Book Review Bias

A very interesting letter by a black author in today’s New York Times Book Review accuses the no-doubt sensitive, liberal reviewer of his book of Strom Thurmond-like racism. What was the nature of his alleged racist offense? Mentioning the author’s race, which some of us might describe as practicing racial consciousness rather than color blindness.

After some 17 books and 23 years publishing fiction in this country, I am little affected by reviews good or bad. In fact, as a rule, I don’t read them. But several people have drawn my attention to the review of my novel ”American Desert” written by Sven Birkerts (May 9). One of those people remarked on the amazing restraint exhibited by Birkerts as he waited until the ”second” sentence of his piece to mention that I am African-American. I feel confident in stating that the color of my skin has little to do with that novel. I also feel confident in stating that I am sure that Birkerts in previous reviews has not found it necessary to identify other authors as European-American or white.

To tell the truth, I simply am tired of people connected with publishing and art in this culture being so amazed that anyone not white can create a work that race is all they can see. I will not waste my energy discussing this kind of insidious racism, but will say only that this brand, often practiced by those who in all things else would consider themselves liberal, progressive and intellectual, makes one appreciate the overt brand of bigotry practiced by the likes of the late Strom Thurmond.

The reviewer responded that this “point about racial identification is, of course, unassailable,” but meekly defended himself by observing that race was indeed relevant to one of the two books under review.

I am not familiar with the work of the author, Percival Everett, or of the reviewer, Sven Birkerts, but I am heartened that both of them so strongly endorse the colorblind principle. Given that strong endorsement, I suspect one or both of them must oppose racial preferences in English departments, writing programs, and the editorial pracitices of literary publishers. Please pass along any examples you run across.

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  1. mike June 6, 2004 at 7:50 pm | | Reply

    I love the way Democrats/liberals always skip right over their own esteemed Senator Byrd (D/W.VA.), the recent Grand Kleagle of the Klu Klux Klan for West Virginia.

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