American comparison, some things just don't translate one-to-one or in the same mode/tone. The French don't "do laundry" and we don't "fait du ski." Trying to find the words that will most closely convey the meaning and intent of the original is a "smudgy" process and why different translations can say completely opposite things! In War and Peace, Prince Andrei's son, Anatole, is in different translations sometimes the younger son and sometimes the elder. It makes a difference in the reading if only because the worldview of younger sons is vastly different than that of the older sons. An editor would be able to provide oversight within the translation.
I don't know about title changes; but I've heard that the difference is cover art can be a matter of expense. It's sometimes less expensive for the US publisher to acquire the rights to new cover art than it is to purchase the rights to the UK artwork.
One reason that I can think of is that we like to think of the British and ourselves as sharing the same culture; but there is often enough of a variation in even the quotidian vocabulary to make a difference. Besides vocabulary, the way single and double quotation marks is different, decimals and commas, even what constitutes the number of "one-million." It's all the little things that add up and that can distract from the story. One example is the writing of R.J. Ellory. Ellory is a British writer who sets his books in the U.S. All well and good until the detective pulls out his pocketbook to display his badge! A good editor would catch that. In the UK, "pocketbook" makes sense; here "wallet" works better.
Outside of the British-American comparison, some things just don't translate one-to-one or in the same mode/tone. The French don't "do laundry" and we don't "fait du ski." Trying to find the words that will most closely convey the meaning and intent of the original is a "smudgy" process and why different translations can say completely opposite things! In War and Peace, Prince Andrei's son, Anatole, is in different translations sometimes the younger son and sometimes the elder. It makes a difference in the reading if only because the worldview of younger sons is vastly different than that of the older sons. An editor would be able to provide oversight within the translation.
I don't know about title changes; but I've heard that the difference is cover art can be a matter of expense. It's sometimes less expensive for the US publisher to acquire the rights to new cover art than it is to purchase the rights to the UK artwork.
Mod
One reason that I can think of is that we like to think of the British and ourselves as sharing the same culture; but..."
Many good points, Tanya. I'm sure if my brain hadn't been baked by the heat and trying to finish the book for my book discussion tonight (done!) I might have thought of one or two of those reasons.
Thank you.
Mod
How about...what is considered great literature might just be a matter of opinion :)
Ann wrote: "The British/American editor thing is a topic I want to explore on a podcast at some point, with an editor who can speak to it. I've always wondered about that myself."
Oooh! What about Katie A. nee Henderson (I can't remember her married name right now for the life of me! It begins with an A...)
Oooh! What about Katie A. nee Henderson (I can't remember her married name right now for the life of me! It begins with an A...)
Good morning!First, I saw this and thought of you, Ann: http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/20... This is an article, with the movie trailer imbedded
Second, and on topic, I find myself reading in bunches, generally topic bunches. I'll read several books in a row that take place in a boarding school, for example, or are set around weddings. One of my kids is very interested in architecture, and I remember being mesmerized by The Fountainhead and The Pillars of the Earth. Can anyone recommend other fiction books about architecture/ architects? Thanks :)
Ashley FL wrote: "Can anyone recommend other fiction books about architecture/ architects? Thanks :) "
The Women (a novel by T.C. Boyle) is about Frank Lloyd Wright as seen through four women in FLW's life :-)
The Women (a novel by T.C. Boyle) is about Frank Lloyd Wright as seen through four women in FLW's life :-)
Tanya/dog eared copy wrote: "Ashley FL wrote: "Can anyone recommend other fiction books about architecture/ architects? Thanks :) "The Women (a novel by T.C. Boyle) is about Frank Lloyd Wright as seen through four women in ..." Ah, yes, and Loving Frank. I am one who compulsively finishes books, but I have to admit that I couldn't finish Loving Frank. What a jerk. Blech. My daughter and I recently put together the Falling Waters Lego set and the book has a lot of history on FLW and quotes from him -- he was brilliant, but a total loon!
Architects in fiction often are jerks... aaaand sometimes in real life too. I'm an architect, and hopefully not a jerk, but a lot of my professors and principals I've met in my career are pretty arrogant... Anyway, the only one I could think of that hasn't already been listed was Amy Waldman's 'The Submission'. I didn't love it or hate it, but I tend to feel a lot of those books hit a little close to home for me.
That's the twin towers book, right? I had forgotten about that one. I need to track it down!There is a podcast idea: how various professions view themselves in literature. I am a lawyer and by and large, lawyers seems to really enjoy books, movies & television about lawyers. Doctors?? Not so much. They seem very irritated about the innacuracies (and I have many of these in my family).
Right now I mediate full-time and I have to admit, I gave up on the USA show about the mediator. Mostly because she is NOT a mediator. Mediators are impartial, do no investigation on their own, etc. And, I am jealous of her shoes and fabulous assistant ;) Maybe what I need is to find a *book* about a mediator!
So I am always interested to hear whether people enjoy "reading their profession."
Mod
Ooh, this is a great topic for a call in show!
I had a friend at work who was married to a NYPD cop. He refused to read any kind of crime novel because the inaccuracies drove him crazy.
Hmmmm....does this the mean that authors are not doing enough research? Or is it just they need to alter the facts to make the stories more interesting?
Mod
or showing too many warts?
I am an optimist, so I think that with some professions (like cops) there are probably huge differences in protocol from one city to another, one type of crime to another, etc. And sometimes it is just artistic license.I am sure that sometimes it just laziness, or not understanding something.
i think it's maybe smart of professionals that will critize to stay away from books that feature a lawyer, doctor, etc. if they will look for flaws in the presentation of the material. it definitely takes away from enjoying the book.i'm a teacher and my experience is in public school. i think most books i've read with a teacher as a protagonist i can typically relate to regardless of time period.
Becky wrote: "Muffysbookclub© wrote: "Hello There I was hoping you could do a program (chosen from shortlisted books of 2011 & 2012) on short but "Must Read" Novels (example- The Sense of an Ending, which I'm ..."
Thank you kindly for your recommendations-definitely noted and will get onto reading them-can't wait!Have an amazing day : )
Muffysbookclub© wrote: "Becky wrote: "Muffysbookclub© wrote: "Hello There I was hoping you could do a program (chosen from shortlisted books of 2011 & 2012) on short but "Must Read" Novels (example- The Sense of an Endi..."
Just thought of another one for you....
what about a program that focuses on regional literature? it could be southern, new england, pacific coast, midwest, alaskan. there are many writers from different areas of the country that i am yet to discover and this might be a good way to learn about some good reads.
I adore your podcast and have read many of your recommendations. But I'd like an episode about well reviewed books that you just didn't like at all (and wondered what all the hoopla was about).
Mod
oo oo oo, yeah!
How many attempts will you give a book before you say never mind? There are a few books I have tried at least 3 or 4 times to read but because life gets in the way I'm never able to get far enough in to decide if its worth my time or not.
Ashley wrote: "How many attempts will you give a book before you say never mind? There are a few books I have tried at least 3 or 4 times to read but because life gets in the way I'm never able to get far enough ..."I have come across books like that too, and listening to them on tape is the best solution that I have come up with. Sometimes it helps to hear the words read by someone else so you can hear the inflections in their voice, it can make the words come across differently. Also, it helps you get past those dull spots where you have put the book down in the past.
Elizabeth wrote: "what about a program that focuses on regional literature? it could be southern, new england, pacific coast, midwest, alaskan. there are many writers from different areas of the country that i am ye..."I vote for this!
I don't think this could be a show topic but I am interested to hear what others think of this. Do you think writers read? I have friended (new verb for social media...lol) more than a couple of authors on Goodreads and when I look to see what they are reading it's usually something they added ages ago. Does that mean they don't read very much or does it just mean they don't update their Goodreads like the rest of us? I know they're active because they continue to add friends. It would seem to me that reading would be absolutely necessary for a writer to learn their craft but on the other hand I know that, although I am an avid reader, it doesn't follow that I can write. If writers are reading and not updating, it seems that they are missing a valuable avenue for connecting with their readers. Any thoughts on this?
I can't remember if you've covered this before, but I was curious about speculative fiction- what is it, what are some examples, etc. Thanks!
Mod
My feelings are that writers read as much as many of us, perhaps not when they are in the thick of their own work, but read they do.
I understand your question though, as I see much of the same as you. Some writers would like to have a presence on GoodReads, perhaps thinking it will pitch their book. They start an account and then don't have time to keep up their list. I have friends like this too. Life gets in the way.
I want to know more about my favorite authors and social media has allowed for more poking into their personal lives. I would like to know what authors they are reading and what books excited them.
Some use this venue very well to track their reading. Others don't.
I'll be interested to hear what others have to say on this topic and perhaps we'll even get some good examples of each side of the coin.
I have wondered if authors are wary of doing true reviews on Goodreads. I've noticed that most don't update, and I think that if I were an author, I wouldn't want to give any bad, or even luke-warm, reviews to other authors. Professional courtesy -- and a sense of empathy.I signed up for a newsletter recently and it is put out by a group of cozy mystery writers. Imagine my surprise when I start getting Facebook friend requests and whatnot. I love learning what is going on with their books, but now I feel guilty about not loving all of their books :(
Mod
A few years ago I attended a book signing by Anna Quindlen. This was before I knew about Books on the Nightstand so I felt as if I had, for the first time, found a kindred spirit when she told us that being on the road wasn't about fearing running out of clothes. Instead she was concerned about running out of something to read - books - while she traveled.
I have seen other authors who have readily listed other authors they read.
It would be wonderful if you could do a podcast on the best short story writers out there right now...and who is publishing their work! I usually only hear about great short story writers from other writers and think that they remain greatly underappreciated in the USA (don't know about UK).
You guys talk a lot about supporting your local bookstore, but what about local libraries? are you guys fans of the library, or do you buy all your books? I love to own books, but I get a huge pleasure out of the library as well. Maybe you've addressed this in an episode I haven't heard. If so let me know!
Mod
Marchelle, both! We've got a lot of fans of libraries and even librarians who listen, Plus I'm a proud card-carrying supporter of my own library.
It may be a bit early to plan but are you guys planning another episode devoted toward fall fiction? Other than Justin Cronin's The Passage sequel, I'm not sure what's coming out this fall.
Mod
I couldn't be as well-read without my library. I have cards to 8 different libraries in Ohio. I can't afford all the new titles on my pension.
Linda wrote: "Marchelle wrote: "You guys talk a lot about supporting your local bookstore, but what about local libraries? are you guys fans of the library, or do you buy all your books? I love to own books, but..."I'm a library card collector too! (I only have 6 though!) I currently live in Paris, and English books here are expensive. I have a subscription to the American Library, which you have to pay for, but has already paid for itself in savings.
Mod
I'm a lifetime card carrying member of Connecticut libraries. After many years and lots of work by committees, you only need a card from your hometown library to be able to use virtually any public library (except 1 or 2) in the state! Best bargain out there in my opinion. Book lovers, as we are, find our books in many places, budgeting our book dollars as best we can. My public library helps me stay within a reasonable expenditure for my passion.
I do support independent book stores too as I understand their importance to the whole picture and hate to see the demise of some wonderful establishments.
My Phoenix library is wonderful. They have a generous loan policy of 30 items with 6 renewals (if not on hold) and they allow you to have 6 items on hold at any given time. They have also been very helpful to me with getting items on interlibrary loan and have even ordered items that I have requested.I think publishers and independent bookstores need to focus their marketing efforts on literacy programs. The best way to increase sales is to broaden the base of buyers. People who are already avid readers are probably not going to increase their buying habits by a lot.
Janet wrote: "My Phoenix library is wonderful. They have a generous loan policy of 30 items with 6 renewals (if not on hold) and they allow you to have 6 items on hold at any given time. They have also been ver..."I have a card for the New Castle Library system but I rarely use it despite most of the branches being less than 30 minutes from my home( I am a sad sack for sure). Our county system looks pretty successful because of total support from our county government.
I should use it more.ger
Mod
. I had seen that cover before! Need help? try
. I figure it must be a stock photo, but I've never seen this before. Explanation?
There's an entire website dedicated to the re-use of the same images (photos and/or original artwork) for very different books. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find it. Anybody out there remember its name?
I'm not sure if this has been suggested before and I'm pretty sure it hasn't been discussed, but I just finished "The Age of Miracles" and noted there were four out of the nine "advanced praise reviews" were people she had thanked in the acknowledgements. Two were former teachers. I've seen this more and more lately and I'm curious about this practice and if it's the norm in the publishing world. To me it sort of seems like getting your friends to write a good review for you, but I could be totally off the mark.The other thing that I've wondered and thought you two would be the ones to explain this is how does the Library of Congress cataloging work? Again, in "The Age of Miracles" they had it catagorized as "Families-California-Fiction;" and "Earthquakes-Fiction." There was a very minor earthquake in the book, it really didn't play a big role. How are the categories chosen and who selects them? I'm one of those book nerds who actually reads the inside pages, but it's always been a mystery to me! :-)
Thank you!
Chris
I read in an article in the Ottawa Citizen this week, reprinted from the London Times, that users of e-readers sign agreements with publishers and booksellers to provide them with data on their reading habits--what they read, how far they get, what they highlight! I haven't yet ventured into e-reader territory, but this definitely put me off. I don't mind using a loyalty card that lets the grocery store know what food I buy, but letting a corporation know what I highlight? A little too creepy for me.I'd like to know what users of e-readers think.
At ottawacitizen.com search for "E-readers bringing booksellers into your bedroom".
Mod
I don't remember agreeing to anything like that before I started the book I'm presently reading which is library-loaned kindle book that I'm reading on my iPad.
Why not cover some of the best Maeve Binchy novels or short stories on your show? She wrote well about women and friendship. Even before the term "chick lit" became omnipresent, she carved out a niche portraying strong female characters in the vivid setting of Ireland.PS-Loved your show on "Book Snobbery." I've been guilty of it with Twilight myself :)
Hey All, I am sure someone - in fact I think I saw it way back in an April comment - has already suggested INSPIRATIONAL books?
I lead a handful of book clubs, one in a women's county jail, another in a charter high school for at-risk kids and a few others for disadvantaged folks. There seems to be a trend of gritty darkness in fiction, no?
Even Sense of an Ending, which was a wonderfully tasty, chew of a read may leave one feeling a bit melancholy... Let's have a BOTNS show about books that inspire us!
Mod
1. Most ebooks are only $1 - $2 cheaper than their physical counterparts.
2. Most publishers don't allow lending of the ebook I've paid good money ..."
Ohio libraries have the Ohio eBook project. It is a uni died effort, so the books are only loaned for two weeks with no renewal.
has almost 1500 people waiting for it. Also there some free kindle books (iqreader.com) and Barnes and Noble has free nook book Friday where they offer one book each week. It's something.
Linda wrote: "This topic presented itself in my e-mail: A friend put me on to a site that e-mails me lists of Free Kindle books in a newsletter every day. I was scrolling down the list today to see a book [book..."
@Linda, The artwork for History of a Pleasure Seeker and Goldsmith's Return is Rene Magritte's *Portrait d'Edward James" (1937.) The rights of the artwork are not held by the publisher or author; but are used by express permission from the rights holder. The painting was not created as exclusive art for a book cover nor was it commissioned by a publisher for commercial purposes; so the rights holder can grant permission per negotiated terms. Neither Knopf/Random House or Richard Mason, could negotiate exclusivity on a major piece of work as such.
@Linda, The artwork for History of a Pleasure Seeker and Goldsmith's Return is Rene Magritte's *Portrait d'Edward James" (1937.) The rights of the artwork are not held by the publisher or author; but are used by express permission from the rights holder. The painting was not created as exclusive art for a book cover nor was it commissioned by a publisher for commercial purposes; so the rights holder can grant permission per negotiated terms. Neither Knopf/Random House or Richard Mason, could negotiate exclusivity on a major piece of work as such.
Christine wrote: "I adore your podcast and have read many of your recommendations. But I'd like an episode about well reviewed books that you just didn't like at all (and wondered what all the hoopla was about)."Yes! What a fabulous idea. Movie critics do this all the time. Maureen Corrigan also does this for books in her segments on Fresh Air. Often, my opinion of a popular, well-reviewed book is the polar opposite of critics and other readers, and I've wondered "is there something wrong with me?", "Am I missing the point?"
This may be a silly question and everyone else may already know the answer, but I was listening to a podcast the other day and the presenter made a distinction between literary fiction and contemporary fiction. What is the difference and how do you go about classifying fiction into one category or the other? Or, multiple other categories of fiction?!
Mod
Haven't a clue. I believe there is literary fiction that is contemporary. Probably this podcaster meant something else entirely. Maybe someone else can shed light on this statement.
Books on the Nightstand
Books mentioned in this topic
The Looking-Glass Sisters (other topics)Leviathan Wakes (other topics)
The Glass Room (other topics)
The Invisible Bridge (other topics)
Ancillary Justice (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Annie Dillard (other topics)Lia Purpura (other topics)
Joni Tevis (other topics)
Athol Dickson (other topics)
Mark Helprin (other topics)
More...
OK, why does an author need different editors in each country?