NPR: Can't Judge a Book by the Woman on Its Cover

Can't Judge a Book by the Woman on Its Cover

Karen Heller calls this cover "literal and beyond cliche."

Remember the debate we had a couple of weeks back about whether there's such a thing as a "woman's book"? The other day in the Philadelphia Inquirer, columnist Karen Heller lamented the way books by women are packaged and marketed, in a piece entitled "These Covers Say Women Are Dumb":

The beautiful book is an increasingly rare thing. Most times you see one, the author is male. What does this say? All women writers deserve generic treatment while all men are special in their own way?

Thanks to @elizs for the tweet.

Don't forget, the BPP Book Club meets online this Friday, May 2, starting bright and early in the morning to discuss this month''s selection, Aryn Kyle's The God of Animals.

Bonus: Sign up for BPP Book Club alerts.

Sarah Goodyear

11:16 AM ET | 05- 1-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Would it be possible to announce the book club selections a few days in advance? I'd like to hop right into the new one and sometimes it takes a week or so to get it bought/loaned.

Sent by Dave Wiley | 3:06 PM ET | 05-01-2008

Hey, I second that proposal. Almost didn't get The God of Animals in time. Fortunately, it was a page turner. But I always think next time I won't be so lucky!

Sent by Kymm in Barcelona | 6:18 PM ET | 05-01-2008

The God of Animals just freed up at one of the libraries. I think I'll have it today. Geh.

Sent by Sarah Lee | 6:59 AM ET | 05-02-2008

I hear what you guys are saying about timing. Will consult with great minds at BPP on this matter.

@Sarah Lee...go ahead and read it anyway if you're so inclined. It is really one of those can't-put-it-down books for a lot of people. And you can always share your thoughts about it later on...we'll still be listening.

Sent by Sarah Goodyear | 10:53 AM ET | 05-02-2008

@ Sarah G: I'm definitely going to read it once I get hold of it. I'm digging the complexity described in the book club blog post :)

Sent by Sarah Lee | 12:17 PM ET | 05-02-2008

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