Michele Bachmann (R-MN-06) is writing a memoir to be released in November. All well and good; certainly just what we'd expect from a "top tier" candidate and I'm sure it will be just as compelling as Going Rogue, which finally turned up in my local Goodwill store last week. Bachmann's announcement noted that her publisher will be Sentinel, an imprint of Penguin. This was more surprising than the announcement of the book, as I had no idea Penguin had a conservative imprint.
Most book lovers have at least a smattering of Penguin classics on their shelves. When combing through used book sales or even looking for new titles, the little orange oval & penguin logo has long been a sign of quality. What many fans may not know, however, is that the Penguin empire includes a huge list of imprints, including one-- Sentinel --that publishes only right-of-center works and apparently has been quite successful. As a leftist academic I'm a big fan of books, a free press, and the open exchange of ideas. But I'm also reluctant to give my money to a company that makes money shilling ideas that I find damaging, unethical, or just plain wrong.
What's a reader to do?
[Here's where the editor inserts "more after the break" for the author]
Sentinel books, according to Penguin's web site, "publishes a wide variety of right-of-center books on subjects like politics, history, public policy, culture, religion and international relations. The name Sentinel symbolizes a tough-minded defense of America's fundamental values and national interests." Of course, implying that "right-of-center" is congruent with our "fundamental values and national interest" is problematic. Perhaps enough so to raise concerns among Penguin's more progressive customers who may not be aware that the publishing house has an imprint dedicated to conservative titles-- but no liberal analogue.
That's right: Penguin has a conservative imprint but no corresponding liberal imprint.
Does this matter? Is it OK that a major publisher finds it important (and profitable) to have an imprint specifically to promote conservative titles, but none for liberal ones? Should we believe the canard that "the media are liberal" and thus conclude there is no need for a separate imprint since everything else that gets published is liberal? Do we accept the implication that market forces are at work here, and there's simply not enough demand to support a liberal imprint? (Does Rush outsell Al Franken?)
I'm not sure if it does matter. But learning that Penguin has a conservative imprint-- and is publishing a memoir "written" by Michele Bachmann, my own erstwhile Representative --gives me pause. Will I ever look at the little orange penguin & oval logo the same way again? Will I become suspicious of Penguin's corporate motives? Has my innocence finally been shattered?
I don't know. But I would like to know why liberals apparently don't buy enough books or have compelling enough ideas to merit their own imprint at one of the major publishing houses in the US and Britain. Our ideas are solid. Our facts are straight. We've got a pretty good track record of telling the truth. And hell, some liberal writers are even pretty good at turning a phrase.
But we don't have an imprint at Penguin.