Janet Groth

I was intrigued by this book because it supposedly told the story of a young woman from the Midwest who came to the big city, worked for the New Yorker, got a Ph.D. and taught literature at university. An autobiography of sorts, supplemented with delicious tales of behind the scenes at the best magazine in the country. NOT. That is not at all what this book is about- sadly. The magazine anecdotes are mostly about who was shagging whom in spite of the fact that both parties were married. Mostly, however, it is about a young woman with so little self-worth and self-knowledge that she chooses the wrong men for the wrong reasons- again and again and yet again. I did slog through to the end; I think she does find true love, but by that time I honestly did not care. She annoyed me and the book annoyed me.
… (mais)

I like publishing history and for that I liked Janet Groth's memoir of her life and times spent as a receptionist at the New Yorker. I've made a note of a few New Yorker authors from the fifties and sixties mentioned in her memoir that I would like to explore. I think her book captures a time and a role that is rapidly disappearing. I can also relate to her on some level because I've always wanted to be a writer myself but have let opportunity pass me by--I can relate to how she found herself still a receptionist many years later. I once worked as the accounting assistant at a regional magazine and started out in book publishing as an administrative assistant before moving on up in my career. But man--what fun to be at the center of everything! This is the kind of lady I would love to have lunch with.

That said, I think the book could have used a stronger editor--was this a personal memoir? a memoir about the New Yorker? life in New York in the sixties? I think the book suffers a bit from claiming to be one thing--memoir about the New Yorker but really about that and the author's personal life. But yet not enough of the personal life. Maybe the problem was marketing wanted a MadMen type book and the author wanted to tell her story. It was just oddly structured. This book could have used the firm hand of a good developmental editor.

Editors are valuable!

… (mais)