Littell to American booksellers: Good luck

He got a reputed $1 million from HarperCollins for his book The Kindly Ones, and anyone walking into a bookstore anywhere in America during the last few days can see booksellers have been pressured to invest heavily in it — there are huge stacks of the 1,000 page tome everywhere, in shocking numbers given the recession. Unfortunately, however, the book hasn’t been fairing so well with American critics so far — see, for example, this devastating review by David Gates from yesterday’s New York Times Book Review, the second in the paper, after this take-out from Michiko Kakutani. (Of course, HarperCollins has nonetheless done what only big publishers can do, which is pressure the Times into making up for those reviews with a series of features on the book, such as this one in which Motoko Rich hails HarperCollins for their bravery in publishing such a book.)

Which has all led many to ask where is author Jonathan Littell? Isn’t he going to come to the US to support the book and his publishers and the booksellers who have invested in him so heavily? In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, book reporter Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg puts that precise question to Littell, who answers, “No. I don’t do that kind of thing. I don’t consider it my job.” He says this in an interview, which he says is not part of his job, which is — oh, never mind.

Dennis Johnson is the founder of MobyLives, and the co-founder and co-publisher of Melville House.

8 Comments

Lugnut at 10:23 am on March 9, 2009

That photo that accompanies the Motoko Rich article shows Littel sitting in a chair, backed by bookcases, with a microphone in his hand. Now unless he was at home, taking a break from karaoke, I suspect he has done at least one reading somewhere.
Lugnut at 10:23 am on March 9, 2009

That photo that accompanies the Motoko Rich article shows Littel sitting in a chair, backed by bookcases, with a microphone in his hand. Now unless he was at home, taking a break from karaoke, I suspect he has done at least one reading somewhere.
Dennis Johnson at 10:28 am on March 10, 2009

Yes, and then there’s the fact that he’s giving an interview to a major publication wherein he’s saying that he doesn’t do that sort of thing. So, he’s a hypocrite and/or a poor wordsmith. In any event, and completely regardless of whether the book is any good or not, the point is that he’s taken a clear and forceful public pose in opposition to supporting a book many have invested heavily in, and in fact considers all such beneath him. It’s a pose I think it’s going to be hard for him to maintain once the reviews and the features about the reviews end.
Dennis Johnson at 10:28 am on March 10, 2009

Yes, and then there’s the fact that he’s giving an interview to a major publication wherein he’s saying that he doesn’t do that sort of thing. So, he’s a hypocrite and/or a poor wordsmith. In any event, and completely regardless of whether the book is any good or not, the point is that he’s taken a clear and forceful public pose in opposition to supporting a book many have invested heavily in, and in fact considers all such beneath him. It’s a pose I think it’s going to be hard for him to maintain once the reviews and the features about the reviews end.
Rufus at 10:16 pm on March 12, 2009

Littell said, â€œNo, I donâ€™t do that kind of thingâ€ in answer to the question, “Will you come to the U.S. to promote your book?” He didn’t deny that he gives interviews and readings but, instead, denied that he travels to the US to do so. What’s wrong with that? Lots of US writers don’t travel overseas to promote their work.
Rufus at 10:16 pm on March 12, 2009

Littell said, “No, I don’t do that kind of thing” in answer to the question, “Will you come to the U.S. to promote your book?” He didn’t deny that he gives interviews and readings but, instead, denied that he travels to the US to do so. What’s wrong with that? Lots of US writers don’t travel overseas to promote their work.
Dennis Johnson at 10:36 pm on March 12, 2009

You don’t quote him in full — he goes on to say, “I don’t consider it my job.” He clearly means promotion is not something he does. That’s highly unusual. In fact, it’s standard to have a clause in an author contract saying the author will help to promote a book. It’s especially standard for contracts worth so much money.

And American authors don’t go to foreign countries to support their books? Simply not true. They do all the time — especially when they’re getting a million dollars.
Dennis Johnson at 10:36 pm on March 12, 2009

You don’t quote him in full — he goes on to say, “I don’t consider it my job.” He clearly means promotion is not something he does. That’s highly unusual. In fact, it’s standard to have a clause in an author contract saying the author will help to promote a book. It’s especially standard for contracts worth so much money.

And American authors don’t go to foreign countries to support their books? Simply not true. They do all the time — especially when they’re getting a million dollars.

Melville House Books

March 8, 2009

Littell to American booksellers: Good luck

by Dennis Johnson