Our Man in Boston continues the musings and ruminations on books and assorted contiguous subjects that I, Robert Birnbaum,began at The Morning News in 80 plus columns from May 2008 until September 2010 —which in turn was a mutation of the weekly Book Digest that began on February 28 2006 http://birnbaum.themorningnews.org/100/ I wrote then and it still seems true now that: 1) There are far too many books and writers deserving of the meager attention doled our by America’s mainstream literary press; 2) I am not at all constrained by whatever Byzantine code or principles book editors use in their choices for review coverage; 3) So-called “book notices” are preferable to an excess of mucked-up verbiage and veiled tendentious agendas (either the reviewer’s or the editor’s); and finally, 4) The ever-growing population of readers and book lovers who deserve a wide snapshot of what’s available in print without having to resort to the expensive and sometimes stultifying study of book-industry trade magazines.
Robert Birnbaum (photo: Robert Birmbaum
First thing you gotta’ do, Robert, if you ask me, is make sure when someone Googles your name and “Our Man in Boston” they will not get The Morning News column as the first ten hits (not exactly, but I’m just sayin’). I had to go back to your email, which I am sure is not sent shotgun to the entire world of literate people, to get anything resembling the correct URL. So get some info on how to keyword and metadata your title page, that is, the main page of the blog, so that it begins to show up closer to the top of the first search page. The other thing to do, of course, is to get your friends to put links wherever they can on their sites tracing back to yours. This all reminds me to change the link on my blog for you to this (relatively) new site… The other thing you might want to do, if you still have a web site that is strictly yours (i.e., the domain belongs to you) is to add an address that redirects people from that domain to this blog (for example, it could be http://OMIB.birnbaum.com). This makes it easier than remembering all that wordpress crap. OK? OK. xoxoxo H
Robert, I’m trying to get in contact with you to see if you would consider providing a blurb for my series of short stories, BANKER BROKER LAWYER CROOK. You wrote a positive review of the anthology that included my story — “At the Top of His Game” http://www.themorningnews.org/post/anthology-101
Please let me know if there’s a blurb or quote you’d be willing to let me use in my upcoming collection.
Hi, first off I love your pictures on your blog. I really had to say how much I enjoyed YOUR interview with John Banville. He seemed to relax and open up more to you than some others I read. Personally, I can’t read his books without a Dictionary by my side, but then I am an American, even with five years of college, a dictionary was in order when I read The Sea. In your interview his persona seemed more normal to me than his written words. Just me. His humility was hilarious in your interview, so natural speaking and intelligent. Laughed when he gave a description of himself because he is a very nice looking Irishman and what woman cares about how tall a man is, if he can make music out of words, as he can. That description is very harsh, I like him that way. Just me!
Deidre Ann Banville
I forgot to check the little box…sorry.