Negative book review sends Buzz Bissinger into a Twitter fit

exactly...it amazes me as well.

 

It appears his lack of people skills extends to his role as being a father/sperm donor. I'm sure Bissinger would rip me from not having read the book, but based on the scenes referenced in the review it sounds like Buzz is a failure/believes he's a failure as a father and the journey with his son was little more than a guilt trip.

I suppose you could give Bissinger points for being honest but to write stuff about his son's classmates and how he berates his son for his shortcomings, you really have to wonder about the author's mental state.

 

Joan Didion and Katherine Boo disagree.

 

There are tons of people in this business who are better with words than with people.

I call them editors.

 

Just dropped him a note.

Among other things, I asked if he taught his kids to tell people to go fuck themselves.

 

Yeah, and what does it mean when a guy has to throw "motherfucker" into so many of his tweets?

"That motherfucker crazy!"

 

Here is Buzz's response.

"Don't you fucking dare tell me how to behave. I have taught my children to defend themselves against gratuitous and cheap attacks. If that means telling someone to fuck off, so be it.

I could care less what you think of me or my books. Tell the whole world not to buy them. Because I am sick and tired of people such as yourself. You make no difference. Get over it."

 

What I cannot understand is why he feels he needs to do the bad-boy schtick

To most of the world, he's a well-respected author. Hell, he's probably pretty well off, too, I would think.

Someone wrote a negative review? You live with it.

Everything else that I can see has been really positive. His Amazon reviews are way up there, and other papers have also given it a positive review.

Guy's a brilliant writer. I just don't get it.

 

Awesome work, Billy. Maybe we should invite Buzz to stop by this thread and take a few questions. Should be fun!

 

I don't get it, either. Especially the berating of his son. ... It's like he saw only the first half of Rain Man and thought Tom Cruise was cool.

 

I am thinking maybe we could stick forks in our eyes instead.

I am sure he doesn't care what we think anyway.

I read the review, and clearly he took it personally.

But I thought it as fair comment.

I have been whacked more than a few times myself (I certainly not a nationally known author). You have to be able to take the shot.