Backlists, baby!
I love a good backlist book. And I am not alone! In We need to talk about the backlist, Thad McIlroy reported that backlist books represent about 2/3 of what readers buy. Since 2020, some publishers have reported increased backlist sales. Although McIllroy doesn’t get into the reason for that increase, I would argue that financial uncertainty and a need for comfort drove readers not just to the backlist books, but to the library backlists specifically. That’s where I get most of my backlist reading.
May the Book be with you
What is your favorite hobby or pastime? Reading books obviously and yet … When people ask me about my hobbies, I feel so inadequate when I say reading. I feel like hobbies are things like knitting or playing guitar or running. All hobbies I’ve tried actually. Pastimes are different. I’ve always loved the Indian English […]
Book review: Reading Rupi—Translating English across cultures
Reading Indian writing in English represents an act of translation every time I read. Yes, even when the book is written in English, every book represents a journey through and across culture. It might seem strange to hear a native English speaker say that I read English in translation, but I do. Given the idiomatic […]
I am a Chetan Bhagat fan, and I am not an idiot: A 2001-word editorial odyssey
Editor’s note: The use of the term idiot is harmful to intellectually disabled people. I didn’t understand that harm until years after I wrote this blog post. I have decided to leave the usage in place as a testament to my growth. I may change my mind later and remove it entirely. There’s always a […]