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To: mrustow
With respect, that seems like a rather defensive response to a straightforward question. "You have no idea how hard it is to write a good book?" What kind of response is that, and what does that have to do with my question? (Matter of fact, I'm a proofreader and have also done a bit of editing, so I have some fairly "close-up" knowledge of the process, although I certainly can't claim to have written a book myself.)

I know quite a lot about the man but would like to know more. You made a very sweeping statement that he does none of his own writing. If this is generally known as fact, I would expect there to be sources to back this up, considering the number of years Mr. Bennett has been in the public eye. After all, we all know who has written Hillary's books. There aren't a whole lot of secrets in the publishing industry.

If you don't know, all you have to say is you don't know.
280 posted on 05/05/2003 7:36:43 PM PDT by GOPrincess
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To: GOPrincess
If you don't know, all you have to say is you don't know.

Yeah, that'll happen.

285 posted on 05/05/2003 7:53:28 PM PDT by WarSlut
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To: GOPrincess
With respect, that seems like a rather defensive response to a straightforward question. "You have no idea how hard it is to write a good book?" What kind of response is that, and what does that have to do with my question? (Matter of fact, I'm a proofreader and have also done a bit of editing, so I have some fairly "close-up" knowledge of the process, although I certainly can't claim to have written a book myself.)

I know quite a lot about the man but would like to know more. You made a very sweeping statement that he does none of his own writing. If this is generally known as fact, I would expect there to be sources to back this up, considering the number of years Mr. Bennett has been in the public eye. After all, we all know who has written Hillary's books. There aren't a whole lot of secrets in the publishing industry.

If you don't know, all you have to say is you don't know.

Before you responded, I tried finding his main ghostwriter's name via a google search, but couldn't. A few years ago, an expose on Bennett in Chronicles magazine named the ghostwriter; while I still have all my copies from 1992-2000 (in milk crates), but I haven't the foggiest what issue it was.

In any event, I recall that the article said that Bennett did thank the guy, but not for authoring the book. It also mentioned that in the case of one work (Virtues II?), Bennett had blown his huge advance before his ghostwriter had even had a chance to get to work. The article said that Bennett was a spendthrift, without saying anything about gambling. (Recently, a friend who knows one of Bennett's patrons also confirmed his profligacy, without citing gambling.)

"If this is generally known as fact, I would expect there to be sources to back this up, considering the number of years Mr. Bennett has been in the public eye."

I'm glad you brought up that issue. I know of public figures who have "written" books with only their own names on them (as opposed to, "with" or "and"), and who have never written anything themselves, whom local reporters, instead of "outing," assist in perpetuating the scam. The figure that immediately comes to mind is a New York socialist whom local reporters have long referred to as a "philosopher-politician," based on books that were written entirely by his staffers. (I know the staffers.)

BTW, I have also spent several years working as an editor, and have several unfinished books to my credit.

339 posted on 05/06/2003 9:42:08 PM PDT by mrustow (no tag)
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