At Home in Mitford
Author Jan Karon is one of my heroes. Years ago, she was a guest on the Today show, I think it was, and as I remember it the interviewer settled into a 'hah, I've got you now and am going to eat you for breakfast' sort of pose, and dripped out an oily question along the lines of 'Why do you think people like your books? Is it because people feel nostalgic for some America they think used to exist?' The man was looking down his nose at her (and her readers), no question. Jan Karon didn't rise to the bait or sink to his level. She did, however, put him in his place, I thought. Nice as you please she explained that Mitford was what much of America was like these days, thanks.
I've seen her on television a few times since, in more friendly venues. She always comes across as a wonderful human being - warm, funny, classy, able to laugh at herself, grateful for what she has; just an all-around nice, intelligent person, somebody you'd like to have for a neighbor or a friend.
She's also just about the only author I can think of whose books sell equally well to religious and non-religious people. Usually there's a tendency to appeal to one camp or the other, but (from what I've seen just in my own bookstore) she has devoted fans from an astonishing variety of backgrounds and beliefs, including folks you probably couldn't pay to shop in Christian bookstores.
For more on Jan Karon, see here, and here, and here, for starters.
No comments:
Post a Comment