All that trash

There are three reasons. First, far too many books are being published and an author cannot be just another face in the crowd. Agreed, just a pretty face or notoriety would not do in the long-run but it?s a point to get started. In any case, no publisher thinks of the long-run; he wants immediate returns.

Thereafter the publicity machine can be cranked up, which could extend all the way from big banner posters, book release parties, TV interviews and all the rest. Given the budget, the marketing department honestly believes that it can sell any book irrespective of quality, relevance, or price because books are products that have to be merchandised.

The second reason why celebrity books are accepted is that the younger breed of editors believe they can re-work any manuscript and make it readable and saleable. With marketing support behind them, there is no way a work could be rejected. Even if we assume that we have whiz-kids in the editorial department now who have the intellectual background to straighten out a mediocre piece of work, it does not happen in practice because they simply don?t have the time to do so.

Moreover, celebrities are very sensitive to editorial changes which they take as tampering with their work. The easiest way to deal with recalcitrant authors is to let their work pass as it is. And the third reason is that famous authors arrange to buy back substantial copies of their books at a price stipulated by the publisher who has factored in a decent profit for himself, including the terms of payment. When the publisher runs no risk and can make a killing why shouldn?t he? Publishing, after all, is a business and business means profit. The saddest part of it all is the number of academics who are getting into print with their dull theses, which have very few readers but ensure the next jump up the academic ladder.

The end result of this conspiracy of courtesy is that a lot of mediocre stuff is floating around now. But there is no way you can stop more and more famous people from getting into print. There is money in it and you are in the company of the great even if it is for a brief moment. So the rule is: avoid the big names, but if you can?t, flip through the flap matter and the back cover and move on.