As an author of children's nonfiction and a regular reviewer of science books for popular audiences, I frequently learn about new publishing ventures. Their messages to me always speak of a filling niche that they are sure needs filling. They are almost always encouraging and ambitious, and a message I got today surely "pushes the envelope."
I think this outfit, G&G Publishing, is biting off more than it can chew. The owners, George Gutz and Grisslee Gore, describe their list as "off-beat nonfiction for readers with unusual tastes."
"That's for me!" I thought, until I discovered this title in their catalog: An Arm and a Leg: The History of Human Cannibalism. Still, I couldn't resist learning more, so I followed the link to the book summary, which listed these chapter titles among others: "How Many in Your Party, Mr. Donner?" and "Dinner at the Dahmers."
I think I'll pass on the offerings of Gutz and Gore.
Fred Bortz
P.S.: To discover my latest reviews of science books, including some that approach the standards of Gutz and Gore like the one pictured here, check out the "What's New" page at The Science Shelf.
Article comments
1 - Aaman
Do you have a web link for this publisher?
2 - DrPat
From Fred's post, this is a new venture - so new, it's RAW. It occurs to me that they are so far out on the cutting edge, they're BLEEDING. So they may not have thought to get their FINGERS into Web publishing yet...
3 - Phillip Winn
Aaman, because, um, you're interested in human cannibalism? I think someone from the FBI is at your door, go ahead and answer that knock. I'll be here singing patriotic songs about how much I love the patriot act until you get back. :-)
4 - Fred Bortz
Hey, guys! Don't stew so much about this subject that you get yourseves into hot water...
Or is it the other way around?
Fred, who has a "steak" in this discussion's steady climb to the top of the hot list
5 - LegendaryMonkey
Hmm, a meaty subject with lots of food for thought here!
(oh god, the pain of the puns....)
6 - Phillip Winn
Oh, my sides! Monkey-girl, I'm beginning to wonder about you...
We could really tear into this, but what's the point? Even if we could really sink our teeth into it, we would just be restless again an hour later.
7 - Fred Bortz
LegendaryMonkey, let's meat to prey, which according to the book Man the Hunted is not the natural inclination of either of our species.
8 - LegendaryMonkey
Aw, Phil, you ordered Chinese? That’s right sweet of you. Long pig, anyone?
I wonder if they’ll take my novel Cannibalistic Primates on Acid… what do you think, Fred?
9 - Fred Bortz
Make sure you keep the movie rights. You can be the female lead, and I'll play the depraved doctor. There has to be one of those, right?
10 - LegendaryMonkey
Well, yeah. Anything else would just be uncivilized.
11 - DrPat
Ahem! Someone seeking a depraved doctor?
12 - Leoniceno
The thing is -- why not a punchy pop-science type book on cannibalism? I believe there was just one on cadavers that did rather well.
13 - Fred Bortz
That would be Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, which is reviewed on my Science Shelf site.
That was a great read. Cannibalism would be a little less, shall we say, tasteful a topic. Especially when my writer friends all write for kids.