College Prof and NY Times Blogger Notices Leftist Smugness
He’s writing about Sarah Palin’s book
When I walked into the Strand Bookstore in Manhattan last week, I headed straight for the bright young thing who wore an “Ask Me” button, and asked her to point me to the section of the store where I might find Sarah Palin’s memoir, “Going Rogue: An American Life.” She looked at me as if I had requested a copy of “Mein Kampf” signed in blood by the author, and directed me to the nearest Barnes and Noble, where, presumably, readers of dubious taste and sensibility could find what they wanted.
A few days later, I attended a seminar on political and legal theory where a distinguished scholar observed that every group has its official list of angels and devils. As an example, he offered the fact (of which he was supremely confident) that few, if any, in the room were likely to be Sarah Palin fans. By that time I had begun reading Palin’s book, and while I wouldn’t count myself a fan in the sense of being a supporter, I found it compelling and very well done.
Aren’t academics and pseudo-intellectuals (pronounced swado-intellectuals) silly? They tell themselves and each other that they understand things in the goofiest way possible? They uptalk a lot, putting a question mark at the end of a statement. They are infuriating. I only wish that the article included a picture of the silly woman with the “Ask Me” button who told the writer to go to Barnes and Noble.
So, does our college prof like the Palin book?
The questions to ask then are (1) Does Palin succeed in conveying to her readers the kind of person she is? and (2) Does she do it in a satisfying and artful way? In short, is the book a good autobiographical read? I would answer “yes” to both.
How much longer will he get to keep his blog at the NY Times?
These are the first two comments:
You went to the Strand and asked the staff where you can find Palin’s “autobiography” and you got attitude? Of course you did. It’s the Strand. They love good books there. My favorite store in the world.
Egad, Professor Fish.
- Aggie
Carol said,
December 8, 2009 @ 8:37 pm
“They love good books there.” I just bet they do, probably lit’rary virtuosity that sells 5,000 copies but they get to be snooty about it because no one else has read the artful piece of crap. They feel like they just discovered something. They probably talk about the writing being “evocative” without ever being able to define exactly what is being evoked. Love, fear, nausea? Doesn’t matter, as long as it’s evoked. For me, in places like this, mostly its nausea.
There’s a store like that in Seattle and it’s been having financial problems lately. Everyone acts like this is such a tragedy because this local institution might close. But apparently they don’t think it’s a big enough tragedy to actually shop there.
Bloodthirsty Liberal said,
December 9, 2009 @ 7:39 am
I love The Strand, I really do. But the general snottiness of the Left has kept me away from all sorts of things that I love. I used to spend a lot of time there, but stopped going years ago. Shopping should not have to be a political experience.
- Aggie