An anthology of original essays from our most intriguing young writers, Bookmark Now boldly addresses the significance of the production of literature in the twenty-first century. Or simply, “How do we talk about writing and reading in an age where they both seem almost quaint?”The book features authors in their twenties and thirties—those raised when TV, video games, and then the Internet supplanted books as dominant cultural mediums—and their intent is to examine: (1) how this generation came to writing as a calling, (2) what they see as literature’s relevance when media consumption and competition have reached unprecedented levels, and (3) how writing and reading fit in with the rest of our rapid, multitasking world. The result will offer a voyeuristic peek into the private, creative lives of today’s writers and shed light on what their work means at a time when the book business is changing, yet—almost paradoxically—a time when storytelling as a means of both self-realization and community building (be it via e-mail, weblogs, or “This American Life”) seems more relevant than ever before.Edited by Kevin Smokler, a Bay Area entrepreneur who has devoted himself to fostering literary culture and cultivating fresh talent, Bookmark Now is a collection that both captures the state of the art and provides inspiration to aspiring writers at all levels.
Industry Reviews
Mildly informative collection of 23 essays (and 1 poem) on the state of the literary life, by youngish authors and Web-crawlers. Smokler, founder of centralbooking.com, divides the text into separate sections. In "Beginnings," his earnest literary fledglings recount how they got started. "Not Fade Away" explains why reading Hemingway during his Army stint in Somalia prodded Christian Bauman to start writing-"they should take away my writing license for saying such a thing," he jokes. "The Invisible Narrator" describes Howard Hunt's segue from writing for magazines to composing successful fiction. Michelle Richmond meditates on the empty merits of earning an MFA in "From Fayetteville to South Beach." Then, seven essays on "The Writing Life" expose just how egotistical writers are. Glen David Gold admits to shameless self-Googling in "Your Own Personal Satan," while Neal Pollack's "Her Dark Silent Cowboy No More" recounts the exchange of e-mails he solicited after his book Never Mind the Pollacks (2003) reached "cult" status. "The trajectory of my life has been set by the movements of dollars," Benjamin Nugent reveals in "Security." The final sections, "The Now" and "The Future," showcase essayists attempting more grand statements. Tracy Chevalier, one of the better-known authors here, gives lackluster Top Ten reading recommendations in "Lying to the Optician." K.M. Soehnlein's laments gay writing's loss of prominence. Paul Flores, in "Voice of a Generation," describes his workshop experience using Spanglish rap to promote the spoken word. His generation must contend with an "unprecedented number of time-sucking lures," such as video games, Tom Bissell moans in "Distractions." Readers worrying that every member of this age group is unbearably self-important should turn immediately to Robert Lanham's scorching "The McEggers Tang Clan," hands-down the collection's funniest essay. Unremarkable collection, overall, but a touching mirror into the souls of the greener generation. (Kirkus Reviews)
