Rod Dreher, who is reported to have received close to a million dollars for his forthcoming book cannibalizing the life of his dead sister, begrudges Lena Dunham her 3.7 million advance on hers. No word from Dunham on her feelings about Dreher’s.
There is no doubt that, were it not for the accident of his birth, Dreher would have been William Faulkner or Flannery O’Connor and, for the accident of hers, Lena Dunham would have been nobody. But life can be cruel.
H. M. Stuart
Alexandria
The Cajun Coward has made a living out of dishing it out but not being able to take it.
The article at Gawker is hilarious. I wouldn’t give 2 cents for either one of their books. The idea of an advice on life book from a 26 year old is lacking something, such as enough life experience to be giving advice. But, I doubt the publisher cares about serious advice. Money and a little fun are probably more like it. A “a rare literary talent?” I doubt it.
Hemingway published his first book at 27, as did John Steinbeck. I haven’t read Kazuo Ishiguro but he published at 28. And let’s not forget Charles Dickens – it’s been awhile but he published at 24. George Orwell was pretty old (30!)
Perhaps Lena Dunham won’t be as outstanding or influential as these men, but it hardly seems fair to hold her youth against her.
By the by, the average age of first-time motherhood for American women just increased to 25. Perhaps Lena should just have some babies instead. Unless she’s not qualified to pass on life advice at only 26.
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-average-age-first-time-mothers-increasing-4134891.html?cat=52
Well he can’t expect everybody to write about their dead sister.
The difference between Rod Dreher and this Lena Dunham, in terms of their capacity to say interesting and thoughtful things, is rather, um, salient.