You know you are old when young writers write to ask for advice. I have received a number of letters over the past few years asking for my insights and practical knowledge. Each strike me as a memento mori. But not only as a memento mori but also as a moment to reflect upon what got me into the business and what keeps me feeling like I am a victim of the Myth of Sisyphus and in a masochistic way loving it. So when I got this latest request for advice on how to break into the publishing industry, I decided to gath...
I just saw Son of Saul. It was a powerful, intense, painful experience. I am a child (not so young anymore) of Holocaust survivors. My mother was in Auschwitz and my father was in Mauthausen. I had heard many stories, especially from my father, about their days in hell. I have seen a number of films about the concentration camp experience, including Schindler’s List, The Pianist, and Life is Beautiful but I have never seen a film tha...
