It was all going so swimmingly. A great literary wave of “one-city, one-book”, rolling east from its inspired beginning in Seattle. Along the way, sweeping cities like Chicago and Milwaulkee up in the communal thrill of a good, shared, book. Then came New York, and this wave of enthusiasm, crashed upon a great seawall of political correctness and committee squabbling.
It was only ever meant to be a good chance to read together, but many people see the “one book” exercise as a chance to correct social ills, settle community controversy and make it all seem like a grade six, slap you on the back of the hand, english class where no one’s having fun. Yuck. So lets talk about it. Together.
Guests:
Nancy Pearl, director of the Washington Center for the Book at the Seattle Public Library
David Guterson, author of “Snow Falling on Cedars”
Heather Hathaway, professor of English and Ethnic Studies at Marquette University, and member of book selection committee in Milwaukee
Harold Bloom, Yale and NYU professor and author, most recently, of “Stories and Poems for Extremely Intelligent Children of All Ages.”