Comments on: Orson Scott Card: the author and the work http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/ reflections of the present, dreams of the future Sat, 25 Mar 2017 04:39:50 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.1 By: Jenica http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1520 Fri, 18 Dec 2009 03:15:28 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1520 “was this guy, with his obvious public baggage, a priority?”I think that's the point — it's not about the guy, or his baggage. It's the book. And the book is a priority, because it's an amazing piece of literature for children that has stayed popular since its publication.This all reminds me of the day that a respected colleague described to me the way that Wallace Stegner disrespected the intellectual property of a family in order to write Angle of Repose. Was I dismayed to know that Stegner's morals weren't in line with mine? Yes. Did it make me respect the book less? No. It's a brilliant novel, even if Stegner's a jerk. I recommend it to people with the caveat that Stegner's research ethics were sketchy at best, but it's a lovely novel. I do the same with Card and Ender's Game. Because, is OSC repugnant to me? Yes. Is Ender's Game a fantastic book for young people to read? Yes. Does one negate the other? I say no, in both directions.

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By: K.G. Schneider http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1519 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 16:15:31 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1519 Pete’s points are good. Remember that the committee wasn’t charged to decide if OSC deserved an award. They were charged to find an award-winner. “Where your treasure is, there is your heart.”

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By: the goblin in the library › Playing the Controversy Card http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1518 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:25:28 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1518 […] going to chime in a bit late here to the heated conversation about Orson Scott Card getting this year’s Margaret A. Edwards Award to say […]

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By: Peter Bromberg http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1517 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 03:55:57 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1517 Jason,

I appreciate your distinction between honoring the art and honoring the artist. Ideally, the award should do the former and not the latter. And I agree with you about the value of Ender’s Game and Ender’s Shadow (perhaps even more so.) I can walk right up to the line with you, but can’t bring myself to cross it. Here’s why:

I think to myself, if OSC were making these about Blacks, Jews, Women or any other group that has been historically discriminated against in our country, but now enjoy the full benefits of citizenship, would our profession see fit to bestow awards upon his work? My honest answer is no, we wouldn’t. I’m willing to bet that if Mel Gibson tomorrow penned the 21st century equivalent of “To Kill a Mockingbird”, hell would freeze over before he received an award from a library association.

So in an ideal world, I’m with you, let’s honor good art, and the views of the artist be damned. But we don’t live in a compartmentalized world. It’s not an easy call. It’s not a clear line. And I’m not completely comfortable on either side of this issue. But I’m more comfortable with the idea of passing OSC over and giving the Edwards award to someone who is not spouting hateful speech, aimed at demonizing and disenfranchising our fellow human beings.

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By: Anna Creech http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1516 Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:49:55 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1516 “Just because the author is nuts doesnâ€™t mean that the work is nuts.”

I agree, but how do you convey that to the general public who may see it as endorsing the author as well? I think one of the best things that has come out of this controversy is the information about OSC’s views and other writings. It’s allowed many to say, “Yes, these are books that deserve the award, even though the author is a ‘heterosexist bigot’ and doesn’t deserve the attention.” Knowledge is power.

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By: Jason Griffey http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1515 Wed, 23 Jan 2008 03:09:56 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1515 KGS: I would honestly say that yes…if you asked me to name a top 10 most important adolescent books of the last 30 years, Ender’s Game would be at least in the top 5.

I am really unhappy that OSC gets to crow about the award. But the books are incredible.

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By: royce http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1514 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:31:56 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1514 I hear ya. It’s like not liking U2 just because Bono was married to cher.

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By: Jenica http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1513 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:08:28 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1513 “was this guy, with his obvious public baggage, a priority?”

I think that’s the point — it’s not about the guy, or his baggage. It’s the book. And the book is a priority, because it’s an amazing piece of literature for children that has stayed popular since its publication.

This all reminds me of the day that a respected colleague described to me the way that Wallace Stegner disrespected the intellectual property of a family in order to write Angle of Repose. Was I dismayed to know that Stegner’s morals weren’t in line with mine? Yes. Did it make me respect the book less? No. It’s a brilliant novel, even if Stegner’s a jerk. I recommend it to people with the caveat that Stegner’s research ethics were sketchy at best, but it’s a lovely novel.

I do the same with Card and Ender’s Game. Because, is OSC repugnant to me? Yes. Is Ender’s Game a fantastic book for young people to read? Yes. Does one negate the other? I say no, in both directions.

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By: Colleen http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1512 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:44:20 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1512 As librarians, I think we have a duty to separate our honoring the work from the personality and politics of the author. Much as we provide access to works without prejudice, we are bound to determine the worth of literary works AS literary works, and not as personality-extensions of the authors.

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By: K.G. Schneider http://jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1511 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:20:03 +0000 http://www.jasongriffey.net/wp/2008/01/22/orson-scott-card-the-author-and-the-work/#comment-1511 well… respectfully… let me ask. The committee will make 25 decisions in 25 years. A lot of people will never get selected. Of all the people they could honor, was this guy, with his obvious public baggage, a priority?

It really took my breath away to see his virulently homophobic website bragging about this award.

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