Sometimes I get asked to do radio or TV interviews, speaking about books or opining about the state of religious publishing, or telling about authors we like. Recently a very wonderful opportunity came up, a call from one Johnny Price, of the Caleb Group, to talk about the most significant books of 2007. Along with some fabulous folks talking about TV, music, film, and theater, I will “appear” this Sunday night (December 30) on the Caleb Group’s radio talk show–The Intersection: Where Ideas and Perspectives Cross Paths--out of WOLT FM in Greenville SC.
We taped the interview last night. Whew; significant books? Not my own favs or stuff I think folks ought to read, but bell-weather titles that are significant? Oh my, what to say? Time didn’t allow us to de-construct important marketing schemes (scams?) like The Secret, which were sadly significant this year. Or talk about the emergent conversation which, like it or not, is very significant. Or the batch of anti-Christian right books which are less significant than their authors think they are.
We did talk about some important memoirs, the deaths of Vonnegut and L’Engle, and, I hope interestingly, the lack of consensus on what constitutes a great novel. I named a couple of fun books, and another book which may be one of the most important academic studies written in years.
Anyway, if you’d like to listen in, it is streaming at the radio station’s website. Check it out here.
My own big ol annual lists, to be published over at the website, will appear before too long. Keep your eyes peeled. The below picture is swiped from Paper Cuts: A Blog About Books that comes from the New York Times. These are their picks for the top ten books of 2007. Really, really astute folks can name some of them. Not me.
Answers can be found, here.