This is the programming that occupies the C-SPAN2 channel all day Saturday and Sunday. It presents interviews with writers - some up to three hours long - as well as broadcasts of writers' appearances at book readings, etc. This used to be one of my favorite things on TV, even while I was aware of the irony of the best thing on TV being all about books. Over time I started to roll my eyes at their attempt at political balance, where they would typically have on a far-right nut job like Dinesh D'Souza, for example, alternating in the next segment with some writer with a mild center-left orientation. And repeat, all weekend long.
Now I suspect they've jumped some kind of shark and have gone all-out right wing. Today's guests include Milo Yiannopoulos, James O'Keefe (Project Veritas), and Breitbart editor Joel Pollak, as well as a "neutral" account of the rise of Uber, by Adam Lashinsky. This is counter-balanced with the likes of James Blake, the tennis player who was assaulted by police in a case of mistaken identity, talking about his book about sports activism. I haven't seen anything interesting here in ages, their typical schtick being "Dad books" about military history and congratulatory corporate success stories.
Does anyone else watch this?
― Josefa, Sunday, 20 August 2017 23:38 (seven years ago)
In Australia we have one 30-min show about books on TV each week, and it is an annoying show. At first the idea of DAYS of books programming sounded amazing, but then I read your description, and fuck that.
― Mince Pramthwart (James Morrison), Monday, 21 August 2017 00:03 (seven years ago)