You know how lots of paperbacks now have those “Questions for Reading Groups” at the back, which could also be called, “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” These really idiotic questions that would actually insult a fairly bright fifth grader. Well, check this out.
I recently read Elizabeth Strout’s stories, Olive Kitteridge. I was deeply moved by a few stories and admired the book greatly. In fact, I keep thinking about one intimate exchange between a long married couple. The book is a huge commercial and critical success, wins the Pulitzer, all good. But then, something goes terribly wrong, and I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned it.
When you come to the end of the paperback edition, there is: “A Conversation with Elizabeth Strout and Olive Kitteridge.” Seriously.
Here’s how it begins: “Random House Reader’s Circle sat down with Olive Kitteridge and Elizabeth Strout in a doughnut shop in Olive’s hometown of Crosby, Maine.” Was someone having a cute attack that day at the marketing meeting?
Random House, the author, and her character all chat about lots of literary matters, but then Random House goes for the jugular and asks why doughnuts figure so prominently in the stories. “Olive” answers that they sure do seem to show up in a lot of the stories. Then the author allows how the doughnuts, for Olive, represent “a certain heedlessness in her desire to appease her appetites.” And then (this gets better, folks) “Olive” herself asks her creator if she has a doughnut predilection. And Elizabeth Strout chides her character, “Oh, don’t be defensive, Olive. I know exactly how pleasing a good doughnut can be.”
Am I the only one having an aneuryism here?
Full disclosure and in the spirit of true modesty, I do feel I’ve written one of the all time great doughnut scenes in my memoir, so maybe I’m a little touchy when someone takes the Lord’s name in vain. But for St. Dunkin’s sake, since when is it okay ON ANY LEVEL to have an author interview her character? Are we Pirandello?
Also, I keep forgetting to mention that in Portland, they have this place called Voodoo Doughnuts and they sell BACON doughtnuts.
Filed under: Authors, Books, Publishing, The End of the World as We Know It |
Betsy Lerner 
Check out the Q&A for ALL WE EVER WANTED WAS EVERYTHING. That’s another one that is similarly ridiculous… a four way conversation between the characters and the author, with the characters expressing their ire with some of the authors decisions.
The first thing this reminds me of is the Disney Sunday Night Movie in 1985, when Michael Eisner introduced each movie. Halfway through his spiel, a bunch of men dressed as characters from that night’s movie would lumber out and answer a series of stupid questions with exaggerated nods, shakes, and shrugs.
I was only 2, but imagine the outrage of, say, a 5-year-old: “That’s not Winnie the Pooh!” “How DARE you condescend to Robin Hood!”
Loved that book.
Aneurysm, no. Apoplexy, yes.
I love Olive Kitteridge and one of the reasons I love the book and the character is that it and she are funny. The doughnuts are funny — so bravo to whoever put the materials together for allowing humor into the questions.
We were assigned to read, and just discussed last night the title story in this collection in a writing group!!
We have a fabulous teacher, so thank goodness we didn’t use this platform for our analysis and discussion. I wasn’t aware of this “interview” until reading this post.
How horrible to have that at the end of a collection of fabulous stories!! LOL Why would Strout agree to that??
What next? Perhaps the donuts could interview both author and character. I’m all for making books accessible but, hello? I hope Strout was on crack when she agreed.
Good idea, Jan, a little magical realism can only help.
“… But for St. Dunkin’s sake, since when is it okay ON ANY LEVEL to have an author interview her character? …
The mezzanine level at Barnes & Noble comes to mind.
I read Olive Kitteridge a year ago and I am still undecided about whether I love or despise that Q &A.