pomposity, acquired situational narcissism, books, credit cards: so evil, publishing...

Steve Almond's New Book Will Change The World

steve So author and daddyblogger Steve Almond's new collection of mostly previously published essays, Not That You Asked: Rants, Exploits and Obsessions, doesn't just contain a deranged yet oddly bet-hedgey open letter to Oprah. It also contains secret wisdom that will change America, reopening our eyes to the pleasures of literature and eliminating our dependence on lowbrow culture! And maybe curing AIDS and solving poverty! At least, that's what Steve seemed to be implying in the thank-you note he sent to the Random House staff who worked to publicize his book.

I do know that I wrote the book as a kind of wake-up call — a plea to the citizens of our country, that they might reconnect to literature, and awaken their hearts from a long moral slumber ... People spend more and more time in front of screens, letting the shiny abs and fake death wash over them. This is precisely what corporate America wants: they want young people who consent to the myth that happiness can be purchased via credit card.

The missive was signed, "In gratitude and hope." Hot tip, Stevie: next time, send a fruit basket.

12:20 PM on Mon Sep 17 2007
By Emily Gould
3,119 views
13 comments

Comments

moff at 12:35 PM on 09/17/07
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Connectedness Index: 583

Who knew Will Ferrell was such an idealist?

(Stay classy, America.)
NotAndersonCooper at 12:53 PM on 09/17/07
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I find my moral slumbers incredibly refreshing.
Liberace at 12:56 PM on 09/17/07
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How dare he try to send a thank you note to his publisher? ?????

WTF!!!??!!?!?!?

Thanks Emily.
Rushmore Beekeeper at 01:04 PM on 09/17/07
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Connectedness Index: 146

The last time I let fake death wash over me, I still didn't feel clean so I had to take another shower.
gonzosmom at 01:09 PM on 09/17/07
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@NotAndersonCooper:

I am also still in my moral slumber and do not expect to awaken until three bears come in and kick me out.
Colonel Mustard at 01:14 PM on 09/17/07
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Connectedness Index: 301

Steal This Book
TedSez at 01:34 PM on 09/17/07
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Connectedness Index: 583

Big talk from a guy whose greatest success was a book about eating Three Musketeers bars.
Queen of the Passive... at 01:55 PM on 09/17/07
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I thought the new victorians were taking care of that literature stuff. Me, I bought three pair of happiness at lunch.
City_Dater at 02:42 PM on 09/17/07
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Considering the only place I've heard anything about this book is Gawker, perhaps someone should awaken his Random House publicists from their long moral slumber.
HowDareThey at 08:23 PM on 09/17/07
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Happiness? Myth? To think that someone took their top off for this douche to BEAR HIM A CHILD.
SeaBassTian at 09:10 PM on 09/17/07
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i'd be right there with him on this serious issue if it wasn't for that ghastly photo. it's like a bad yearbook photo from 1987. make it go away!
cyanidecygnet at 10:09 PM on 09/17/07
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awesome. he needs one of your douche shirts.
From: WWW.HUFFINGTONPOST.COM: TRACKBACK at 12:03 PM on 10/17/07
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Until a few weeks ago, I'd never paid much attention to Gawker. I had a vague sense that they were a gossip website that had something to do with New York. Then my editor sent me a link to a post they wrote about me. As it turned out, they'd been talking shit about me for a while.