Max Perkins: Editor of Genius Book

I am definitely one of those people who can't not finish a book, no matter how distasteful I find it to be, if it is work of fiction. Nonfiction, on the other hand, I tend to find really fascinating but less engaging and I usually end up getting distracted by a new novel while attempting to read history, biography, philosophy or theory. A. Scott Berg's biography of Max Perkins, though, is such an insightful, lyrical, and just plain fun work that I found myself as deeply engrossed as I would be in any juicy new novel. Berg's fluid prose is a joy to read, as are his thoughtful interviews and the artfully excerpted correspondences littered throughout. His account of the life of Max Perkins, the soft-spoken self-effacing visionary who edited the likes of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Thomas Wolfe is so vibrant and full of fun literary gossip that it is damn near impossible to put down. It is a great read for young fools like myself who made the ill-informed decision to enter the thankless world of publishing after college, as it serves as a reminder that there are (or at least, were) brilliant editors out there who strive to nurture talent and bring exciting new voices to the public. Perkins's devotion to his authors -- often at the expensive of his wallet (see: Fitzgerald), his pride (see: Hemingway), and even his mental health (see: Tom Wolfe) -- is touching and inspiring. I also highly recommend this bio to anyone else in publishing who has been laid off in the recent purges at the big houses and is bemoaning the impending death knell of print culture, as reading about Scribner's and their financial woes during the Great Depression -- and how they pulled out of it -- gives one a (probably false, but hey?) sense of hope.