Book Briefing: In Defense of the Program

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‘Tis the season of the best shows Which will definitely be released until the end of this year. Hardly any publication can resist its charm. At atlantic oceanWe published our picks for the 10 best books of 2024 on Wednesday, and will release our year-end lists of the best books for film, television, music, and podcasts in the coming weeks.

First, here are three new stories from atlantic oceanBook section of:

I am aware of the arguments against choice. “The best” of something Detractors of year-end programs argue that too often they reward work that is already heavily promoted and critically acclaimed. Especially in categories like books. which a person cannot evaluate everything Launched in one year Another common argument is that they favor known sounds and styles over bold experiments. I am an editor who focuses mostly on journalism. I try hard to consider and avoid these pitfalls when I work to connect readers with the kinds of books they want to read. But I still don’t know if they want to read. Read. As a result, I’m a defender of form when done right.

Good programs are the result of careful consideration. In principle It is not curated alone. And the creators have thought extensively about what should be included and why. Examine their blind spots and biases. and participate in arguments (Friendly) or even some manual distortions about what causes the cuts and what. will be thrown out. Then, I would argue that the most interesting shows and the most exciting elements of making shows are driven by the freedom to ignore the unpredictable. As my colleague wrote this week, One of the key criteria for our selection Atlantic 10 is surprise: We look for titles that take us to places or lead to conclusions we didn’t expect.

This doesn’t just apply to year-end summaries. (Or canon-building efforts, like our list of the Great American Novels.) We also use this approach to curate collections of shorts, comedy books, or cookbooks. These are most successful when they hit the unexpected: a small, unknown poetry collection; A job that is often maligned; A forgotten debut from a famous writer. I like shows that aim to persuade. Instead, it was a show that asserted its authority from the start.

And this style has its own elegance and functionality. This makes it different from longer reviews. Support comparison, ranking, and free linking. and discussion You could put our top 10 list head-to-head with other publications. any amount Taking into account similarities or differences (This is another argument for making diverse, unusual, and bold choices.) Most importantly, The program is not a curriculum. There will not be a final exam in the case of Atlantic For example, with Issue 10, we recognize that some of our books won’t click with everyone. But every book we choose is one that we believe can be of value to everyone.

The books that made us think the most this year

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Things to read

write lifeBy Javier Marías, translated by Margaret Jull Costa.

Marías is one of my favorite novelists. But I just recently came across this piece. which is a curious collection of short non-fiction biographies in a very specific style. In the introduction Marías explains that he has edited an anthology of stories by very obscure writers. He was forced to write a biographical journal using strange, scanty evidence that made it all sound. It occurred to him that he could do the same for much more famous writers (Henry James, Thomas Mann, Juna Barnes), treating “Famous literary figures appear as if they were fictional characters. This is probably the way that every writer doesn’t mind. Famous or obscure, they want to be treated secretly,” he explains. The result is astonishingly disrespectful. Full of unforgettable details (presumably Rilke liked the letter very much). Y and use any excuse to write) and cute style (Marías would have us believe that many writers hate Dostoyevsky.) write life It immediately appeared on the shelf of my most prized possessions. And every friend I introduced to her was equally enchanted. — Eliza and Bert

From our list: Five books for people who really love books.

Out next week

The rest is memories.By Lily Tuck

Your weekend read

Celebrity machines never die.

By Michael Waters

Record labels, publishers and movie studios capitalize on the star power of long-dead actors, betting on biopics and reboots to lure old fans and lure new audiences to movie theaters. Estates began claiming this cut a few decades ago, and more recently, the rise of new technologies, especially AI, has opened up more profit opportunities than ever before. But the power What AI means isn’t just about finance. It is also cultural. Estates no longer just sell still photos of long-dead celebrities. They are increasing their work. And in this process has fundamentally altered our perception of these stars.

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