Critical Linking: February 18, 2012

  “After apologizing for eavesdropping, voicing the usual disclaimers (“it may not be for me”), and clarifying that she only worked with YA and children’s writers, Levin learned not only that the book was indeed intended for the YA audience, but also that the manuscript was already with an agent, Kate Lee at ICM, who intended to send it out that very week. Levin handed Purcell her card and was contacted by the agent the next morning. Within a week, Levin read the manuscript and bought the book.” Great, just great. My F train commute, already lousy with wannabe writers, is going to get a whole lot chattier. ____________________________ “Goodreads Recommendations are “designed to hit the mid-list sweet spot,” books that are not big, popular titles. “Avid” readers—which Goodreads defines as people who read at least 49 books per year, or about one a week—are more likely to discover books through Goodreads Recommendations than “casual” readers, who read a book a month or less.” How people decide to read which books to read is as fascinating to me as it is inscrutable, like quantum physics or how well Jason Sudeikis does with the ladies. ____________________________ “But are these old habits essential? Mightn’t they actually be distracting us from the written word itself? Weren’t there perhaps specific pleasures when reading on parchment scroll that we know nothing of and have lived happily without?” All heed the rule of three: three rhetorical questions and your argument is out. ____________________________ “I have seen it and it’s great. The most interesting thing happening in storytelling right now is probably in American TV series. Breaking Bad–” Fine, Jo Nesbo, fine. Fine. I’ll watch damn Breaking Bad. Now everyone can shut up about it.