It’s a big day here: CLUTTER: AN UNTIDY HISTORY is out in the world! I can’t wait for you to read it. As you can see, Irene and Allie are pretty excited too. Don’t let them have all the fun. Order your own copy now! (PSA: If you order a copy directly from Belt, you’ll… Continue reading »
Archives for Publish or Perish
Best in Show 2017
Happy 2018. We’re still here, aren’t we, and that’s something, the way the world’s going. Kudos to us all for hanging in there. At year’s end/beginning, I’ve seen a number of journalists doing “My year in stories” roundups. I considered that–I wrote a lot of stories this year!–but am not sure I have the energy… Continue reading »
Back on the Beat
I pulled off a hat trick of stories last week, all on the library/publishing beat. For Slate’s Future Tense, I wrote about “The Copyright Mavericks,” including the Internet Archive’s Sonny Bono Memorial Collection and other recent library-driven experiments in freeing up scanned and in-copyright content for library patrons to research and enjoy. For EdSurge, I… Continue reading »
“The End of Men,” or What Makes a Book Big?
I wasn’t going to write any more about Hanna Rosin’s new book, The End of Men. I already had my say. But the book and the response to it has got me thinking about what counts as a Big Book. Consider this a postscript to my WaPo review. If you follow bookish or pop-culture chatter… Continue reading »
When Being a “Valuable Asset” Isn’t Good Enough
When word got out in early May that Louisiana State University might slash its press’s subsidy as a result of the state’s budget contraction, Michael V. Martin, chancellor of the Baton Rouge campus, issued a brief written statement. For those who admire the press, it was not very reassuring: “We hope the governor and our… Continue reading »
