Gay rights, chick lit, and space travel–in today’s news, any topic goes. Enjoy!
Jennifer Weiner
- In honor of last week’s breakthrough gay rights ruling in California, Jacket Copy celebrates twenty works of literature “that have provided a richer understanding of the joys and challenges particular to gay life.” From Annie Proulx to William S. Burroughs, the list includes breakthrough fiction and nonfiction that will open readers’ eyes.
- Chick lit gets a lot of criticism, but in today’s news, two authors take a stand to defend the genre. In the LA Times, Jennifer Weiner discusses why she’s proud to be the “queen of chick lit,” noting, “Women are far and away the bigger consumers of fiction than men, but men are still far and away the more reviewed, the more critically esteemed, the more respected. That can get frustrating.” In the Guardian, author Michele Gorman points out the strong writing present in this oft-overlooked genre. Both articles remind us that sexism is still alive and well in literary criticism.
- And speaking of women authors, Mary Roach (the hilarious and perhaps too curious author of Stiff and Boink) has another nonfiction book coming out. Packing for Mars is about space travel and all the questions you never thought to ask. Omnivoracious calls it, “a book for grownups who still secretly dream of being astronauts.”
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