Author Sherman Alexie Wants to Punch You in the Face

[morpheus]

So what...it's a joke in poor taste from a publicity hungry author and stand-up comedian. I've seen worse. Actually I think he is pretty funny. As far as standup goes I'm guessing you would also find Lenny Bruce unacceptable.

As far as him resisting ebook sales, it was a figure of speech most likely. Authors don't have that level of control over contracts unless he's JK Rowling. Publishers have had audiobook and ebook clauses in their contracts for years now, so most of his books would be grandfathered in under that.

Writing letters to his publisher - now that's funny!

[Over]

Why is everyone mad at him? We're the elite. A No Woman Allowed kind of Elite.

[Greg Anos]

If he wants to punch me out, I can oblige him. Just check the do-drop-inn. I'll be the fat gent with the pearl-handled cattle prod....Red

[zerospinboson]

Originally Posted by morpheus

So what...it's a joke in poor taste from a publicity hungry author and stand-up comedian. I've seen worse. Actually I think he is pretty funny. As far as standup goes I'm guessing you would also find Lenny Bruce unacceptable.

I'm sorry, why is Bruce relevant? Because a US court convicted him for "obscenity"?
There is a rather big difference between obscenity with a point and predictableness/triteness/FrustratedRailingAgainstTheMan, and this author fellow that the thread is about only succeeds at the latter.
I hate boring people that try to take up my time, and self-important people are frequently boring; and the few that aren't don't care what I think about them anyway.

[sirbruce]

We already have a thread on this in the News & Commentary section:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48085

[Donnageddon]

As far as standup goes I'm guessing you would also find Lenny Bruce unacceptable.

One of the odder non sequiturs I've heard in a while.

[Sydney's Mom]

Originally Posted by Gideon

Most the people I know who have such devices are middle class/lower middle class who spend most the entertainment budget on books and having a Kindle pays for itself for these heavy readers.

What a load.

Without a doubt, the kindle has saved me tons of money! And gas - no back and forth to the library.

[cheese bogart]

Sir bruce

This one has had more replies and views

[morpheus]

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

One of the odder non sequiturs I've heard in a while.

Standup comedians are supposed to be offensive and controversial.

[zerospinboson]

Originally Posted by morpheus

Standup comedians are supposed to be offensive and controversial.

I'm afraid you missed his (and my) point.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Gideon

Bah... I work in the circles where "elite" issues are very relevant and that is nonsense.

Most the people I know who have such devices are middle class/lower middle class who spend most the entertainment budget on books and having a Kindle pays for itself for these heavy readers.

What a load.

Well I will grant him that the price is not exactly what I'd call highly accessible but it is a great tool for people who read a lot. Even though I would like to see the price come down to the point where they're pretty much universally accessible, that doesn't make them a toy for the "elite". He probably doesn't realize how much money a reading device can save but that's not really the point to me. This charge of elitism lacks any real perspective. Just think of what most working folks spend on entertainment. How many people do you know who spend $50-$100/month on TV programming? They very likely spent anywhere from $300 to $3000 on the TV itself. Maybe a few hundred more for a DVR, DVD player, etc. I see people with portable DVD players all the time on airplanes yet I have no desire to punch them. Would he think I was "elitist" if I spent $200-$350 on a bookshelf? It really is ludicrous.

Still, it's his loss. He can either have official copies of his books in electronic form or not as he chooses but if his books are at all popular, there will be an electronic copy of them out there whether he likes it or not. It would make more sense for him to allow us to buy them from him.

I just have to add that one of the things that makes me chuckle is I've always seen ebooks as a great way to get books to so many who would not otherwise have access. That's one of the reasons I jumped in despite the early-adopter prices. I'm voting with my money for something that I truly feel is the best thing for our future. Programs like OLPC present an opportunity to give poor children all around the world entire libraries. We couldn't do that with paper. OLPC supplies the hardware, but to get the books, it takes an electronic publishing industry. For that, we need folks like you and me buying ebooks. I guess he won't be sharing his little nuggets of wisdom with them, either.

[Moejoe]

"Author says something outlandish to drum up interest in a book, News at 11,"

[kcar08]

Well, it's a good thing he's not a comedian, because he's not funny.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by weatherman

From an article in the NY Times today;

"At a panel of authors speaking mainly to independent booksellers, Sherman Alexie, the National Book Award-winning author of “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” said he refused to allow his novels to be made available in digital form. He called the expensive reading devices “elitist” and declared that when he saw a woman sitting on the plane with a Kindle on his flight to New York, “I wanted to hit her.”"

I couldn't believe this when I read it. I was offended on several different levels, but most of all I was just really aghast at the level of ignorance and stupidity on the part of this author, especially as an author of young adult fiction. Worse yet, when given a chance to correct himself on his own blog, the only thing he apologizes for is the idea of hitting a woman;

"I should have edited myself. I should have said, "I saw a man on the airplane reading a Kindle and I wanted to hit him." In this way, my joke becomes about my true object of fear, distrust, and anger---the Kindle---and not about the gender of the person reading the Kindle."

I personally will be dropping a line to his current publisher, and I hope other Kindlers and those who read books on other electronic devices will too;

Hanging Loose Press
231 Wycoff St.
Brooklyn NY 11217
212-206-8465
info@hangingloosepress.com

I wish I were the person he was talking about, and I wish he had verbalized his wish...........I'm just sayin'....................

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by zerospinboson

Please don't buy it.
One generally finds that writers who are as self-important as this guy is are somewhat lacking in the between-the-ears department.

I disagree. Remember, we are offering opinions here.

His writing, I feel, should be judged by his writing and not by his polarizing words. (For example, Norman Mailer was recognized as somewhat of an ass - but he's also recognized as an important [albeit "flawed"] writer.)

On Alexie:
One might not like the man, his politics, his religion, his BO, his halitosis, his clothes, the way he wears his hair, or his "hee-haw" laugh, (and continue to add to the list to one's satisfaction), but it's the writing that will ultimately stand or fall.

Don