Being Judged

It's a strange thing, reading your first book review.

I decided in late 2004 to write a book, collecting the funny, illuminating and generally entertaining stories of presidential speechwriters. Over three years I interviewed more than 90 current and former presidential ghosts; I collected and pored over tens of thousands of pages of documents from presidential and other libraries; I read dozens of books on the subject. For much of last year I worked 15 hours a day, seven days a week. I don't drink coffee but was buying Red Bull at Costco.

My father's death punctuated a really terrible year. (This last sentence is what can only be characterized as ridiculous understatement.)

I wrote. I produced six chapters in six months and a half-dozen more in as many weeks. The collection of stories became a cohesive, narrative history, though it retained the sense of fun and humor (at least I think).

There's a strange lull when you write a book. After intense, back-breaking effort the work becomes sporadic -- weeks of quiet followed by a new round of copy-edits, proof-read pages, galleys. Blurbs.

A couple of weeks ago my first copy of White House Ghosts appeared in the mail from Simon & Schuster.

I found out a couple of days ago that the first major review would run in Saturday's Wall Street Journal. A google search past midnight produced the document.

It is, as I said, a strange feeling reading your first review. Years of stress, sweat, tears ... reviewed. You want to rush through it, find the judgment. You force yourself to read it in full.

And of course you look for the pull quote:

Mr. Schlesinger, who interviewed more than 90 speechwriters and other White House aides, has written an evenhanded account of the speechwriting for presidents, from Franklin Delano Roosevelt to George Walker Bush, with a chapter devoted to each presidency. His episodic history is fluent, well researched and richly detailed.

It's a start.

Comments

[LivingStardust]

You care what a reviewer thinks? My, how quaint.

[S1m0n]

There are only two kinds of writers: people who care what reviewers said, and liars.

[LivingStardust]

Or people who don't let those who criticize without being able to do influence their thinking. Don't be so simple, Simon.

[S1m0n]

You care what *I* said badly enough to come on back with a retort and an insult, making your claim into a self-refuting statement.

[cktirumalai]

Some writers who subsequently became famous had terrible first book reviews, John Keats among them. This is particularly so when the writer uses a new idiom and considers new subjects. Fortunately, despite the severe discouragement, Keats was not arrested in his tracks.
A good Presidential speech-writer has a shot at immortality, if at one remove. Arthur Schlesinger Jr. was a famous historian in his own right but he did contribute memorable phrases to John Kennedy and the JFK era. American history can be viewed in various perspectives; Presidential speeches and the individuals behind them offer one.
Judging from the excerpt, the WSJ review of your book is welcoming.

[squeakyf]

Well, I would like to congratulate you on what seems to be a good review. I have found that I can find the next good book to read just by visiting Huffington Post. Your book shall be the next on my list. I just hope that I don't bring up while reading the chapter about W.
Congrats again and I look forward to a good read.