Ask the Author: Joel Berg
Answered Questions (10)
Joel Berg
A giant, orange monster rampaged through the American countryside, sputtering complete nonsense, and destroying even his friends, while causing wide swaths of mass destruction. The worst part is, that those he harmed most were those who elected him.
Joel Berg
I am working on explaining to the public and the media how my new book predicted and explained virtually everything crazy going on in today's G.O.P.
Joel Berg
I'd go visit Huck Finn, to assure him that he wasn't crazy or sinful for thinking slavery was wrong.
Joel Berg
The last third of my book answers this question in detail. As I explain, I am optimistic because history proves that past peoples’ movements – such as the women’s, civil rights, and LGBTQ movements --- faced grave obstacles but overcame them through determined, smart, effective organizing. Plus, hockey, poutine, and Celine Dion are not for me, so I must stay in the U.S. fight.
Joel Berg
I got my idea for “America, We Need to Talk: A Self-Help Book for the Nation” as I laughed/cried my way through the most recent government shut-down. I realized that absurd parody was, ironically, the best way to make serious points about the broken relationship Americans have with their country.
Joel Berg
I think of the injustices I believe the world needs to know and then I write that. If that fails, I have attached a little mechanism to my keyboard that gives me a small shock when I stop writing,
Joel Berg
Find the right balance between being true to your own vision and voice and taking sold advice from great editors and advisors,
Joel Berg
Being able to do my little bit to make people laugh, think, and perhaps improve the world, And, oh yeh, having books in the Library of Congress,
Joel Berg
I play my favorite song or two, briefly surf the web for something mindless, then sit my ass back down in my writing chair in front of my keyboard until it gets done. I don't worry if its perfect -- that's what re-writing -- and re-writing -- is for. (Don't end a sentence with a preposition.
Joel Berg
Just read “Everything Is Illuminated.” It was funny and powerful, but challenging, To lighten things up, I have just started reading “Tune In: The Beatles - All These Years, Vol. 1.”. It started a little slow until John heard his first Elvis record and Ringo bought his first drum. After that, if I have time and focus, I may finally to re-start “Infinite Jest”. .. because I think it should. In between, I hope to re-read some William Carlos Williams poems. And yes, I’ll be reading a lot about current U.S. politics, because we call must.
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