Booking Through Thursday this week wonders about the compulsions of famous people to write books, both how and why....
- What do you think of celebrities who write biographies when they're only twenty-something? If they've got something to say, and the determination to see it through the writing and publishing, then I salute them. I wish I'd done something worth writing about in my twenties!
- Have you read any? I read Kenneth Branagh's Beginning, which I found fairly interesting. If I have read any others, I'm afraid they weren't terribly memorable. (Please note the "worth writing about" in #1.)
- What about novels by people such as politicians? Are they just cashing in on their fame? Ah. Difficult question. Politics can be such a self-serving field, although I would like to think that there are still some noble-spirited people around who get into politics so that they really can help people. I also understand the need to write. Why should politicians be immune from this simply because they are politicians? That said, I don't have to read it just because it's been written (or just because the author is famous), either.
- Should ghost-writing be allowed or should the true writer get the credit? This seems uncomfortably close to plagiarism to me, although bizarrely with the actual author's cooperation. Why would someone want to take credit for someone else's work, and why would someone be willing to let someone else take all of that credit? I don't really understand the kind of ego that can't accept even an "as told to" line, or acknowledge the contributions of a really good editor.
I agree with your comments about the ghost writers. I couldn't write a whole book for someone, and not get credit. But I do have a problem with "famous authors," especailly actors/actresses. I tend to be much more critical of these books. I just can't help it! :)
Posted by: Amy | January 13, 2006 at 11:08 AM