Backed by a hefty marketing budget and a reported first printing of 500,000 copies, the novel seemed destined for success when Oprah Winfrey selected it for her book club. And, even if they won’t say so publicly, they admit feeling sorry for Cummins who, as an author, should not have to answer for the shortcomings of the publishing industry as a whole.Īcquired for seven figures in a competitive auction in May 2018, American Dirt was a bookseller favorite at last year’s BookExpo. Though many insiders say they welcome the conversation that the book’s publication has inadvertently raised-about which books the industry chooses to elevate, and whether it’s properly equipped to champion the work of diverse voices-they’re stunned at the aggressive turn the debate has taken. Now it is a cultural lightning rod, and its author is at the center of a complex debate about power, privilege, and who should be given a platform to tell what stories. Two weeks ago Jeanine Cummins’s novel, about a bookseller from Mexico who flees to America with her son in tow to escape the local drug cartel, was a bestseller-in-waiting, riding a wave of critical support to its January 21 release date. This was the reaction from myriad publishing professionals when questions were put to them about the latest controversy that has engulfed their business.
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