Publishers Weekly
11/18/2019
In this intimate account set amid the New York magazine publishing world of the 1990s and 2000s, Miller (The Coast of Akron) focuses on her time as the literary editor of Esquire, from 1997 through 2006, and on her relationship with David Foster Wallace. In 1994, fresh out of college, Miller got an editorial job at GQ and, three years later, at 25, was hired as Esquire’s first female literary editor. She was “a young woman... trying to get herself taken seriously in a world of men,” which included ego-driven agents, editors, and writers. Miller vividly remembers the “days of paper, days of ink,” the time of the Filofax organizer and the large editorial budget. She recalls briefly working with Dave Eggers pre-McSweeney’s; getting barked at by Norman Mailer (“I loathed Mailer”); publishing the greats (George Saunders, Jeanette Winterson); passing on others (an excerpt from J.M. Coetzee’s Disgrace); and, of course, getting to know Wallace, who contacted Miller in 1998 about a short story submission. The pair dated briefly (Wallace, “a genius,” could be “odd, very pushy, maybe even predatory”) and they eventually became friends. This intriguing memoir about the literary life of a female editor working in the “last-hurrah days” of print magazine publishing will appeal to book nerds and fans of David Foster Wallace. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
During this nasty, nasty year, I looked for intelligent escapism in my reading, and one of the books that filled the bill was In the Land of Men . . . With a kind of deploring bemusement, and love, Ms. Miller gives us Wallace more or less in the round, and even manages to be funny about it—no mean feat." — Wall Street Journal
“Deftly evok[es] the spirit of a particular world at a particular time . . . presenting ample evidence of the power structures—some obvious, some not so visible—that bound it and all its problems together . . . The most enjoyable quality of the book is its relentless cataloging of Wallace’s inventively awful behavior, and of Miller’s efforts to withstand the onslaught. That Wallace was not a great guy is no surprise, but a lot of the detail here is fresh.” — New Republic
“The jury’s still out on whether or not one must ultimately choose between the perfection of the life or the perfection of the life’s work. But, after taking an invigorating tour through Miller’s bookish world, it is clear that the verdict still matters.” — Artsfuse
“She makes magic on the page. . . . If you’re a devotee of David Foster Wallace, you’ll devour this memoir with pleasure. If not, you may enjoy the cultural scavenger hunt and appreciate how much Adrienne Miller makes you stretch.” — Washington Independent Review of Books
“Deftly brings to life the free-spending and freewheeling glossy magazine culture of the 1990s.” — The New York Times Book Review
"An irresistible glimpse into the glory days of print magazines and the not-so-glorious behind-the-scenes moments." — The Skimm
“In the Land of Men is both tender and painful. It’s power and mercy. If you love literature, novels, or anything that has to do with the written word, you will enjoy [this book.]” — Associated Press
“A story of coming of age in the last gasp of the golden era of magazine journalism, against the backdrop of a thoroughly male and insistently masculine literary landscape. . . . The most powerful thing that In the Land of Men does is make Wallace nothing more or less than a character in the story of Miller’s life—a fascinating and indispensable one, but a character nonetheless.” — Literary Hub
“Bookworms, former English majors, and anyone tired of Old White Men novels will enjoy the blunt descriptions of petulant literary giants (John Updike), high-brow celebrities (Todd Solondz), and other behind-the-scenes figures.” — AV Club
“[Miller] recounts her career as an ‘improbable gatekeeper’ and spins an elegy for the glory days of American magazines, with cameos by Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, and Dave Eggers. The star of the show, though, is David Foster Wallace . . . who quickly became her greatest confidant. So began a long-distance love affair that defied definition. . . .What a treat to listen in.” — Vogue
“Riveting . . . reckons with power, and the dark truth about who gets to have it.” — Esquire, “The Best Books Coming Out This Winter”
“Funny and shrewd . . . Miller offers a keen and caustic take on the literary universe at a crossroads . . . Her musings on the ‘psychologically intimate’ work of an editor are enlightening; her passages recounting blatant and insidious sexism are bracing, and her disclosures about her relationship with Wallace are cathartic. Miller’s love for language and faith in the power of art deepen this finely composed, forthright, witty, and involving memoir of one woman’s triumph in the competitive literary cosmos.” — Donna Seaman, Booklist
“This cool, careful, enraged book about condescension has quiet humor . . . perfect pitch . . . and an unfashionable stoicism. When finally the fuse that’s been burning under her desk for nearly a decade of literary gate-keeping and risk-taking goes off, you don’t even feel as if Miller is raising her voice, only saying what she means, editing out, as was her profession, whatever doesn’t need to be there.” — Greil Marcus, Los Angeles Review of Books, “Real Life Rock Top 10”
“Miller delivers a beautifully written, fiercely honest account of finding her way — and her voice — in a male-dominated industry.” — The Washington Post, “10 Books to Read in February”
“A deeply personal memoir by former Esquire editor Adrienne Miller, In the Land of Men recounts her coming-of-age career in a male-dominated magazine world and the cost of breaking in.” — Parade, “Books We Love”
“Adrienne Miller did not merely find herself in the midst of a bright, innovative, challenging, unforgettable moment in literary culture: she made it happen. It was easy to miss that then, given all the attention paid to the brilliant writers, mostly men, that she discovered, nurtured, and endured. But now, with ferocious humor and honesty she conjures once more that Narnia-like world of books before blogs, magazines before the internet—capturing all its giddy verve, and all its frank injustices with her own unmatchable taste and wit at the dead center, where it always belonged.” — John Hodgman, author of Medallion Status
"In The Land of Men is about being the only woman in the room. But, beyond that, it’s about the magic of rooms themselves. It’s a revisiting of life before the age of ubiquitous screens, when we shared physical space—sometimes uncomfortably and sometimes ecstatically—with our heroes and our nemeses alike. I was thrilled to make the trip.” — Meghan Daum, author of The Problem with Everything: My Journey Through The New Culture Wars
“Adrienne Miller’s voice is lucid and remorseful, and she’s brought us a beautiful, painful book, a tender dissection of elusive subjects up to and including the passage of time and youth itself.” — Jonathan Lethem
“An incredible guide to a ridiculous era and its outrages. Many will praise Miller's ability to bring a time and place to life, but I would also like to add that this book is very, very funny.” — Gary Shteyngart, author of Lake Success
"It’s Joanna Rakoff’s My Salinger Year updated for the age of She Said. A tender reckoning with possession, power, and what Jia Tolentino called the ‘Important, Inappropriate Literary Man." — Eleanor Henderson, author of 10,000 Saints
“[A] sharp blend of memoir and cultural/literary history . . . A good portion of her book centers on her difficult-to-define relationship with Wallace; her excerpts from phone conversations and voicemails and dates with him illustrate a personality that was undefinable yet brilliant. Miller exhibits a particular adroitness in her ability to re-create, with at times biting humor, various events and interactions in her career and relationships . . . A refreshingly relatable memoir from a gifted, intellectual writer.” — Library Journal
“Intimate . . . intriguing . . . will appeal to book nerds and fans of David Foster Wallace.” — Publishers Weekly
“Movingly recount[s] the sexism she endured . . . . Miller's experience as a woman at a male-dominated magazine is unique.” — Kirkus Reviews
Vogue
[Miller] recounts her career as an ‘improbable gatekeeper’ and spins an elegy for the glory days of American magazines, with cameos by Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, and Dave Eggers. The star of the show, though, is David Foster Wallace . . . who quickly became her greatest confidant. So began a long-distance love affair that defied definition. . . .What a treat to listen in.
Artsfuse
The jury’s still out on whether or not one must ultimately choose between the perfection of the life or the perfection of the life’s work. But, after taking an invigorating tour through Miller’s bookish world, it is clear that the verdict still matters.
Washington Independent Review of Books
She makes magic on the page. . . . If you’re a devotee of David Foster Wallace, you’ll devour this memoir with pleasure. If not, you may enjoy the cultural scavenger hunt and appreciate how much Adrienne Miller makes you stretch.
The Skimm
"An irresistible glimpse into the glory days of print magazines and the not-so-glorious behind-the-scenes moments."
AV Club
Bookworms, former English majors, and anyone tired of Old White Men novels will enjoy the blunt descriptions of petulant literary giants (John Updike), high-brow celebrities (Todd Solondz), and other behind-the-scenes figures.
The New York Times Book Review
Deftly brings to life the free-spending and freewheeling glossy magazine culture of the 1990s.
Associated Press
In the Land of Men is both tender and painful. It’s power and mercy. If you love literature, novels, or anything that has to do with the written word, you will enjoy [this book.]
New Republic
Deftly evok[es] the spirit of a particular world at a particular time . . . presenting ample evidence of the power structures—some obvious, some not so visible—that bound it and all its problems together . . . The most enjoyable quality of the book is its relentless cataloging of Wallace’s inventively awful behavior, and of Miller’s efforts to withstand the onslaught. That Wallace was not a great guy is no surprise, but a lot of the detail here is fresh.
Literary Hub
A story of coming of age in the last gasp of the golden era of magazine journalism, against the backdrop of a thoroughly male and insistently masculine literary landscape. . . . The most powerful thing that In the Land of Men does is make Wallace nothing more or less than a character in the story of Miller’s life—a fascinating and indispensable one, but a character nonetheless.
Wall Street Journal
During this nasty, nasty year, I looked for intelligent escapism in my reading, and one of the books that filled the bill was In the Land of Men . . . With a kind of deploring bemusement, and love, Ms. Miller gives us Wallace more or less in the round, and even manages to be funny about it—no mean feat."
Greil Marcus
This cool, careful, enraged book about condescension has quiet humor . . . perfect pitch . . . and an unfashionable stoicism. When finally the fuse that’s been burning under her desk for nearly a decade of literary gate-keeping and risk-taking goes off, you don’t even feel as if Miller is raising her voice, only saying what she means, editing out, as was her profession, whatever doesn’t need to be there.
“The Best Books Coming Out This Winter” Esquire
Riveting . . . reckons with power, and the dark truth about who gets to have it.
“Books We Love” Parade
A deeply personal memoir by former Esquire editor Adrienne Miller, In the Land of Men recounts her coming-of-age career in a male-dominated magazine world and the cost of breaking in.
Jonathan Lethem
Adrienne Miller’s voice is lucid and remorseful, and she’s brought us a beautiful, painful book, a tender dissection of elusive subjects up to and including the passage of time and youth itself.
Meghan Daum
"In The Land of Men is about being the only woman in the room. But, beyond that, it’s about the magic of rooms themselves. It’s a revisiting of life before the age of ubiquitous screens, when we shared physical space—sometimes uncomfortably and sometimes ecstatically—with our heroes and our nemeses alike. I was thrilled to make the trip.
Donna Seaman
Funny and shrewd . . . Miller offers a keen and caustic take on the literary universe at a crossroads . . . Her musings on the ‘psychologically intimate’ work of an editor are enlightening; her passages recounting blatant and insidious sexism are bracing, and her disclosures about her relationship with Wallace are cathartic. Miller’s love for language and faith in the power of art deepen this finely composed, forthright, witty, and involving memoir of one woman’s triumph in the competitive literary cosmos.
John Hodgman
Adrienne Miller did not merely find herself in the midst of a bright, innovative, challenging, unforgettable moment in literary culture: she made it happen. It was easy to miss that then, given all the attention paid to the brilliant writers, mostly men, that she discovered, nurtured, and endured. But now, with ferocious humor and honesty she conjures once more that Narnia-like world of books before blogs, magazines before the internet—capturing all its giddy verve, and all its frank injustices with her own unmatchable taste and wit at the dead center, where it always belonged.
The Washington Post
Miller delivers a beautifully written, fiercely honest account of finding her way — and her voice — in a male-dominated industry.
Eleanor Henderson
"It’s Joanna Rakoff’s My Salinger Year updated for the age of She Said. A tender reckoning with possession, power, and what Jia Tolentino called the ‘Important, Inappropriate Literary Man."
Gary Shteyngart
An incredible guide to a ridiculous era and its outrages. Many will praise Miller's ability to bring a time and place to life, but I would also like to add that this book is very, very funny.
Wall Street Journal
During this nasty, nasty year, I looked for intelligent escapism in my reading, and one of the books that filled the bill was In the Land of Men . . . With a kind of deploring bemusement, and love, Ms. Miller gives us Wallace more or less in the round, and even manages to be funny about it—no mean feat."
Library Journal
12/01/2019
In this sharp blend of memoir and cultural/literary history, Miller (The Coast of Akron) considers her years in the publishing world, most notably as the literary and fiction editor of Esquire. Miller achieved this position at the impressive age of 25, here detailing her experiences at the magazine, including working with literary greats, dodging many unwanted sexual advances, and meeting and later dating writer David Foster Wallace. A good portion of her book centers on her difficult-to-define relationship with Wallace; her excerpts from phone conversations and voicemails and dates with him illustrate a personality that was undefinable yet brilliant. Miller exhibits a particular adroitness in her ability to re-create, with at times biting humor, various events and interactions in her career and relationships. VERDICT A refreshingly relatable memoir from a gifted, intellectual writer. [See Prepub Alert, 7/29/19.]—Stacy Shaw, Denver
Kirkus Reviews
2019-10-14
A former Esquire fiction editor recounts her time at the magazine and her working relationship and romance with David Foster Wallace.
Miller (The Coast of Akron, 2005) was 25 with three years' experience in editorial assistant roles at GQ when her boss became editor-in-chief at Esquire in 1997 and hired her to be the latter's fiction editor. During her tenure, which ended in 2006, she edited four stories by Wallace, "the fiction writer with whom I'd work the most frequently at the magazine." For a time, they were a couple. In her debut memoir, Miller recounts her years at Esquire, her struggle to grapple with working for a men's publication in which the "representation of women was problematic at best," and her relationship with Wallace. Many passages movingly recount the sexism she endured, such as when, after she got the job, a male literary agent told her, "You don't have any authority to do this job, you know"; or when she discovered that then-unknown Dave Eggers, an Esquire colleague, received twice her salary for similar work. Unfortunately, much of the narrative is unfocused and suffers from weak prose—e.g., "He obviously didn't exactly hold me in terribly high regard"; "my grandfather, who had died six years before, was still dead." Many passages read like lines from a romance novel: "His hand was firm, and soft, and warm"; "David promised he'd call. I hoped he'd call. I needed him to call." Despite her focus on Wallace, we never get a satisfying sense of what made him a unique writer. For the most complete and insightful portrait of Wallace, readers should turn to D.T. Max's Every Love Story Is a Ghost Story. Miller's experience as a woman at a male-dominated magazine is unique, but her rendering is flawed.
A scattershot glimpse into the American magazine scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
