[R-G] Paying an Author and Putting Her Down

[Anthony Fenton]

Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company
The New York Times

September 24, 2007 Monday
Late Edition - Final

SECTION: Section C; Column 0; Business/Financial Desk; Pg. 4

LENGTH: 373 words

HEADLINE: Paying an Author and Putting Her Down

BYLINE: By IAN AUSTEN

BODY:


The National Post, a newspaper in Toronto founded by Conrad M. Black,  
is no political ally of Naomi Klein, a Canadian who is the author of  
''No Logo'' and a critic of corporate influence. So it is not  
surprising that The Post devoted four columns recently to criticism  
of Ms. Klein's new book, ''The Shock Doctrine'' (Metropolitan Books).

Terence Corcoran, a business columnist, began his critique: ''Just  
four pages into 'The Shock Doctrine' and already the wheels are  
flying off Naomi Klein's big new ideological busload of leftist  
fantasy.''

What is unusual is that the paper bought excerpts from the book to  
accompany each critical essay, in essence putting money in Ms.  
Klein's pocket for the privilege of knocking her down.

Jonathan Kay, the newspaper's managing editor for comment, who also  
contributed one of the accompanying columns, said Ms. Klein's  
influence in Canada justified reprinting her work. But, he added, her  
popularity also requires the inclusion of alternative views.

''She is the most successful author since Noam Chomsky popularizing  
leftist ideas in the post-Marxist age,'' Mr. Kay said. ''In this  
case, running 4,000 or 5,000 words making a single thesis amounted to  
making a powerful editorial endorsement, some readers might say.''

Louise Dennys, Ms. Klein's publisher at Knopf Canada, said The Post  
had not advised her about its plans when it bought the reprint rights  
for an amount she declined to disclose. But, Ms. Dennys said, ''We  
were really pleased with it. Part of Naomi's reason for writing the  
book is to instigate thought and debate.'' (Ms. Klein was traveling  
and could not be reached for comment.)

''The Shock Doctrine'' was not the first book to be simultaneously  
excerpted and criticized by The Post. Parts of ''God Is Not Great''  
by Christopher Hitchens received similar treatment over most of a  
week. (''I wanted to make sure we insulted every religion,'' Mr. Kay  
said.)

The two series of excerpts and rebuttals give some indication about  
whether readers of The Post feel more strongly about religion or  
politics. While Ms. Klein's work provoked a significant number of e- 
mails and letters, Mr. Kay said, the reaction still lags behind that  
brought about by Mr. Hitchens.

IAN AUSTEN

URL: http://www.nytimes.com