[lit-ideas] Re: The way of writing
- From: "Carol Kirschenbaum" <carolkir@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2007 15:38:02 -0800
re: Click here: BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Desai's inheritance of success
Hiya Julie and everyone,
A sign of becoming one of the elders: I think of this piece as being about
"Anita Desai's daughter." Such generational name recognition happens often,
particularly in the entertainment industry's end-of-show credits. But then the
younger star of the moment overtakes mom or dad, and I get used to it.
(Remember when Michael Douglas was Kirk Douglas's son? Then...Kirk
Douglas--who's he?)
I saw Anita Desai at a conference in Austin, some years ago. She was on a
panel. One of those. But unlike the other panelists, she refused to scoff at
Danielle Steel. Rather, she said soberly--and I paraphrase, I hope--that
megaselling Steel must be giving the reader something that she, Desai, does
not. And cannot give. She sounded melancholy, not haughty, that her novels have
been consigned to the musty shelves of literature, not dog-eared on millions of
nightstands. I can believe that she discouraged her daughter from noveling for
a living.
Carol K.
Other related posts:
