More than glossy dust covers
Having read a certain number of books along the way, I do realize that books aren’t harvested in a literary vineyard. There are companies that take care of the details, and then they sell the product to a bookstore or a library near you. Or to Amazon. Like I say, I’ve got the system figured out.
Or do I? We are living in another binge-watch. This time around, the series Younger, which tries to glamorize the whole model of growing literature. And if the TV series can be trusted, it’s just as nasty as any other industry. Warring editors, trying to raid the next “big thing”. People that are in need of reading a good book. And so much more. Of course, they all have perfect faces, and their clothes are never tattered or torn. Just like a newly printed book, actually.
My suspicion is that this is a version of the world that hardly matches reality. Just like any other show that wants to keep my attention until the next ad break. I mean, we know that in the world of sports, there’s a high level of BO. In the world of music, a high level of bad sound. In the restaurants of reality, too much of what we learn from watching that guy that hates cooks (but not cooking); you know the one… Ramsay…
Of course, I still dine out (very occasionally), and I do enjoy visiting bookstores. Even the used ones, where the shine is gone from the dust cover photos. Sports? No idea. Not part of my interest, once we set aside curling. Just to say that even if the publishing world is icky, a good book will distract me, every time.
