Monday, August 21, 2006

Attractive author, seductive book

Last month I asked, What's crazier than judging a book by its cover?

The answer: Judging it by its author's photo.

Crazy though it may be, that hasn't stopped a number of individuals from doing just that. Today's New York Times reports the story (that has already buzzed around the books blogs) of the author whose good looks led some in the publishing industry to doubt her talent.

(Oddly--perversely?--the Times runs the least attractive of the several photos I've seen of the writer.)

Actually, that "controversy" is merely the seductive lead-in for an article about Marisha Pessl's background, industry, and talent.

Click here to read a previous item about her debut novel and a few books she loves.

--Marshal Zeringue