Great article. For what it’s worth I started a men’s book club with a membership drawn from my very competitive, somewhat frat-ish tennis team. All literary fiction, mix of classics and contemporary fiction. I was surprised at the demand - I filled the book club in ten minutes and we have a bunch of guys who want to join. It did help that I pitched it as a very male activity-we will drink and we argue! We have a friendly rivalry with some women’s book clubs. I’m a Gen-x guy, though there are millennials in the group, and I think it eased the way for the guys that I brought a kind of ironic Gen-X machismo to the endeavor.
This line stuck out at me: "Novels shouldn’t be merely entertainment for a thin slice of the leisure class." That's pretty much how novels began; that's who read Fielding, Richardson and Sterne. It wasn't even regarded as a respectable art form at first. But with the growth of literacy and the middle class, the novel moved beyond that audience, and aesthetes started taking it seriously. Maybe we need to return to the beginnings and start the whole cycle again?
A provoking article and ultimately hopeful even as it looks clear eyed at the ruins of literary culture.
While I agree with your point on the intellectual underpinnings of the MAGA movement, but I feel an equal concern at the incoherence of the other side (one hesitates to use terms such as right/left or liberal/conservative any more). There is a kind of madness in hearing things like eliminating men increases diversity or that eliminating the police will help people in crime ridden areas or the identitarian need to prejudge every conflict by the identity of the participants (certainly this is a practice on many sides of the political fence) and so on.
My only point in bringing this up is I see in your essay the ability to look beyond the prevailing “narrative” and be self critical enough to see solutions to our malaise. This is the path that leads us from being satisfied that our side is right or better to actually solving problems.
Agree with your points. To me, Richard powers is at the top of the game as a male writer. In addition to your book, everyone should read The Playground.
Thank you Ross, this really resonated with me, so few people write honestly about ambition. As a (failed) novelist born 1980 who pivoted to essays and podcasts, I needed to read this.
I have pre-ordered your book from Tertulia which is a fabulous online bookstore. I am eagerly looking forward to it. I am glad to see you are not personally despairing over the state of male authors. I believe the pendulum has swung too far toward the female perspective in fiction and agree wholeheartedly that MAgA rise in no small part due to the illiteracy of the members of that cult. They mistake a liberal education with a liberal viewpoint and revel in their stupidity. On the subject of male authors, I am reading Playworld now and I am enjoying it. It’s a kind of modern Catcher in the Rye which tells a compelling story in a very appealing style of writing. Anyway, I guess my overall message is keep plugging away. There are people like me who, as the age, enjoy good novels more than I ever did when I was your age. Congrats again on the book. I plan to devour it as soon as it arrives in my mailbox
So much to love in this piece. And true, "a male writer cannot *will* a literary audience into being, not when the readership tends to be college-educated women," as they "may not want to spend hours of their time with male interiority," but as a GenX oldster, I've always felt that DeLillo, Updike, Diaz, and Chabon transcend the whole notion of gendered interiority. The very assignment has always been greater than my own myopic interiority, if that makes sense. In any case, congrats on the launch. Cannot wait to read the book.
I liked this piece quite a lot, and certainly saw myself in it a bit. One thing that stuck out was how Mr. Barkan at some points claims to be fine with the death of prestige yet the the last lines seem to contradict that by wishing for a "new model of prestige." I can relate to this ambivalence. On the one hand, I can hear myself saying "so what if prestige is dead" yet I don't think I can stop yearning for prestige of the sort that was part and parcel of the artistic world in earlier decades. Maybe the best thing that can come of this is that writers will become inspired to write for a lot of reasons that are purer than obtaining prestige (and thus clout/power). One last thing I wonder is whether the post-prestige era in literature is tenable or whether, given that it is seemingly a historical anomaly in literature's longer history, that some kind of prestige must return. I guess that depends on if there is somehow an increase in reading books by the young (esp. males). Hard for me to see that one coming ahead, but that's the thing about life: it always surprises.
“ I believe, shedding the posture of faux humility that today’s elite novelists seem to relish, it is one of the best books published in recent times.” Love that you said this!
reminds me of this wordsworth quote: "Every great and original writer, in proportion as he is great and original, must himself create the taste by which he is to be relished."
I am eager to read Glass Century. I’ll try to order it through Amazon to Argentina this year (it’s not an easy task, but it’s getting better). This essay is very helpful to me. I think that your path is precisely the one I am taking: keep writing, keep building. Not quite there yet with the peace of mind, but getting better.
Deeply honest and thrillingly insightful. This newsletter, and your initiatives generally, give me a lot of inspiration and, frankly, hope. I regret not being able to attend your upcoming event, but eagerly await the arrival of Glass Century!
I'm in a fiction-only book club (we break the rule sometimes) with my college roommates, and a female journalist friend said to me, "It's so refreshing to hear about a men's book group that reads fiction." I was surprised. It's too bad: we have much more interesting (though probably less vehement) discussions than if we read about D-Day or vanishing aquifers or whatever.
“ I am not encouraging reading to produce more liberals and Democrats, but I do believe, even if you’re right-wing, the act of reading high literature will increase your cognition and make you more of a serious person. MAGA’s growing incoherence springs, in part, from its limp intellectual foundations.”
Sir, I don’t think you’ve met enough intellectual conservatives. We do exist. We just may not travel in circles and spheres you’ve encountered before. Try breaking into a conversation with Catholic nerds debating CS Lewis or Tolkien, or one of the Russian greats. It gets very, very heated.
Great article. For what it’s worth I started a men’s book club with a membership drawn from my very competitive, somewhat frat-ish tennis team. All literary fiction, mix of classics and contemporary fiction. I was surprised at the demand - I filled the book club in ten minutes and we have a bunch of guys who want to join. It did help that I pitched it as a very male activity-we will drink and we argue! We have a friendly rivalry with some women’s book clubs. I’m a Gen-x guy, though there are millennials in the group, and I think it eased the way for the guys that I brought a kind of ironic Gen-X machismo to the endeavor.
This line stuck out at me: "Novels shouldn’t be merely entertainment for a thin slice of the leisure class." That's pretty much how novels began; that's who read Fielding, Richardson and Sterne. It wasn't even regarded as a respectable art form at first. But with the growth of literacy and the middle class, the novel moved beyond that audience, and aesthetes started taking it seriously. Maybe we need to return to the beginnings and start the whole cycle again?
Congratulations! I’m bringing friends. Loved this piece. RIP the Litbro? His replacement is much worse.
I recall the Jezebel-style sneering about David Foster Wallace men. More snobbery than substantive culture criticism.
Bring back the Wallace bros
A provoking article and ultimately hopeful even as it looks clear eyed at the ruins of literary culture.
While I agree with your point on the intellectual underpinnings of the MAGA movement, but I feel an equal concern at the incoherence of the other side (one hesitates to use terms such as right/left or liberal/conservative any more). There is a kind of madness in hearing things like eliminating men increases diversity or that eliminating the police will help people in crime ridden areas or the identitarian need to prejudge every conflict by the identity of the participants (certainly this is a practice on many sides of the political fence) and so on.
My only point in bringing this up is I see in your essay the ability to look beyond the prevailing “narrative” and be self critical enough to see solutions to our malaise. This is the path that leads us from being satisfied that our side is right or better to actually solving problems.
Thanks!
Agree with your points. To me, Richard powers is at the top of the game as a male writer. In addition to your book, everyone should read The Playground.
Thank you Ross, this really resonated with me, so few people write honestly about ambition. As a (failed) novelist born 1980 who pivoted to essays and podcasts, I needed to read this.
I have pre-ordered your book from Tertulia which is a fabulous online bookstore. I am eagerly looking forward to it. I am glad to see you are not personally despairing over the state of male authors. I believe the pendulum has swung too far toward the female perspective in fiction and agree wholeheartedly that MAgA rise in no small part due to the illiteracy of the members of that cult. They mistake a liberal education with a liberal viewpoint and revel in their stupidity. On the subject of male authors, I am reading Playworld now and I am enjoying it. It’s a kind of modern Catcher in the Rye which tells a compelling story in a very appealing style of writing. Anyway, I guess my overall message is keep plugging away. There are people like me who, as the age, enjoy good novels more than I ever did when I was your age. Congrats again on the book. I plan to devour it as soon as it arrives in my mailbox
Thank you Richard for ordering!
So much to love in this piece. And true, "a male writer cannot *will* a literary audience into being, not when the readership tends to be college-educated women," as they "may not want to spend hours of their time with male interiority," but as a GenX oldster, I've always felt that DeLillo, Updike, Diaz, and Chabon transcend the whole notion of gendered interiority. The very assignment has always been greater than my own myopic interiority, if that makes sense. In any case, congrats on the launch. Cannot wait to read the book.
I liked this piece quite a lot, and certainly saw myself in it a bit. One thing that stuck out was how Mr. Barkan at some points claims to be fine with the death of prestige yet the the last lines seem to contradict that by wishing for a "new model of prestige." I can relate to this ambivalence. On the one hand, I can hear myself saying "so what if prestige is dead" yet I don't think I can stop yearning for prestige of the sort that was part and parcel of the artistic world in earlier decades. Maybe the best thing that can come of this is that writers will become inspired to write for a lot of reasons that are purer than obtaining prestige (and thus clout/power). One last thing I wonder is whether the post-prestige era in literature is tenable or whether, given that it is seemingly a historical anomaly in literature's longer history, that some kind of prestige must return. I guess that depends on if there is somehow an increase in reading books by the young (esp. males). Hard for me to see that one coming ahead, but that's the thing about life: it always surprises.
Excited to hear you read in Philly at Headhouse Books!
Thank you - looking forward to May 12!
Ross, I really appreciated this whole piece, and related to much of it, even though I am not a white man but rather a hijab-wearing Arab Muslim woman.
Thank you Noha I appreciate that!
I just checked my library for your book and I can’t see it there yet so I’m going to request it! I’d love to read it.
Thank you!
“ I believe, shedding the posture of faux humility that today’s elite novelists seem to relish, it is one of the best books published in recent times.” Love that you said this!
reminds me of this wordsworth quote: "Every great and original writer, in proportion as he is great and original, must himself create the taste by which he is to be relished."
I am eager to read Glass Century. I’ll try to order it through Amazon to Argentina this year (it’s not an easy task, but it’s getting better). This essay is very helpful to me. I think that your path is precisely the one I am taking: keep writing, keep building. Not quite there yet with the peace of mind, but getting better.
Deeply honest and thrillingly insightful. This newsletter, and your initiatives generally, give me a lot of inspiration and, frankly, hope. I regret not being able to attend your upcoming event, but eagerly await the arrival of Glass Century!
I'm in a fiction-only book club (we break the rule sometimes) with my college roommates, and a female journalist friend said to me, "It's so refreshing to hear about a men's book group that reads fiction." I was surprised. It's too bad: we have much more interesting (though probably less vehement) discussions than if we read about D-Day or vanishing aquifers or whatever.
“ I am not encouraging reading to produce more liberals and Democrats, but I do believe, even if you’re right-wing, the act of reading high literature will increase your cognition and make you more of a serious person. MAGA’s growing incoherence springs, in part, from its limp intellectual foundations.”
Sir, I don’t think you’ve met enough intellectual conservatives. We do exist. We just may not travel in circles and spheres you’ve encountered before. Try breaking into a conversation with Catholic nerds debating CS Lewis or Tolkien, or one of the Russian greats. It gets very, very heated.