Joshua Micah Marshall, of Talking Points Memo fame, has what he calls “a review essay on the new literature of empire” out in The New Yorker today. Is this the first time a blogger gets to write for something so prestigious on account of a reputation made by their blogAndrew Sullivan doesn’t count — he made his name at The New Republic. Marshall did not make his name at The Hill.?
I think he makes some wonderful points. The whole piece is a deft rejoinder to the televised debate he had with Richard Perle last month. This in particular had me smiling:
What makes a state a state is its monopoly over the legitimate use of force, which means that citizens don’t have to worry about arming to defend themselves against each other. Instead, they can focus on productive pursuits like raising families, making money, and enjoying their leisure time. In the world of the Bush doctrine, states take the place of citizens.
[…]
In other words, if America has an effective monopoly on the exercise of military force, other countries should be able to set aside the distractions of arming and plotting against each other and put their energies into producing consumer electronics, textiles, tea. What the Bush doctrine calls for—paradoxically, given its proponents—is a form of world government.
I’m ambivalent about the actual writing, however, because, well, it’s a bit bloggy. I’m not sure if, despite all my cheering on of blogs, I am ready to see The New Yorker — or any magazine I want to read — adopt the shoot-from-the-hip breeziness of tone we know and love on a blog. Whenever Marshall mentions one of the books he is “reviewing”, you feel him wanting to link to it and be done with it, with the reader free to explore that particular nook should the fancy strike him. But of course Marshall can’t link in this article, not on the printed page.
Previously, I’ve lamented the book review as executive summary. Marshall’s approach veers too much to the other extreme: He comes to the task armed with a ready docrine to propound, then pecks at the books to illustrate a point or else raids them for interesting anecdotes. These books are not the subject of this review; his thesis is. This makes for great blogging, but a less convincing New Yorker piece.
He comes to the task armed with a ready docrine to propound, then pecks at the books to illustrate a point or else raids them for interesting anecdotes.
true dat. I didn’t realize that he was writing a book review until he called it as such today on his site.
and it’s the luxury and laziness of waiting till it comes out in print tomorrow that makes me an old school american…
It’s not a book review. Also, do you then think the NY review of Books is crap? Or too bloggy?
And Marshall made his reputation in the American Prospect and the Washinton Montly – as well as with TPM. But it’s not nearly as noteworthy as if Kevin Drum would get to write for them.
It is, too. And TNYRoB is great, except when it does either of those two kinds of reviews. And it does do them occasionally.
Marshall’s “review” is really a research paper with just 5 sources.
Previously, I’ve lamented your blog as a self important waste of time. I am ambivalent about your actual writing, however, because, well, it’s a bit pompous. I’m not sure I want to see one of my friends — or indeed anyone I have some form of connection to — adopt this particular tone.
Book reviewers around the world tremble at your lamentationing. Hmm. I wonder if the real issue here is the New Yorker didn’t ask you to write something for them. No doubt the editors are slapping their foreheads with exasperation! Damn damn damn, they’re saying, that Stefan bloke is dead on, all that loser Micah was doing was mouthing off, admittedly in an clear, original and interesting way, about stuff he had thought of that wasn’t IN THE BOOKS themselves! Well, they’re saying, we know who we’re going to turn to next time, we’ll just get this Geens to tell the readers what the book’s about, in one simple paragraph, and then he’ll say whether he liked it or not. Better still, he can just put a tick, or a cross, in a box next to the paragraph!
High fives all round, and delerious whooping in the editors’ suite follows. Geens is eventually invited to be editor in chief of the New Yorker, and changes the book review genre as we know it for generations to come.
yes yes yes!!!!!!!! You have whipped me into a frenzy of literary excitement- not dissimilar from Lizzy Bennett’s state as she takes on another witty and ironic sparring round with Darcy… And Stefan remember your friends and co-bloggers who are looking for reviewing blogs… Does this make you a Tina Brownesque wunderkind figure?
KP