Oh Howard, how right you are on all counts. When I was shopping my memoir 8+ years ago, even then I found that my religious Jewish voice was somehow not a "marginalized" one to suit the tastes of publishers. Too bad I didn't write eco-fiction, or better yet, YA, transgender eco-fiction! As to that author who claims Jews are already overrepresented as authors, she's right! We are hugely overrepresented based on our actual population because we're a literate people, have been for 3,300 years. Don't like it? Become more literate!
I believe we should look at major publishing houses and try to establish Jewish imprints with major Jewish literary figures as linchpins. If that is not successful (even at Jewish founded publishers-- Simon and Schuster, for example), then start from scratch and create new companies. Even if they are not in the corner "antisemitic" bookstore right away, direct sales models, Amazon, other online sales companies, can be quite effective and show the way. Just like the Jewish hospitals, golf clubs, etc of the "past". Because it appears the past has returned!
PS The woman's comment about overrepresentation vs. Native American book writers is one of the elements of modern antizionism-- the end of meritocracy and the shift to a DEI mindset from an MLK-- content of character-- approach.
You listed two examples of Israeli-themed books becoming best sellers. Also there is Suicidal Empathy by openly Jewish Gal Saad, which recently was #1 on NYT. The public wants to read as they always have, which includes Jewish books and authors. So, yes, we need to fund out own Jewish-friebdky publishing houses
Howard mentioned founding our own publishing houses. Hasn't that already happened recently with Wicked Son, which published Bernard-Henri Levy's Israel Alone? If I'm not mistaken, the publisher is Adam Bellow, Saul Bellow's son. My understanding is that they were founded in reaction to this silent BDS in publishing.
Wicked Son has been around for several years, predating this trend. It's terrific that they are around but we need other houses beside them. Their interests tend toward the intellectual and super serious books, but we also need lightness.
Oh Howard, how right you are on all counts. When I was shopping my memoir 8+ years ago, even then I found that my religious Jewish voice was somehow not a "marginalized" one to suit the tastes of publishers. Too bad I didn't write eco-fiction, or better yet, YA, transgender eco-fiction! As to that author who claims Jews are already overrepresented as authors, she's right! We are hugely overrepresented based on our actual population because we're a literate people, have been for 3,300 years. Don't like it? Become more literate!
I believe we should look at major publishing houses and try to establish Jewish imprints with major Jewish literary figures as linchpins. If that is not successful (even at Jewish founded publishers-- Simon and Schuster, for example), then start from scratch and create new companies. Even if they are not in the corner "antisemitic" bookstore right away, direct sales models, Amazon, other online sales companies, can be quite effective and show the way. Just like the Jewish hospitals, golf clubs, etc of the "past". Because it appears the past has returned!
PS The woman's comment about overrepresentation vs. Native American book writers is one of the elements of modern antizionism-- the end of meritocracy and the shift to a DEI mindset from an MLK-- content of character-- approach.
No anti semitism, no Zionism. That’s rich. Pray, how do they distinguish? I guess Anti/Zionism is fine.
You listed two examples of Israeli-themed books becoming best sellers. Also there is Suicidal Empathy by openly Jewish Gal Saad, which recently was #1 on NYT. The public wants to read as they always have, which includes Jewish books and authors. So, yes, we need to fund out own Jewish-friebdky publishing houses
If you do set up that publishing house please ensure that you ship world-wide. Thank you for all you do.
Howard mentioned founding our own publishing houses. Hasn't that already happened recently with Wicked Son, which published Bernard-Henri Levy's Israel Alone? If I'm not mistaken, the publisher is Adam Bellow, Saul Bellow's son. My understanding is that they were founded in reaction to this silent BDS in publishing.
Wicked Son has been around for several years, predating this trend. It's terrific that they are around but we need other houses beside them. Their interests tend toward the intellectual and super serious books, but we also need lightness.
So so true, and expressed perfectly.