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Between the Lines:
Harry, History, and Other Book Notes
By Lee Ann Alexander
July 25, 2005
Literary News
Writers and historians everywhere mourn the
loss of the legendary Shelby Foote. The eloquent Mississippian researched
and wrote about the Civil War for over 20 years. He was a
novelist in his own right before becoming accessible to the masses in Ken
Burns’ heralded
Civil War documentary series for PBS. When Foote stepped into our living
rooms with his warm Mississippi drawl, he stepped into the ranks of era
spokespersons. Just two days before his death, my uncle and I had a detailed
conversation about Foote’s incredible research and legacy. There will be other
historians, but there will not be another Shelby Foote. My hope is that in the
wake of his passing, his brilliant work receives more attention and draws more
people into a love for history and historical literature. This transcript of an
interview with Mr. Foote reveals much about the writer.
Review Notes
David McCullough’s
1776 was released in May, just in time to prep American readers for
Independence Day. Belated though this review is, it’s never too late to gain a
fresh appreciation for the birth and liberation of the young nation conceived in
liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. In an
Amazon interview, Mr. McCullough explains his motivation for the book and
some of the finer points surrounding this pivotal year in American history.
McCullough is a two-time Pulitzer winner, and the epic proportion and depth of
characters in 1776 has some critics
talking Pulitzer again.
In recognition of the recent Fourth of July
observance, I started Newt Gingrich and William Forstchen’s
Gettysburg. Gettysburg (and Vicksburg, incidentally) culminated on July
4, 1863, marking the turning point of America’s Civil War. With Gettysburg’s
rich history and the event’s role in securing federal union, it felt appropriate
to read it over the holiday.
The novel is told in surprising detail and
contains a very personal portrayal of Lee and the key officers in the conflict.
It is not to be confused with Michael Shaara’s famous
The Killer Angels. Gettysburg is actually an alternative history.
As such, it’s not to be read for battle facts, but as a thought-provoking “what
if.” It certainly cannot replace The Killer Angels, but it is a fantastic
supplement to the Civil War reader’s collection.
Pottermania
For contemporary book news, the
latest Harry Potter book has arrived, and fans are excitedly seizing the
much-awaited novel with over
6.9 million sales in the first twenty-four hours.
Potter-themed events were held across the globe, and Rowling launched the
book’s arrival by giving a
reading in her hometown. Fans everywhere are serious about getting their
copy. Wal-Mart and Amazon
e-mailed customers in error, warning that the book could be late. They’ve
since corrected the correspondence, but some fans were so concerned the book
might not arrive on time that they determined to purchase a copy at the book’s
midnight release just in case.
The Potter phenomenon even achieved a new
level of notoriety when a few copies were mistakenly sold early. A
Canadian judge issued a gag order to keep secret plot twists surrounding the
next novel from slipping out.
What about the
longevity of the series? Some critics predict the Potter phenomenon will
fade. Rowling will have to bring the series to a halt in the next volume, and
what then? Given the mind-boggling sales, the series will never be
forgotten. But is it safe to label Potter a
classic among juvenile fiction?
Whatever your
view on Pottermania, there’s no mistaking the fact that the series has
pushed the book market into a new league this century with fresh challenges for
the industry. When the judicial system has to be pulled in to police the book
world and a
book’s opening revenue tops a touted opening movie’s revenue, we should be
reminded both of the power of the printed word and the challenges still yet to
come as the book industry keeps up with needs and interests of our global
community.
Reader Recommendations
Did you catch the
book commentary by Eric (the ninetyandnine.com June blogger)? If not,
be sure to revisit Eric’s great review of Joseph Ellis’
His Excellency: George Washington
and remarks on one of my favorite writers,
F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Wendy has also shared some great suggestions
in
Free Reads for a Rainy Day. Meanwhile I’m still excitedly awaiting the first
printing of
Wendy’s book (remember?). I volunteer to write a review and handle
publicity. Who knows, maybe we could get all the
ninetyandnine.com gang together and go on a book tour?
More Reader Recommendations
Here’s what you said when asked what books
were
Summer must-reads.
Classics Remembered
Eric’s comments on Fitzgerald reminded me of
my favorite work by the incomparable writer.
This Side of Paradise, published in 1920, was Fitzgerald’s first novel.
It chronicles post-WWI life and provides a portrait of that disillusioned
generation and American society in the 1920s. But what is more captivating is
the inner battle of Amory Blaine, the main character. Fitzgerald opens the
curtains of Amory’s soul to us, so we can glimpse the universal struggles all
mankind faces—the attempt to create order out of the chaos that is life and the
journey to find purpose and meaning.
For Fun
We love books because we love words. And
speaking of words, who’s up for some lexicographical fun? Do you support an
open-door policy for allowing any and all words into the dictionary? Or do you
join the ranks of the word police? What constitutes a “word” anyway? Find out
with this
fun article on the process of recognizing words.
ninetyandnine.com
© 2005, Lee Ann Alexander
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Lee Ann Alexander
is writing ninetyandnine.com’s
book column every month until they stop printing books. (Happily for
us, she thinks she’s getting the best end of that deal.) This month, she’s also
our “A
Month in the Life” blogger.
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