Recent works by alumni and faculty

Chick-lit wars to open in fall

Lauren Baratz-Logsted '83 (CLAS) is gearing up for a literary war of words this fall, when the new anthology of stories she has edited hits bookstores.

This Is Chick-Lit ( BenBella Books), a collection of stories by 18 female authors who write about topics of interest to women, is a pre-emptive response to the scheduled fall publication of another anthology, This Is Not Chick Lit: Original Stories by America's Best Women Writers (Random House), edited by Elizabeth Merrick.

A former bookseller, book critic and editor, Baratz-Logsted has written three previous fiction books, including The Thin Pink Line , and will have three new novels published later this year — Vertigo (Bantam), How Nancy Drew Saved My Life (Red Dress Ink) and Angel's Choice (Simon & Shuster).

She says the controversy over so-called "chick-lit" books is the result of misdirected marketing of the genre.

"Like any other genre, there are good books in it and bad books," Baratz-Logsted says.

"In the genre called chick lit, those kinds of books have been around forever. Some people call Jane Austen the progenitor. Today a lot of the books are commentary on the times we live. There is the perception by some in the literary community that chick-lit is only about high heels and fancy drinks. That's kind of a silly way to think. If you look at the mystery shelf in the bookstores, do you assume that if you read one Agatha Christie book, every other mystery book will read the same?"

Baratz-Logsted says women who write books that are popular among female readers cover a variety of topics and are written in different styles. "They're different in tone, execution and how much they bring the outside world into their stories," she adds.

While a literary war of words may not be appealing to cable talk shows, Baratz-Logsted anticipates interest from the magazine world, adding "I expect it will be good for both collections. Controversy sells."

She says there also is a bit of sexism in the publishing world about chick-lit. "In a terrifying world like we live in today, I'm never going to apologize when someone says, I read your book and I laughed," she says.

"I'd say it is possible within a comic framework to deal with serious subjects. When men write the same kind of material, the books get labeled as social satire. The only difference between a lot of chick-lit writers and well-respected male writers is the people who may wear a dress."

— Kenneth Best

The Big Bam: The Life and Times of Babe Ruth
Leigh Montville '65 (CLAS)
(Doubleday)

Having previously chronicled the life of Ted Williams, Montville brings to life the other side of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry with a timely new biography of baseball's first megastar, George Herman "Babe" Ruth, whose trade in 1920 from Boston to New York ignited the competitive passions of both teams' fans. Montville 's clear and insightful writing is enhanced by his access to previously unpublished material. The Big Bam reinforces the legendary status of one of the sporting world's pioneering and larger-than-life figures.

Santopietro , an unabashed fan of Barbra Streisand and a veteran of 20 years in show business, including as a manager of Broadway productions, offers more of an appreciation of Streisand's long and heralded career than a simple biography. He breaks down Streisand's work by category — recordings, film, television, theater, concerts, politics — and is not shy about pointing out the uneven efforts she has offered during a career that has been highlighted by the highest awards in entertainment. A career scorecard that includes failing grades is included.

Millionaire City
Jack J. Miller '54 (CLAS) '60 J.D.
(Go Figure Press)

A former public defender in Los Angeles County and playwright, Miller's first novel provides an outlet for his varied interests in history, religious institutions, economics and forensic science. When the mayor of a secret city owned by the Catholic Church and inhabited by millionaires is kidnapped, it sets into motion a web of assassinations, attempted murders and pursuit. The protagonist in the thriller is the mayor's daughter, who enlists her boyfriend, an economics professor and a former CIA analyst, to help with the rescue. Combining historic fact and fiction, Millionaire City keeps readers guessing about where the story will turn next. — K.B.