Good and Cheap (Books)! Day 12

800 pages of girls, girls, girls

 It's no secret that generally speaking, women’s writing doesn’t get reviewed nearly as much as male writers.  The website VIDA  has an interesting set of images you might want to look through.  Although we haven’t officially looked at the male vs. female reviews on our blog, I would bet that we tilt toward more female reviews simply because I write about Gail Caldwell every three days. It would be interesting to see how Liz and I are fairing in comparison to say, The Paris Review. That’s right, we are going up against The Paris Review!

Elaine Showalter

What we do, though, is consciously try to encourage people to read more women authors, and certainly seek out under appreciated women writers.  That’s why The Vintage Book of American Women Writers, edited by Elaine Showalter, is one of my favorite books from the past few years. More than just another anthology, it’s a treasure trove of celebrated writers such as Zora Neale Hurston, Joyce Carol Oates, Flannery O’Connor, Phillis Wheatley, and Maxine Hong Kingston. But that’s not the reason to buy this book, and it’s certainly not the reason you will pick it up time and time again. It’s the lesser-known writers that Showalter has included that made me fall in love with this book.

Fanny Fern

Included in the anthology is Mary Rowlandson (1637-1711), who wrote the novel Charlotte Temple, a bestseller for about twenty years (until Uncle Tom’s Cabin knocked her out of the top spot); she was unknown to me before I read this book. Feminist sisters Alice and Phoebe Cary often wrote and published poetry together, and what a find for me! Phoebe wrote feminist versions of classic poetry from the likes of Shakespeare and Longfellow; what nerve! She and her sister died only months apart in 1871. Frances Miriam Berry Whitcher was the first American female humorist. She was very good at pissing off New Yorkers and her piece called “The Widow Essays Poetry” is worth the price of this book.

Mary Wilkins Freeman

We get caught up waiting for the next blockbuster memoir or new big novel from our favorite authors. I am completely guilty of it. Meanwhile, the true joy of reading is discovering new writers, finding out who we’ve missed.  You won’t just find a new story, poem, or essay from a woman you’ve never heard of in here, you will put the book down, go to your computer and try to learn everything possible about fascinating women like Fanny Fern and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman. I promise.

Generally Horrible Questions: Anne Holman

Anne Holman

In a first for our crappy little blog here, we're expanding beyond our normal territory in order to profile Anne Holman from The King's English Bookstore in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Anne's pretty much the nicest person I (Liz) have ever met, so it's perplexing that she willingly speaks to me since I rarely, you know, have anything nice to say.  Booksellers speak a common language, though, and I have great respect for the people who make careers out of selling books to hungry readers.  Anne is one of the best when it comes to that.  So here we go.  Let's see if we can tarnish this shiny penny with some horrible questions.

1. How did you get into the bookselling business?
My next door neighbor was the editor of the Inkslinger at The King's English. She suggested I talk to Betsy Burton [the boss lady] about a part time job, you know, now that the kids are in school full-time etc. Lucky me I got the job! [Way to hold a woman back from her true calling, America's youth! I can't wait until Zorro leaves home....]

The King's English Bookstore in Salt Lake City, Utah

2. What's the best experience you've had working at the bookstore?

So many but a recent favorite was when a customer came in and bought What to Expect When You're Expecting and The New Pregnancy and Childbirth by Sheila Kitzinger. She said they were a birthday present for her husband and when I asked why, she said she'd found out that morning she was pregnant and I was the first one she'd told. We cried and hugged; nice way to start a bookselling day! [Did I not say that Anne is the nicest person in the world?  Imagine how I would tell this story....] 

3. What book(s) changed your life?

 Skinny Bitch should have changed my life but I neglected to read it.

4. What are you currently reading?

The Voice of the River by Melanie Rae Thon. Love her! [Is this a Random House title?  Maybe I didn't properly explain the rules of this blog.]

5. For Halloween I dressed as A) literary character, B) sister wife, C) sexy kitty, D) absolutely none of your business, E) other.

Professor MacGonagall always and forever.

6. Would you rather....William Shakespeare, William Faulkner, Will Self, William Styron, William Gibson, William Blake, William Butler Yeats, Will and Grace?

Willa Cather [Now this is an excellent choice.]

Willa Cather
is great!

7. What's the biggest lie ever told by a sales rep?

They lie? [...Never.]

8. What's your second favorite bookstore? 

Bookman's Alley in Evanston, Illinois

9. Gianna or Liz? 

Michele Sulka! [Michele is one of the outstanding Random House reps who actually sells books to Anne.]

9. ...Let's try that again. Gianna or Liz?

It was either that or Ron? [Ron Smith is the other outstanding Random House rep selling adult books at The King's English.]

9. ...Seriously? Gianna or Liz?
OK OK it's Liz you know it's always been you! [I don't think Anne even knows who Gianna is.  And she's a better person because of it.]

10. The most depressing book you've ever read? 

Caribou Island by David VannYikes

11. I've never read _____________. And I'm so ashamed.

The Phantom Tollbooth

12. I've read _____________. And I'm so ashamed.

I once read my best friend's diary.  And I’m so ashamed. But it was 35 years ago so what the hey. [Excellent.]

I love this book too.

13. Worst job you’ve ever had. 

A hostess at the Golden Lamb Inn in Lebanon, Ohio. High heels and panty hose. Yikes.

14. I wanted to be a ________________ when I grew up.

A Bookseller--I know but I really did!

15. _______________ is my favorite book ever.

The Thurber Carnival. Just read If Grant Had Been Drinking at Appomattox and you'll know what I mean.