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| Hearsay: |
Publishers are now putting chicklit covers on all books written by women, regardless of whether it actually fits the genre? Lo! On the horizon! A pale horse commeth!
When we look at a book, its cover tells us what to expect. A pink paperback featuring a smiling young woman is most likely a female-centric summer read, whereas a gun on a black background is probably a murder story. A few simple aesthetic rules narrow our options, make life easier and ensure none of us has to wander Waterstone’s for hours, wailing in confusion. And yet the rules seem to be changing.
Having cottoned on to the fact that chick lit books sell like cupcakes, publishers are now adding chick lit-style covers to any book written by a woman whether it fits the genre definition or not.
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July 31st, 2008 at 10:07 pm
I’ve probably overlooked countless books because they look like they are “chick lit” and I have no desire to read about someone who is focused on shopping and wears ridiculously expensive shoes on a tiny salary.
August 1st, 2008 at 4:27 am
At the old bookstore where I worked, we were supposed to put basically any work of fiction written by a woman into the Chick Lit subsection. It makes sense, I guess. Lydia Davis, Sophie Kinsella – they’re both broads, right?
August 1st, 2008 at 10:39 am
I’ve almost missed out on good books for this very reason. I would never have thought of picking up Nicole Krauss’s “A History of Love”, because of its unfortunate title and pretty sky/sea cover. Thankfully a friend put the book in my hands…