Russ Marshalek is marketing and publicity director for Wordsmiths
Books, Decatur, Ga. Writing this in third person, he feels quite
self-conscious as a result of the pervasive pretentiousness usually
associated with the revelation that an author is penning his or her own
bio. He is also embarrassed that, despite his minor in feminist theory,
he chose to say "his or her" instead of "her or his." That's another
matter entirely.
Marshalek, referring to himself by last name only in this part, because
to reverse and be merely "Russ" would imply a self-image on par with
Prince, Madonna or possibly even Amy (Sedaris--there's only one Amy),
is 25. Born in Albany, N.Y., and raised in Marietta, Ga., Russ (oh,
see, there's the switch) studied English and communications at
Oglethorpe University in Atlanta. After serving a brief stint as a
remedial reading teacher in Las Vegas, Nev., he's been in new media
publicity and marketing since his freshman year of college. Though he's
spent a good deal of time in the music industry (where he "cut his
teeth," whatever that means), books have always been his first
love. He's been involved in the formation of the concept that is
Wordsmiths Books since the beginning and remembers it involving a lot
of caffeine and a few very beloved ideas. Here he answers, in the first
person, questions we put to people in books:
On your nightstand now:
On The Road: The Original Scroll (reading right now); Earthly
Pleasures by Karen Neches (she's a close friend of the store, so though
this really isn't usually my thing, I'm going to give it a whirl and
hopefully get a two-tissue cry from the whole affair); People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks.
I recently finished Brock Clarke's Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes
in New England and LOVED it--after I finished and the characters had
time to percolate in the coffeepot of my brain. I also just finished
Stephenie Meyer's Eclipse. God, how I love that series.
Favorite book when you were a child:
Ferdinand the Bull, when I was really young.
Your top five authors:
This is ordered arbitrarily and is RIGHT NOW--my top five change
depending upon what area of the literary pool my head's in at the
moment: Bret Easton Ellis, James Joyce (I really do enjoy reading
Joyce), Marisha Pessl (she's a genius), Joan Didion (I recently re-read
all her essays and fell in love again). And, uh, honestly, my boss,
Zach, is a pretty damn good writer. I've been shopping his book,
Anointed, around, and it's really good--Christopher Moore gets beaten
up outside Douglas Adams' house while Naomi Klein lectures them both.
Book you've faked reading:
Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky. I meant to read the entire thing
and I recognize both the historical and literary importance of the
work, but every time I crack those covers, sleep overtakes.
Book you are an evangelist for:
Shauna Seliy's When We Get There. This simple, short, little novel
beats with such a heart that it's hypnotic, compelling and healing all
at once. This is literary comfort food.
Book you've bought for the cover:
Vincent Lam's Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures should count--though I didn't buy my copy, I would for that cover.
Book that changed your life:
Ulysses. Really. I've never read anything the same way.
Favorite line from a book:
"People are afraid to merge . . . on freeways in Los Angeles."--Less
Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis. If I'm overly vocal in regards to my
love for any one author, it's Easton Ellis. I think this one says all
that needs be said about the human condition.
Book you most want to read again for the first time:
Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl. I want that wry exploration of language and the world all over again.