I just heard that Britney Spears has received a sizeable advance for writing a book, with her mother. Surely even the Bard would not want us to suffer this particularly outrageous fortune?
I would not take the book as a gift, but I can see no basis for objecting to her writing one, and if enough people want it to make her rich, so be it. What is the harm? Us old fogeys can ignore it.
With her mother? What do you suppose will be the division of labor on that project? And what type of book? Autobiography? Tell-all? Fiction (or does that go without saying)? How-to? Children's? Self-help? Oh, the possibilities!
Oh the possibilities!
According to a news story I read, the book is about a teenage girl who dreams of becoming a star. *Yawn*
At least she's writing about something she is familiar with. (Or should that be, with which she is familiar...?)
Be careful what you say about Britney. You think you are safe just because you are on AWADTALK (wink), but if her fans find out they just might spear you.
chronist
ever the one for the unpopular opinion.......
okay, classical music is my first love, but it's all good. i balked when my 9-yr-old stepdaughter brought one of her CD's into my home, but she's actually not all that bad. give her a break... she's marketable as heck (who could honestly not LOVE her pants???... i need the name of her tailor) and her songs are catchy. they certainly won't be remembered in 100 years, or even in 30 (i'm a die-hard Steely Dan/CSN/eagles fan myself) but she's earned her 15 minutes of fame.
[/rant]
A young person wants to write a book that other young people will buy and read?
Hurrah I say ... Never discourage a young person from writing. And anything that starts other young people off on the Way of Words is to be encouraged, say I!
And if her Mother is garnering some royalties to sock away against her old age, well, what's wrong with that?
wow
A young person wants to write a book that other young people will buy and read?
Hurrah I say ... Never discourage a young person from writing. And anything that starts other young people off on the Way of Words is to be encouraged, say I!
Well said, wow. Intellectual snobbery is very catchy, and almost always counterproductive.
And jealousy too tempting.
This current discussion reminds me of hearing someone criticize the Harry Potter books as nothing but drivel - children would be better off reading nothing - and on and on in that vein. A friend of mine noted that, first, anything that gets a child to read should be applauded; and second (speaking of the critic): there's a man who has an unpublished manuscript somewhere!
The point being: envy is also counterproductive.
envy is also counterproductiveDamn, wish I'd said that
It's not widely known that she's Burning Spear's half sister.
I believe I would be correct in asserting that anyone has a right to write, and publishers have a right to throw away money on large advances, just as we all have a right to decline to buy the book. A just and proper arrangement; beats hell out of censorship. Saves paying censors too, although there are a large number of crazies who would pay the govt. to be allowed to act as censors.
Intellectual snobbery is very catchy, and almost always counterproductive.
Max, was this a hint to little Nemo?
Max, was this a hint to little Nemo?
Nemo and I exchanged private messages about this, and it seems that nemo was playing for laughs without giving enough thought to how it would sound. The posts that followed helped put the matter in perspective, apparently.
Thanks to all the posters who have set me straight. I had let my dislike of Britney's music color my perception of her, and, as Max said, I played for a cheap laugh. Your able posts in defense of her right to write have done me a favor, and I shall be more careful to think more carefully before posting in future.
"...although there are a large number of crazies who would pay the govt. to be allowed to act as censors."
There already are!
and second (speaking of the critic): there's a man who has an unpublished manuscript somewhere!
I don't doubt it. They say the worst critics are the ones that failed to be a success in the chosen subject.
FWIW, I found the Harry Potter books quite amusing, something I wished had been around when I was young. There's a clarity of communication that doesn't get enough credit, or sees enough use in some "adult" efforts.
Ali
Britney can write all she wants; people won't read her book aloud on drivetime radio. Unfortunately, that's not true of her muzak. And this is my subjective opinion of her talent, not snobbery or jealousy! There are many talented musicians I could reserve that for.
Dear newbie nemo,
Welcome! Do stay with us ... I hope my post did not make you cry. I was smiling when I wrote it. Perhaps we both should have used a
face?
You raise a good point though about the apparent rush by publishers to cash in on names with a certain currrency.
Only time will tell if, within these authors, talent lurks for the written word.
Reminds me of the movie "Finding Forrester:" The young writer asks Forrester :
"Will women sleep with me if I write a good book."
Forrester (Sean Connery) "Women will sleep with you if you write a BAD book."
Maybe Miss Spears' love life need a kick start?
Maybe Miss Spears' love life need a kick start?
Didn't I read somewhere that she's a professional virgin?
she's a professional virgin?
All I know about the dear girl is that she's a teen idol ... singer? ... and since there are no longer children about I know of her only because her name is mentioned fairly often on TV/radio.
Compliments to her publicity agent if he/she is reading this as even ol' fogey me recognizes the name.
wow
Just type "Britney Spears" in Yahoo search box, and two full screens of URLs come up. Read all about it!