This week we’ll use our blogs to think about life narratives and the global marketplace for personal stories, or rather, for some personal stories. We’ll take up Gillian Whitlock’s challenge (below) and look at how publishers and bookstores promote life narratives – typically classified as “autobiography” or “memoir,” but they use other terms too (and pay attention to what those terms are).
In Soft Weapons: Autobiography in Transit, Gillian Whitlock urges scholars to attend to the material conditions of life narratives, how they are produced and consumed as commodities. Whitlock notes, “Bookshops—real and virtual—are a reminder that critics of the contemporary must hold things together: books on the shelf, production and consumption, addressee and addressor” (15). She issues this particular challenge:
Walk into a bookstore in the affluent West, look at the shelves and assess the packages of life narrative in block displays for special promotion, in seasonal and topical arrangements, or just in the alphabetical order of “nonfiction.” Attend to the glossy materiality of “look” and feel. Peel away the layers of peritext: the covers, introductions, acknowledgements, dedications, blurbs. Add this to your ongoing immersion in epitexts: reviews and criticism across various mass media, movements of the celebrity circuit; the book prizes and the calendar of literary festivals. The questions to ask here are simple: Who is getting to speak autobiographically, how, and why? To what effect? What becomes a best-seller, and what is remaindered or republished? How do these solicit our attention? What kinds of engagement come into play? How do these appeal to readers, and what kind of consumers are we asked to become? Log onto Amazon.com and cruise around a cybermarket, one that includes all kinds of qualitative and quantitative information about how life narratives are being consumed and cataloged now. (14)
For your blog post, go to a virtual and a real bookstore, following Whitlock’s instructions. Then pick 1 life narrative and look at its particular marketing: what does the jacket look like? Who is quoted on the cover (the “blurbs”)? How is described? You might also look at reviews or ratings of the text (e.g., online reviews). Then, in your post, write about what you’ve seen and read about, and suggest what you find significant about what you are observing. (In other words, don’t stop at description: what matters about what you describe?) You might find it helpful, in thinking about significance, to work with one or more of Whitlock’s questions in the passage above. Work within the 300-500 word range. Be sure to use reporting expressions, links, and citation. Note: this work could be taken up again in your term research paper…
In response to Zoey: I am shamed to admit that I haven’t actually seen the cover of Anna Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl until I read your blog post. Your analysis of the cover reminded me of Will’s analysis of Barack Obama’s The Audacity of Hope, Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream. Together. Obama and Frank are prominent figures in American history but both of them can be seen smiling without showing their teeth. Whenever I see a closed mouth smile, I think that that person isn’t particularly joyous or filled with energy; he or she has serene energy around him or her and there’s a sense of maturity present as well. Having an understanding of both Obama’s and Frank’s history, I can see why the publisher chose those specific photos to be the cover of each respected memoir.
In response to Mishal: Princess: A True Story of Life Behind a Veil in Saudi Arabia reminds me of an ethnography I once read called Guests of the Sheik. Guests of the Sheik centers around a group of women living in an Iraqi Village under Sheik rule and you would assume that it’s going to be an oppressing story but in reality it reveals how these women made the best of out their situation and lead fun lives. I saw a connection between these two stories because although they reveal two opposing sides of women’s lives in that area of the world, they do represent the realities of their position.
In response to Colleen: I didn’t think about the cover of autobiographies and the strategic technique behind them until reading your blog post. It does make sense that the autobiographies of well-known people have their image plastered on the front but now that I am think about it, that method won’t exactly produce the same results for less-known people. In my response to Mishal, I spoke about the ethnography Guests of the Sheik. Its cover is three women, all wearing black burqas and walking down a road. The identities of these women are unknown and as a result, this adds an air of mystery but also promotes the fact that while they
aren’t wordily recognized, they are still willing to share their narrative with the world.
In response to Chipo’s blog post: I loved your post about life narratives. I definitely agree with you that empowerment is definitely both a brilliant selling point as well as a reason as to why people get a chance to speak and tell their story. However, is because of her accomplishment of being the first woman to attempt to climb Everest, or is it the idea that if she achieved it, others might be able to as well that cause this empowerment. Do powerful life narratives only come from those who’ve achieved great things or is it experience that makes for a good life narrative? We’ve seen and read many stories of those who’ve accomplished great things, but what of those with the experience otherwise?
In response to Blakely’s blog post: Starting off, you definitely chose an interesting book. I looked it up online and I’m really interested in it based off the premise alone of the book. I was wondering actually what it was that caused her condition, but of course you spoiled it in your post. Only joking of course.You say that content matters when it comes to a life narrative. You’re undoubtedly correct that it takes not only the name of a book in order for it to receive recognition, but I’m wondering myself, when it comes to content of life narratives, some of them are pretty insignificant in terms of actual literary value, but we read them anyways. Do we read life narratives because we search for guidance in similar situations that others are facing that are the same we’re facing? These might not recieve recognition, but they sure have a certain amount of content that others find compelling.
In response to Rachel’s blog post: Ghandi is of course a very compelling figure. His work in India and inspiration around the world is not only one where we know instantly who he is, but his significance. I was wondering, reviews are meant to draw people in, for them to feel the urge to pick up a book and read it. Also they give a sort of recognition to the author, and a reputability. Is the cover of the book bare not only because we know who Ghandi is, but because we don’t need to be introducted to him? He’s burned into our collective consciousness and we don’t need to be swayed to read his book. Is his face alone the best “review” one can have? What happens when one has reached that point Ghandi is occupying; do we even need to read a review to know what will end up occuring in the book? All of these are just for thought, but of course I think the answer is yes, his face is one great “review”.
In response to Jewel’s blog post: Thank you so much for introducing this book as I am really interested in environmental issues and eager to learn more about this great environmental activist. To be honest, this book may not be the one that I would go for when walking in a bookstore. People who know his name will undoubtedly take a look of it, but this may not be the case for people who have no prior understanding of him. Just by looking at the cover, it is difficult to decipher what the book is about as it offers no hint of his achievements or his position. Thus, it is hard to attract ordinary customers to pick it up, let alone to buy it. This also raises a question, who should life narratives target at? Should it be the general public (in order to exert influence over a wide range of people), or be a particular interest group who have basic knowledge about the author (for which the book enables them to pursue a deeper understanding of a certain subject)?
In response to Melissa’s blog post: The book “Eat, Pray Love” is undeniably a huge success, and this make me wonder. As mentioned in Colleen and Seana’s blog, autobiographies are often about renowned people who have remarkable achievement. Yet, Gilbert certainly did not have the fame to mobilize such a large group of customer before this book was published. I am wondering if there are other factors, apart from targeting a specific group of audience, explain the success. With all the life narratives that intend to appeal to a target group, what make this book stand out? I believe one of the reasons is that this book is about achieving something “small”: eat, pray, love and something achievable that everyone has the ability to do so. Comparing to legendary people, Gilbert’s simpler life is can more likely strike a deep chord with the audience.
In response to Mishal’s blog post: I love your post about the story of Saudi Arabian princess and I am really interested to know her experience for which I can never go through. I agree with your point that individual narrative is more than just a personal story, it also speaks for people who are still suffering but don’t have the platform to speak up. This kind of narrative can set an example for other victims and encourage them to fight their way out. This reminds me of another inspiring biography, Escape from Camp 14 by a North Korean defectors Shin Dong-hyuk. This book is about how Shin survived the unbearable condition in North Korea’s political prison camp and how he escaped from it. His book caught the attention of United Nations Human Rights Council and brought forth the investigation into the violations of human rights in North Korea, which is a great milestone in human rights discourse. Both of them show how important and influential life narratives can be.
In response to Anna,
The idea of privileged voices being the majority that are heard in works of life narrative is very interesting, I hadn’t really thought about it before. In our present day society, with new forms of social media taking the scene, I wonder if those that are of lower socioeconomic status will begin to be heard more. We can already see examples arising, in the case of the EU migrant articles we read in class, and in the Humans of New York website you introduced me to, of which I think we will be discussing later this week in ASTU. I also question if subaltern peoples will ever begin to be seen more in published books and works, or if they will stay in the realm of social media due to its ease of use.
In response to Seana,
I full-heartedly agree with your opinion that something needs to be done to bring attention to the voices of the oppressed, so they can be heard. It seems though that recently, in the past few years, their has been a rise in the amount of voices being heard from those that are oppressed or that do not live as privileged lifestyles as some. I think that this is due to the increasing use of social media worldwide. But still, underprivileged people seem to rarely have their stories published in the format of a book. The thing we must consider is how difficult it may be for these people to publish books, and how we can make it easier. In their country of origin, publishing companies may be strict or limit what has the ability to make it to the shelves. So is there a way we as members of society in North America can directly work with these people to bring light to the stories they have to tell? It seems that this would be a method for getting publicity to the unheard people of the world.
In response to Colleen,
Your post was very interesting, and brought light to an idea of why some life narratives make it to the shelves, and others do not. In the case of Clara Hughes’ memoir, Open Heart, Open Mind, it seems that her books popularity could be due to her being a famous athlete, but also that her story is one that many people can relate to. Those looking to feel inspired because they can relate to Clara, and those looking for a piece of motivation in their lives are highly likely to pick up the book and read it. The book seems to be something that serves to bring a highly idolized person down to the level of the reader, allowing them to make connections with the author. This story could relate to what Schaffer and Smith say in Conjunctions: Life Narratives in the Field of Human Rights, where they state that narratives allow the reader to make “possible circuits of connection across differences, and circuits of difference across connection…” with the author.
In response to Seana’s Post:
It’s true that there are many remakes in this day and age, and they’re only increasing. Not just with life narratives, but with every sort of media. I recently read an article about how Hollywood keeps on churning out reboots and sequels because they know that that’s what’s going to make money already, because those franchises already have a fanbase who’s going to see the movies no matter what. However, they’re afraid of making original movies because they don’t know how well it’s going to do because there’s no way of knowing. Do you think that could be a reason why they’re focusing so hard on the reboot? Because they know that it’s going to sell because it was sold before and she is currently in a huge spotlight? And they focus on other famous people because the publishers know that at least some people will be interested, but with stories from an immigrant, we don’t know how well it will do, because, as you said, there’s not many.
In response to Isana’s Post:
I agree, who wouldn’t be captivated by an astronaut on a skateboard? It’s interesting why that pulls us in. I think that it’s in part because it’s something we never associate with them. That’s, in part, because sometimes we forget that they’re just normal people too, and instead of think of the stereotypes like space and moon, and don’t really think about the rest of their lives. So when they do something that’s “out of the ordinary” for their profession, we’re just so dazzled by its uniqueness and we want to buy it because we love people who are different.
In response to Emily’s Post:
Your comment about how Nelson Mandela looked like a normal guy on the cover really caught my eye. It got me thinking about why. Maybe it’s because they want us to look at this normal guy and think, if he can do it, I, another normal person, can do it too. Maybe it wants to pull us in by making us wonder if we can empathize with him, considering how normal he looks. On the other hand, on why the author’s name was so big: maybe it’s because he’s saying no you can’t he’s too great and so am I and only great people like me can achieve these things. I feel like it kind of cancels out the effect of Mandela looking like a normal guy and instead makes the book more about him than Mandela, the person this book is supposed to be about.
Response to Blakely: I find the memoir you chose to be very interesting: it doesn’t follow the “mainstream narrative” trend of being about war, sports, or world changers. It feels really unique to have someone write about an experience overcoming a rare disease. Like you said, I also believe that a life narrative needs a captive and interested audience in order to actually sell in the market. The sole fact that this memoir is about a condition that is not very well known to the public makes it interesting to the potential reader. With its flashy cover and its numerous recognition, no wonder it became the “#1 New York Times Bestseller” book.
Response to Chipo: This memoir sounds awesome! The fact that it was rated 5/5 on both Amazon and Goodreads is impressive. Judging by her Wikipedia page (I know, not very credible), Arlene Blum looks like a very accomplished woman in mountaineering, which gives her quite a lot of credibility. But what if she wasn’t a white American woman? You mentioned that Whitlock questions who gets to speak autobiographically. What if Arlene was a first-nations lady from Canada who accomplished the exact same feat? Would she be winning awards and be recognized in the same way? Would she get the same “5-star” reviews on those websites? Although accomplishments do come with a certain amount of ethos, there are times when race and other factors marginalize these stories.
Response to Isana: I was actually looking to read that book! It’s been my life long dream to become an astronaut and Chris Hadfield seems like an awesome guy. The big thing here which drew you in was the cover of the book. The cover of the book was made to draw people in. But what if the cover was different, or even blank? As an accomplished and well known Canadian astronaut, would the name “Chris Hadfield” itself draw readers in? Whitlock mentions that the outer layer of a life narrative is vital to the book itself. The fact that you chose this memoir over all of the famous figures listed in your entry (Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi) proves Whitlock’s point. The classic saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” is totally overthrown when a potential reader wants to buy a good book. I guess what really sells books is not its content but a skateboarding astronaut in space on the front cover.
In response to Rachel:
I find that the classifications of the two different kinds of narratives you see the most to be very accurate. They all must underline a brutal account in an enlightening way through telling stories of survival or simply be people whose name speak for themselves. You also mention influence, which I think can be found in both classifications as beyond your idea, of influential people among fame and such, because previous people who overcame injustices are greatly influential also, but by their actions instead of their status. Perhaps though both are influential, they still prove to be so in very different ways. The simplicity of the cover for Gandhi appears to say a lot. Being a main focus of studies in high school and generally in the world, his face on that cover does all of the work for him, marketing wise. Do you think that adding quotes would have taken away from that effect at all? Very interesting choice!
In response to Tanvi:
I enjoy that you chose an original book to elaborate on as many other blog’s brought light to books of more universally known names. You also did a great job at going into such depth with your observations, it is very informative. Do you think that despite this book being featured it should incorporate more ideas rather than the main thought to “follow your dreams?” I understand that the case could be different after fully reading the book through, though should other ideas be brought up from the initial viewing if it’s directed at a broad audience? Your observation about the timing of this book being marketed among all of the other brutal or serious accounts also is a good thought. How effective do you think this could be if it were the case? Apologies for all of the open questions, your observations have just gotten me thinking!
In response to Kaz:
The book that you chose certainly catches one’s attention!! The unnatural handling of such a dangerous weapon by a child is definitely a foreign idea in today’s western society. I do also find it surprising that it was the only first-person account of being a child soldier though I suppose that suffering from the trauma of being forced into the situations that these children face and the mortality of many child soldiers plays a big factor in this reasoning. I find it interesting how much presentation affects the success of a book. I can imagine how so many life narratives are passed up because of aesthetics and no regard to their content – it’s a real shame. Would the captions on the cover’s gained your curiosity had that photo of the boy not been there? How would it change your initial impression?
In response to Zoey: I find it interesting how recommendations or reviews from notable figures can offer so much to a book. In the case of Anne Frank, because she herself is such a notable figure, perhaps an introduction from Eleanor Roosevelt isn’t a selling point. Whereas now, a book called “Diary of a Young Girl” without much context would need such a great recommendation to be sold, because we value the opinions of specific people and their recommendations give us a reason to care about the text. It’s sad, then, that texts without enough influence to reach the hands of someone famous, might not make it as easily into the public sphere.
In response to Emily: Your blog made me think about notoriety, and how much easier it is to be heard or published if your name has been heard before. In the case of Nelson Mandela, like you mentioned, his autobiography was marketed based of his name, because he is a well-known public figure. Again, it comes back to opportunity: Mandela’s story is one that most people are familiar with, so his autobiography is advertised more than, say, an unknown story of equal importance. Once you are famous, it’s easy to have a voice, harder so when you are an asylum seeker fleeing persecution or an activist under attack from your own government.
In response to Isana: We looked at the same book! I enjoyed reading your blog post because you offered a perspective I didn’t think of: there are a lot of narratives about abuse and suffering out there, so maybe it’s okay to tell a story that is about going to space and following your dreams. I argued that An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth took up space that could be occupied by other narratives, but you bring up a fair point in acknowledging that life narratives aren’t always about suffering, and shouldn’t be.
In response to Will:
I also chose Bossypants as my autobiography, so I was drawn to what you had to say. It was really interesting to me to see how someone else interpreted this book, and I definitely enjoyed finding the similarities and differences that I noticed between each of our posts. I must admit, however, that I do judge books by their covers, and Bossypants sure is an attention grabber. The fact that it has a vibrant colored background, sets a comedic tone for the rest of the book. You truly can judge a book by its cover. I agree that reviews are great, but it’s the cover that leaves the first impression. Well known faces are plastered to the covers, as you mentioned about both Obama’s book and Fey’s book, because people know the faces and are curious to learn more about these mysterious strangers that we all claim to know so much about. Knowing the little I do about Fey, though, it comes as no surprise to see the picture she chose as her first impression.
In response to Mishal:
When I first read the word “Princess” in the book title, Princess: A True Story of Life Behind a Veil in Saudi Arabia, I was hooked. I am a big Disney fan, and am a sucker for all their movies. So when I, and plenty of others, see such a culturally popular word, whether it be on a book, movie or magazine, such as “Princess”, many are bound to pick it up. Although we don’t recognize this young woman’s face like we might with Amy Poehler or Hilary Clinton, we are still drawn to the beauty and mystery framed on the cover. However, this sounds like a much different story than those from fairy tales. Fairy tales are stories we dream about, what we only wish could be true. Yet in reality, none of them ever are. I felt the same looking into the eyes of this young woman as I do when I delve into my favorite Grim brother’s story. They use the emotional reaction that customers have to sucker them into buying the book.
In response to Melissa:
In my Poli Sci discussion today, we were asked to think about how, “the accommodation of difference is the essence of true equality” and take a stand of what we thought that meant. I had a difficult time coming up with a good example, but after reading your post, I think I finally got one. People have a hard time recognizing, and truly accepting, that everyone is different, and there for experiences differently. In Gilbert’s case, she isn’t happy with her life so she goes out and changes it. However, people don’t look at that aspect of it, they look at her background and make assumptions based on their limited knowledge. You brought up a great point when you asked why Gilbert couldn’t be seen as both a brave, and a lost, “privileged American woman,” and how many debated that the book wouldn’t be acceptable to the public because it wouldn’t appeal to the “man’s world”. However, like Blakely said in his post, people, mostly middle aged women, relate to Eat, Pray, Love because they, like Elizabeth, are on a path of self discovery, which hits home with many.
Seana Bruff
Blog Comments:
Rachel:
The point you raised about people’s work being published because they overcame obstacles that emerged from their social-economic standing is a phenomena that I noticed while reading Chipo’s blog about the first woman to climb Mount Everest, Arlene Blum. The thing that stood out to me was the fact that the quote on the front of the book claimed it was a “very inspiring story for all women.” I agree with that statement- to an extent. Blum is an inspirational figure for all, women being a demographic that is included. However, the marketing language surrounding her book was geared and somewhat restricted to women. When does acknowledging an obstacle become a limitation?
Emily:
I thoroughly enjoyed your in depth analysis of the information provided on the cover. It was almost as if the packaging for the book created the context in which the book exists; Everything from the picture on the cover to the forward by Bill Clinton sets the foundation for how the reader will receive the book. Before the reader even opens the book, a tone and an expectation for what the book will hold is formed. This reminds me of the popular movement among independent book stores to wrap a book up in paper and only write the genre and subject matter of the book on the front. The idea is not to ‘judge a book by its cover’, but what if the cover is a necessary part of the experience?
Tima:
I loved the point you made about “The Lonely Section of Hell” catching your interest despite the fact that it didn’t have the common picture of the author on the cover. It was nice to hear that despite the fact that it lacked a flashy cover, a clever title and interesting subject matter was all it took to peak your interest. At its core this realization highlights that great marketing can only get you so far, and it is the content that counts. By focusing solely on the covers we can make important conclusions about what draws people to autobiographies, but it does highlight the more superficial aspect of the book. At the end of the day, what makes an autobiography great is amazing content and a rich subject matter.
The link for the quote used when talking about Chipo’s book selection: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11469295?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=3
Rachel: https://blogs.ubc.ca/rachelteasdale/
Emily: https://blogs.ubc.ca/emilyleung/
Tima: https://blogs.ubc.ca/wordsoftima/
In response to Tanvi’s blog post (https://blogs.ubc.ca/tanvibhatia/2015/10/02/an-astronauts-guide-to-life-on-earth-a-paratextual-analysis/): You mentioned in your blog post about “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth” being one of Heather’s Picks. I’m curious to learn about how being on Heather’s Picks – what has become such a widely known and reputable source for good literature – affects the exposure of certain stories. There are stories worth telling which, without a good storyteller, would not find a promoter such as Heather’s Picks and thus would remain on the back shelves of a bookstore, or perhaps would not even get published at all. It makes me realize that it is not just the content of a narrative that is important, but the way in which it is told.
In response to Kaz’s blog post (https://blogs.ubc.ca/kshigeta/2015/10/02/blog-post-2/): I find it really interesting how much of an impact cover art can have on the potential reader. In the case of the book you mentioned, the publishers of this book relied heavily upon a shock factor in order to intrigue the audience, which makes sense because of course, the subject matter itself is shocking. I think that nowadays, and with our increased use of technology, attention spans have shortened and our time is limited. It is therefore crucial to draw potential readers in as quickly as possible. “Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier” does an effective job of doing so.
In response to Emily’s blog post (https://blogs.ubc.ca/emilyleung/2015/10/02/life-narrative-field-work-long-walk-to-freedom/) : I like what you said about the role of reader reviews online. Both critic and customer reviews play a role in the promotion of certain stories, and it is customer reviews I find most interesting because we gain insight into how these stories make an impact on the common person. Sites like Amazon.ca and Chapters.Indigo.ca allow anyone – not just critics – to voice his or her opinion. As we’ve learned throughout our study of life narrative, there is something to be learned from every individual, and so it is important to allow people platforms upon which they can speak.
In response to Isana: First of all I want to appreciate your choice for choosing the book “An astronaut’s guide to life”, it’s a captivating story which is beautifully written. I know about it because my elder sister is obsessed with books and movies about space travel and hence she told me about it.I agree with you that looking at the cover of the book one is intrigued to peak in to satisfy their curiosity. The fact that space travel is still rare and available only to a privileged few makes other people wander about the complexities of the outer space and how life would be beyond the surface of earth. I think this book serves to educate people about the different aspects of life in outer space and what sort of challenges and difficulties one is faced with there and what they learn from these circumstances. The way the author reveals this information gives us a fresh perspective of life on Earth and how are problems aren’t as complicated as we make them to be.
In response to Rachel: I really liked how you classified autobiographies into two types and I think it’s absolutely true because when I surfed the book shelves in the bookstore and online I come across several books most of which were either about inspirational people or influential people so I guess that pretty much sums it up. Secondly the book of M.K Gandhi is one that most of us are familiar with. I have read so much about him in my history books that I believe he is one of the great leader of all times. Although India and Pakistan have been thought of as rival nations for years I think I have read and researched on this issues enough to say that this man deserves my respect because his peaceful approach to complex political issues and his idea of non violent protest is I highly respect. It is very easy to hold a gun and establish your position as a an authoritative leading figure but it’s immensely difficult to do it with only your words and behaviour.
In response to Anna: I really liked the book you chose to write about because it sheds light on some very important issues such as gender discrimination which is something I have explored in my blog too. The story of the girl from Egypt and how she struggled to be free of the judgemental and discriminatory society she grew up in is truly inspirational and I’m sure it struck a chord with people from all over the globe because this topic is not new to us unfortunately and it is one we have heard many times. Also you mentioned Whitlock’s question ‘who is getting to speak and why?’, and this is something I ponder over too because their our many such unheard stories that never make it the book shelves partly because they never got the courage to or maybe because their wounds of pain and suffering still haven’t healed. Thus I really appreciate people who speak up in hope to make a difference just as the girl from Egypt did.
In response to Zoey’s blog: I find it interesting how “The Diary Of A Young Girl” by Anne Frank has been translated into 70 languages and has been published in over 60 countries. It leads me to question which life narratives are the ones which become international interest? Which stories of suffering are understood on a global level? And does the fact that the story is coming from a young girl’s perspective change the target market, are more young people inclined to read the memoir of Anne Frank in order to understand the previous struggles of people a similar age?
In response to Blakely’s blog: The life narrative of “Brain on Fire” by Susannah Cahalan is about her struggle with a relatively new disease and her ability to overcome it. It is a story which is inspiring, including recovery, however, I question how stories of recovery and overcoming struggles change over time. How do perceptions of what constitutes as overcoming suffering change and how does that affect whose life narratives become published for the world to see? Can more than one story of similar circumstances attract equal attention or does the first receive all of the attention.
In response Chipo’s blog: When people achieve something which has never been done before, often they receive the right for their story to become published. As in the case for Arlene Blum, who was the first woman to attempt to climb Mt Everest. Her book inspires and empowers people to try new things and challenge themselves, people from “all sorts of backgrounds, and united them under her narrative.” However, in Melissa’s blog about Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, it is another journey but one that is mainly appealing to middle-aged, fairly affluent women, who want to go on a journey of self discovery. I wonder, how the challenge of getting their books published differed? Did the financial availability that Elizabeth Gilbert have give her the ability to get her book published more easily or did the achievement of Arlene Blum make her process shorter or easier?
Anna:
A Border Passage sounds to me like a very interesting book. A point of yours that stood out for me was your description of the cover. It appears as though it was designed in such a way that readers were drawn in out of curiosity, as you mentioned. An inaccurate but common stereotype of muslim women is that they are rarely alone in public, however the cover of A Border Passage features a woman alone in what appears to be an empty neighbourhood. She appears also to be running away or escaping something, although we do not yet know what. This definitely sparks in me curiosity. The cover of a book is such a crucial aspect of how the book draws readers that it is important to realize that the cover is the way it is for a reason, whether that be to spark interest, to foreshadow the events of the book or as an ironic contrast to the content of the book.
As for your response to Whitlock’s question about who gets to speak and whose voices aren’t being heard, you mentioned that Ahmed’s perspective was a unique one and that lead me to the idea that maybe it’s the most unique and obscure voices who are heard. A story about the survival of a muslim woman travelling from the Middle East to North America is bound to be much more thrilling than a story about a caucasian christian woman on a road trip across the United States. Or maybe that’s merely what we want to believe. You mentioned that the influence of her political stance and means have had an impact on why her book was published. Perhaps the publishing companies are distorting our view of “what is really going on in the world” by publishing the books they believe will convey the messages they want to sell.
Isana:
I found it interesting that for you the cover of An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth stood out whereas for me, it would have without a doubt the author’s name that lead me to pick up that book. Ever since he sang David Bowie’s “Space Odyssey” from his spaceship, posted it online for the world to see and each of my science teachers showed it in class, ‘Chris Hadfield’ has been a name I can recognize almost immediately.
However, your blog goes to show that not everyone knows who Hadfield is and therefore highlights the importance of a captivating jacket. Although we are told from a young age not to “judge a book by its cover” in my experience it has been a major challenge not to do just that. The cover is the first thing I see when looking for books whether in a library, bookstore or online and it is the cover that makes the first impression of the book on me. Though that impression may change depending on the author’s name, what is written on the back or again once I start reading the book, the fact remains that the importance of a captivating cover cannot be understated. Your description of being drawn to the book because of its cover is an excellent example of that statement.
Blakeley:
In your blog you discussed the aspect of “brining something new to the table” and the effect that has on the narratives and whether or not they are published as a result sold and read. I agree with you in that the stories that bring a new perspective or topic are the stories that are the most successful. Kaz and Anna also mentioned in their blogs the importance of the individuality and distinction of their stories. Kaz writes about a child soldier, one of millions but the first and only to have a narrative published and Anna explains the influence of her author’s genre and religion in the publication of her memoir. One can glean from these examples that chances are, readers are going to be more interested in reading stories that are new to them as opposed to a repetition of a plot they’ve seen on multiple occasions unless it provides a new view.