I'm bamboozled by the number of hardcover books that are published each year--what seems like each second of every day--or throw in the number of softcover books and, Jesus bar Joseph, you gotta a hell of a lot of books. Who reads 'em? Who writes 'em?
Along with the tons of celebrity books, which I don't count as real books but the NYTimes does, a lot of books are written by current journalists, both big-and-little-time reporters and old-time and new-time columnist. Every staff writer on the major newspapers, NYTimes, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, L.A. Times, etc., writes at least one book a year, depending on their current popularity or their being up on certain current topics, especially books Georgie Porgie's performance as our phony president, and tons of hurriedly written books about the Iraq War, the Muslims, Palestine, Israel, and 9/11 (fact and fiction). All newspaper syndicated columnists, like the late Molly Ivins, put out at least one book a year; Molly, for instance, has written four books since the Bush Baby, our phony president, our fiasco president, took power; three of these books dealt with her witty knowledge and appreciation of W., as she called him and even her other book, Dogs I Have Known (sic), though concerning a lot of politicians, focused mainly on Bush 1 and Bush 2 (Goatman and Goatboy) [read a once favorite writer of us bookish types, now probably forgotten, John Barth's Giles Goatboy for an example of what I'm referring to. Also, while you're at it, you might as well read The Sot-Weed Factor, a book the Wolf Man here thinks is one of the damndest books ever written by a writer! Raising John Barth from the ashes!]. You think Molly Ivins died a millionaire?
Also, in case anyone didn't notice, Sidney Sheldon died a couple'a days ago. Sidney, he gave us grade B movies and double-grade B television shows (I Dream of Jeannie), started writing books after he got filthy rich in the Hollywood pulp-pop-art market and he was an old filthy rich man when he started writing his pulp novels, all about the good life in Beverly Hills and places like that, the life he lived and his friends lived, the drinking, F-ing around, worthless kids, big cars, drugs, sleazy slut wives, ballsy cheatin' fool husbands, all the shit that glitters but is not gold, like the substance of all Hollywood film and literature, all bullshit, but glossed over and sprinkled up to sparkle just like a nugget of pure gold. In the end, old Sidney wrote over 20-something sick-rich-Hollywood-centered books.
It's also good to see Mickey Rooney back on teevee, he and his latest wife selling old folks life insurance these days--I mean insurance companies pump you constantly for premiums even when you only have a matter of years to live, like Mickey. Insurance companies have got to be one of the sleaziest industries this country ever produced, all because we are all so afraid of DEATH--the only reason for wasting your money betting on your health and life with these predatory insurance companies, who use your premium monies to invest in other things like construction; next time you past a huge construction site (like NYC-ers pass several times daily in our going about), you'll see an insurance companies name up there as one of the investors in the project.
I'm sure Mickey's written a couple of books in his long and adventurous days on Planet Hollywood. Mickey's been around since before I entered the world; a little fella; a Hollywood lot brat; a marrying fool--and he married some beauties too, like Rita Hayworth, Ava Gardner--men, can you imagine?--how do these actors and actresses remember the names of all their husbands, wives, or lovers and all the little bastards they have with them? The actions of all their husbands or lovers? What a grand life these Hollywood creepos have; what a grand life little Mickey Rooney has had. Hey, Mickey has a record; he was top box office in Hollywood for three different decades, the 30s, the 40s, and the early 50s, like the totally grade B The Atomic Kid, Mickey's last hurrah until he hit some teevee retard-roles when he was in his 70s; Mickey's gotta be 87 or something now, looking a little worn and raggedy, a little spongy wrinkled and extra-hirsute, but still obviously Mickey Rooney. In the 30s, Mickey was more famous and rich than all the big stars, like Lombard and Gable or Bogart or Cary Grant; yep, little Mickey had to have made a fortune in Hollywood, and then later in life in Sugar Babies, a big hit for him on Broadway. He now lives in lusty California with his eighth wife, Jan, still kicking at 87 or whatever the age he is. Yep, Mickey's penned some books.
Not Short on Secrets
If your image of Rooney comprises only acting, some footage is missing from the picture. Rooney also paints, flies, plays golf, and writes. His most recent book, The Search for Sonny Skies (Carol Publishing Group, 1994), is touted as a mystery, but some claim it is remarkably biographical. "You have to form your own opinion about it," says Rooney, keeping the answer a mystery.If Rooney had secrets to keep, most were let out of the bag upon publication of Life is Too Short. Rooney is brash and graphic about his sexual exploits. And there are many-before, during, and in between his marriages. One of the more humorous incidents Rooney recounts in his book is that Milton Berle had him initiated at a brothel. "[It was] a one-flight walk-up off Santa Monica Boulevard called T&M Studios. (I don't remember what the initials stood for, but Berle and I used the code to kid around. 'When we gonna be called to T&M,' I'd say to Berle, 'for another performance?')." From an interview with little Mickey in 1995. Go to: http://www.grandtimes.com/rooney.htmlAh, what a life. Mickey Rooney. It would be hard to top Mickey's several records, no matter who the hell you are. Britney Spears, for instance, still has 5 marriages to go.
Read All About It
Here's a link to Bowker, the folks who give us Books in Print. I think the lead head in this article shows a scary truth:
UK Now Leader in English Language Publishing
New Providence, N.J. – May 9, 2006 – Bowker, the world’s leading provider of bibliographic information, today released statistics on U.S. book publishing compiled from its Books In Print® database. Based on preliminary figures from U.S. publishers, Bowker is projecting that U.S. title output in 2005 decreased by more than 18,000 to 172,000 new titles and editions. This is the first decline in U.S. title output since 1999, and only the 10th downturn recorded in the last 50 years. It follows the record increase of more than 19,000 new books in 2004.
Great Britain, long the world’s per capita leader in the publication of new books in any language, now replaces the United States as the publisher of most new books in English. 206,000 new books were published in the U.K. in 2005, representing an increase of some 45,000 (28%) over 2004.
for The Daily Growler
No comments:
Post a Comment