It is sometimes amusing, and sometimes downright disappointing, to flip through a book and happen across a picture of the author on the back cover. It happened to me a few times today while sorting through books at the bookstore. Take, for example, Cynthia Ozick. For 'Cynthia' I pictured a pearl wearing, cardigan sporting, 35 year old belle in pastels, and the 'Ozick' might have added a Jewish Eastern European twist. It's not Cynthia's fault that she's twice the age, and not as dainty as her name suggests. It most definitely should not affect my reading of her newest book, Dictation, but occasionally I caught a glimpse of her picture, watching me as I turned pages.
The woman in the picture does not seem capable of precious metaphors and rolling, almost sexual, rhythms. Both 'The Shawl' and 'Dicatations' have something very youthful about them, in their presentation and in their greedy desire to plunge deep into descriptions. The plot of 'Dictations' is even amateurish--as if a first time writer were trying to justify a piece of historical fiction. And instead its source is a woman of 80, her eyes peering out from behind owl-like lenses. Her face, her hair, nothing seems to indicate that she might be hip in her old age, that she might have a hidden understanding of younger generations.
I don't like authors hidden behind their texts, and I don't mind seeing the pictures that might prove disappointing. It would be nice, though, if the authors whose pictures are going to glossily gaze at their readers from the back covers of books would take at least SOME precautions to look the part of their text. It is a silly expectation, but I also expect pet owners to look like their dogs. And if they don't, I can't help but blame them a little.