The American publishing house Knopf – the publisher of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series in the United States – is currently being publicly punished for gross incompetence by book stores and readers in the US. An interesting spectacle, if you ask me.
New York Times reports
So wherein lies the folly and incompetence of Knopf? In behaving as if we live in 1909 and not 2009! In 1909 few people would have known that the book had already been published in England (or, indeed, that English printing presses managed to churn out The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire much quicker as well). But in 2009, in the Age of Internet, the Age of the informed consumer, virtually everybody know. Including, of course, small independent book sellers throughout the land.
So people do the smart thing – some readers order from Amazon UK, some from other online booksellers in England, some bookstores import from England. People buy several copies of the book in England whilst traveling and bring it back. There are many possibilities! And in the Age of Internet people are smart – they find them!
Only Knopf still lives in the pre-internet age. They could have coordinated the US publication dates with those in England. Indeed, perhaps they could even have beaten England to the mill? But like GM, the market insensitive giant whose market shares have steadily dwindled since World War II, they chose to do it the way they preferred, ignoring the nuisance of consumers preferences. It is hard to see any other reason why the US is the last country in the civilized world to get The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest?
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I finished the third and last volume of the series two days ago. I am a retired writer and have 50 plus years of editing books behind me as well as my own published texts and a novel and children’s books. My doctorate is in psycholinguistics.
I give that background in order to tell you that I KNOW the manuscript was written by a male…impossible that Gabrielson wrote or evolved the books. I am certain that she helped with the copyediting and am also certain that she paricipated in nights and days of discussion of the theme, the life of Elizabeth, and the hero journalist who rescued her.
A trained psycholinguist and editor finds it easy to determine the sex and personality by reading extensive samples of a work. He can also determine the added intelligence of editors.
As for the reputation of ALFRED KNOPF PUBLISHERS wehn Knopf himself was head of the company and chose his authors and manuscripts, I participated ina small film about Knopf done for Random House, and knew Knopf intimately…I have NO knowledge of the present staff or editors but see no reason for condemning them.
I bought my copies of the three books from BORDERS whom I know to be honorable.
The books are classic.
They were written by Stieg Larsson and he was helped by his mistress Gabrelson. Enough said, BILL COBBS