Chapter Member
Spotlight Profile
February 2000
Chapter MemberSpotlight Profile
February 2000
Dick Adler
Author and reviewer
Our guest this month spends much of his time reading. Your books and others'. You could say he loves to read. And he does. He also likes reviewing. He's been doing it for years. He's worked as a columnist and editor and has written articles for the biggies--such as the London Sunday Times, New York, and Los Angeles. You get the idea. He has also written his first crime novel, The Mozart Code. Dick Adler's reviews are found in the Chicago Tribune, Publisher's Weekly, Epinions, and, of course, Crime Watch.. You've seen his list of reviewed books sometimes posted on the SinC-IC digest. Frankly, I don't know how any of our member reviewers do it--read all those books. It's wonderful. And isn't it apt that the quote Dick chose as his centerpiece for this interview is from another reviewer?
"Among the extremely diverse books lumped together as 'mysteries,' I shall try to judge each fairly according to the best standards of the type which the author intended to produce, and not those of another type which I personally prefer."
Anthony Boucher
IC
How do you find the time to read the books that you review?
Dick
Luckily, I read quickly--a book a day if I have to. And after twenty pages or so, I can usually tell if something is worth going on with (ten if it has cats in it.)
IC
What determines if a book might be a worthy candidate for a review?
Dick
The author's track record has a lot to do with it; if it's someone I've read and liked before, I'm more likely to give it a try. But after several books--especially if the writer has caught on and become a success--I tend to move on and give new writers a chance. Buzz about new writers helps: I read other reviewers (especially the British papers) to see who's coming down the pike. And I listen to recommendations.
IC
What's your philosophy on reviewing? Do you only review those books you liked?
Dick
For Publishers Weekly, I read whatever they send me. But for my other sources, I do tend to choose books I like--because it's more fun to praise than knock.
IC
When did you develop your love of reading?
Dick
I was born Jewish, which helps, in a house full of books--everything from Readers Digest Condensed Novels to Dostoyevsky (not to mention a Family Sex Guide which I still recall with delight.)
IC
If you could take a trip anywhere for free, where would you want to go?
IC
Venice, for its beauty and literary connections; then on to Modena for the sausages.
IC
What has been the most frightening book, in terms of story, you've read?
Dick
I guess I'd have to say The Silence of the Lambs. But I don't enjoy being frightened or disgusted by reading--which is why I've never been keen on Patricia Cornwell and her ilk.
IC
Did you worry about how your first mystery, The Mozart Code would be reviewed?
Dick
No, because I spent a lot of time making sure I'd been especially nice about books by other reviewers before it came out. And it worked!
IC
Have you ever found it awkward to review, or not review, the book of an acquaintance?
Dick
As John Leonard once said when criticized about favorably reviewing books by friends, "If they weren't good writers, they wouldn't be my friends." I have passed over books by friends which I didn't like, or told editors I was too close to a particular writer. But most writers would rather have their books reviewed, even roughly, than totally ignored.
IC
How has the reviewing business changed?
Dick
The Internet has brought about an explosion of amateur (people who do it for free) reviewers--which on one hand broadens the coverage and on the other reduces the literacy quotient. So it's a tradeoff--the same way electronic publishing makes it possible for previously-ignored books to be read, but also produces a barrage of unreadable rubbish.
IC
Did being a reviewer make writing your mystery novel easier or more difficult?
Dick
Gov. Pat Brown of California used to say, "Lesser men than I have served as Governor." Reading lots of bad books tends to make you think "If this idiot can write one, so can I." But on the other hand, it does make turning off that automatic editor in your head and getting on with the actual work of writing that much harder.
IC
If you were to adopt an animal as a pet, what would it be?
Dick
Not a chance. Although my daughter had an iguana once that looked tasty.
IC
Do you recall, of your high school required fictional reading, which book you abhorred the most?
Dick
I was an early contrarian and thought that the highly-touted stuff like Faulkner and Henry James was pretentious rubbish. I have since changed at least some of those opinions.
IC
Which book, required or read for pleasure during high school, most impressed you?
Dick
I still look back with great dawning delight on Thomas Wolfe, and am sad to hear that nobody reads him any more. But the same thing happened (for a while) to Fitzgerald.
IC
Have you read any e-books and what's your view of the e-book business?
Dick
I read them all the time, and am trying to convince the Rocket folk to loan me a gizmo so I can read more. I think this will be around for a long time--not replacing print but making it easier for screen-addicted eyes to read more books.
IC
How do you compile the list of the ten books selling well that you sometimes post on the SinC-IC list?
Dick
These aren't best-sellers, just my own choices out of the books I read each month. They are now available online at Epinions (a very interesting site, by the way, with comment on everything from soup to mixed nuts.)
IC
What's the burning issue I didn't ask about that you'd like to talk about?
Dick
Does anyone besides Sue Grafton make a living writing mysteries? (If you read a new list called MurderMustAdvertise, you'd think not). So why do we all bother? Because we want to keep on reading and writing the kind of books we'd read and write for nothing, but don't want to say so out loud because publishers would take us up on it in a mysterious New York minute.
IC
How did you originally get involved in publishing book reviews?
Dick
I first assigned myself the job when I was an editor, and then nobody dared to fire me.
IC
What's your favorite meal (besides iguana)?
Dick
Can't beat a homemade Spaghetti Bolognese (sauce from The Splendid Table: Recipes From Emilia-Romagna, by Lynne Rossetto Kasper; Morrow). I'll bring the wine.
IC
You mention MurderMustAdvertise. I see it is a list for authors interested in better ways to promote their work. What do you think is an effective way to promote your book?
Dick
I used to think that getting good reviews helped--but I had a great review of The Mozart Code in the Los Angeles Times and not one person mentioned seeing it, or even remembered it when I mentioned it. Good promotion is probably a combination of things: making sure your name rises above the horizon at conventions, by appearing on panels or handing out salamis with your book; getting the buzz going by throwing modesty to the winds and contacting everyone you know.
IC
Any closing words for our readers?
Dick
Please tell your publicists that calling a reviewer to make sure a book has arrived is okay, but asking the next question--did you like it?--is probably not wise. Let the reviewer bring that topic up unaided... and let a reviewer's silence be your guide.
Thanks to Dick Adler for tearing himself away from his current reading material to do this interview. Interviewed by Louise Guardino during January 2000 for the SinC-IC chapter.
Check out Dick's main site Dick Adler's Crime Watch
dickad@sinc-ic.org spot@sinc-ic.org
Read an earlier Spotlight Profile
