introducing readers to writers since 1995
September 27, 2004
And Don't Forget Castaneda, Even Though He's Dead
by Ron HoganWashington Post reporter Linton Weeks wonders why Americans haven't embraced Paulo Coelho. I've said it before, but that was six months ago, so I'll say it again: we already have Tom Robbins, Robert Pirsig and Richard Bach, so what do we need with Coelho? Still, the handful of fans he has in the States can be awfully cute with their pretensions:
"Nearly everyone I have referred The Alchemist to has loved it."... A few readers have felt that Coelho's story was simplistic, Petersen says, "but they just didn't get it."
Yeah, Lord knows it can be hard to "get" groundbreakingly original concepts like "following your dream." Maybe what Coelho needs is to rip off another tried-and-true formula for success in the guru-author field: six hours with Bill Moyers and a camera.
Dear Beatrice, Is USA literary insularity restricted to The Alchemist and its author alone?
Posted by: Corinna Hasofferett at September 27, 2004 03:25 PMProbably not. I'm sure there's plenty of authors scattered around the world that Americans just haven't "gotten" for one reason or another. Though I would propose that if "insularity" keeps people from appreciating Coelho, it's not out of fear of the literary but rather a surplus of the mediocre and trite.
By the way, I'd recommend that anyone who wants a real taste of what Ms. Hasofferett's blog is about visit this page instead. Apparently she's a highly regarded author in Israel, though not yet published in America as far as I can tell.
Posted by: editor at September 27, 2004 04:39 PM
Well than we might call it "trite & mediocracy insularity"?
As you've justly mentioned, such one does flourish in USA as well, so I would expect those everhungry for the trite to develop an international taste...
On a second thought: The trite is reassuring in its repetitive non-surprising patterns.
I'm wondering, Is there already a term for literary xenophobia?
Complemented by another fear - of the publisher: "Foreign books don't sell."
Still I think there is a change of tide. I remember visits to USA bookstores in 1989, and then insularity seemed to be prominent overall.
Thank you for mentioning my blog. The link today is to my website as well.
Thank you for your own blog. It's refreshing.
Corinna
your PayPal donation
can contribute towards its ongoing publication.
