By JOHN WILLIAMS - The New York Times
Throughout his career, the humorist Joe Queenan has gleefully skewered pop culture, Baby Boomers, sports fans and much else. In his 2009 memoir “Closing Time,” Mr. Queenan wrote about growing up poor in Philadelphia and suffering at the hands of his violent father. In his latest, “One for the Books,” he recounts a lifetime of reading the classics, the trashy and everything in between. He also makes an impassioned case for the printed book’s superiority over its digital competitor. In a recent e-mail interview, Mr. Queenan discussed the future of books, his problem with book clubs, reading 80 books at a time and more.
Below are edited excerpts from the conversation: