Readings, Rated
Biggie ups to BEZ
Danielle Chapman (Dept. of Cultural Affairs), Jonathan Messinger (everything), Ivan R. Dee (Ivan R. Dee), Doug Seibold (Agate) and Garrett Kiely (U Chicago Press) were interviewed at Printer’s Row Lit Fest for this piece on WBEZ this morning.
Kiely and Seibold feel the Chicago publishing scene is isolated and overlooked. Chapman is optimistic as ever, citing our city’s toughness and grit as an ideal breeding ground for a new regime of small, fleet independent publishers. Dee is blunt: ”This is not a civic enterprise. I’m all for the city making a little to-do about it, but finally, it comes down to a pretty individualized sort of business.”
I, for one, am encouraged that WBEZ is bringing this dialogue to their many listeners and grateful to everyone interviewed for being so on point. Listen for yourselves!
Wow, I’m surprised by the negativity in this interview. True, Chicago is not New York, but on the other hand, there ARE successful publishers here. Sourcebooks has a large number of really popular titles, they even just expanded (you can read about it at Publisher’s Weekly). Ebony and Jet are published here, and the University of Chicago Press is the biggest university press in the country. There are also a large number of great independents, from Stop Smiling to Featherproof to Dancing Girl. Chicago is a great place for publishing, and a lot of really exceptional companies are doing new and interesting things here.
[...] Comments Julie: Wow, I’m surprised by the negativity in this interview. True, Chicago is not New York, but on the [...]