“McSweeney's as a publishing company is built on a business model that only works when we sell physical books. So we try to put a lot of effort into the design and production of the book-as-object.”
Business“You treat a kid with respect and as an adult you talk to them as if they're smart people. But you don't throw at them the trappings of adulthood and you know, the darker stuff.”
Respect“McSweeney's as a publishing company is built on a business model that only works when we sell physical books. So we try to put a lot of effort into the design and production of the book-as-object.”
Business“It's not that our family has no taste, it's just that our family's taste is inconsistent.”
Family“Well, my background is journalism. I don't have any creative-writing experience except for one class I took as a sophomore in college.”
Experience“I'm interested in the human impact of the giant foot of misplaced government. After all, we encounter it every day.”
Government“I think newspapers shouldn't try to compete directly with the Web, and should do what they can do better, which may be long-form journalism and using photos and art, and making connections with large-form graphics and really enhancing the tactile experience of paper.”
Experience“I'm an amateur science enthusiast. I'm not even a professional enthusiast. I don't know anything I never even passed biology in high school. But I read the science section of the newspaper.”
Science“I think there's a future where the Web and print coexist and they each do things uniquely and complement each other, and we have what could be the ultimate and best-yet array of journalistic venues.”
Future“I can remember exactly where I sat when my teacher first read Roald Dahl's 'James and the Giant Peach'.”
Teacher“It was just an idea I had, that it could be cool to have a book covered in fake fur.”
Cool“But you know, there's something about the kids finishing their homework in a given day, working one-on-one, getting all this attention - they go home, they're finished. They don't stall, they don't do their homework in front of the TV.”
Home“You treat a kid with respect and as an adult you talk to them as if they're smart people. But you don't throw at them the trappings of adulthood and you know, the darker stuff.”
Respect“And that's actually the brunt of what we do is, people going straight from their workplace, straight from home, straight into the classroom and working directly with the students. So then we're able to work with thousands and thousands more students.”
Home“I've never had WiFi at home. I'm too easily distracted, and YouTube is too tempting.”
Home“I worked at Salon.com way back when they started, and there's just unmeasurable value to distributing words online, too, but I still get my news from the newspaper in the morning.”
Morning“I think almost every writer in the world would hope that books would be always talked about with respect and civility and depth and seriousness.”
Hope“To me, the print business model is so simple, where readers pay a dollar for all the content within, and that supports the enterprise.”
Business“So this is the space during tutoring hours. It's very busy. Same principles: one-on-one attention, complete devotion to the students' work and a boundless optimism and sort of a possibility of creativity and ideas.”
Work“I met a lot of great people in Saudi Arabia and I'd like to see them again. And I'd love to spend more time in the desert and in the mountains. I felt really at home there.”
Home“But while mum and dad were incredibly caring, it was also a very chaotic household where everyone fought about everything. So I know what it's like to internalize all that chaos.”
Dad