The Numbers Behind Franzenfreude

I admit, partly I just really wanted to type “Franzenfreude.”

If you haven’t heard: “Schadenfreude is taking pleasure in the pain in others. Franzenfreude is taking pain in the multiple and copious reviews being showered on Jonathan Franzen.” That’s according to author Jennifer Weiner, who, judging by that particularly perfect invented word, can really write.

The whole anti-Franzen thing is really an outlet for some authors’ frustration that the NYT seems to focus on established male writers in their reviews.  A sort of permanently ensconced group of reviewers’ pets.  Here’s a great article from Slate–“Is the New York Times book section really a boys’ club?” The numbers back up the whole white-male bias claim. Really interesting.