I received an e-mail from Larry Beinhart, author of "The Librarian" which was the subject of the "Dewey Decimal doofus" review I blogged about on Saturday. He wanted to let me know that he wrote the book, not the review and that the book (unlike the review) says lots of nice things about librarians. So, I just want to clarify that I took issue with the review (which, it turns out, was written by Neil Genzlinger), not the book. My book club is very interested in it, actually.
Mr. Beinhart also sent me some nice things that librarians have written to him about the book, here's a highlight:
"As a librarian myself, I wish to thank you for your portrait of libraries and librarians in your novel. A librarian as a multi-dimensional character, librarians as heroes--what concepts! Your respect of and care for libraries and the people who work there shone throughout the novel. It was great to be acknowledged that way."
So, way to go, Mr. Beinhart! It's definitely rare to see librarians portrayed as heroes and I'm sure that many blogbrarians will be reading it.
To see the full review (which does say nice things about "The Librarian" if not actual librarians), check out: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/17/books/review/17GENZLINGER.html?ei=5070&en=8fa13db965696cb3&ex=1100667600&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1100538860-6tPCm41hmtl5AAwveiIZaw
And there's another anti-librarian treat at the end of it from Mr. Genzlinger: "What a pity that soon the only place to find one [a librarian] will be at the Living History Museum, alongside the mule skinner and the wheelwright." Ah well, you can already find journalists who do any research or know what they're talking about there.