Tonight at 7: Karen Crouse discusses her book about Norwich and Olympians. In Norwich, no less! It’s happening at the Norwich Bookstore.
The book has continued to generate discussion, including on the radio program On Point.* (In addition to listening to the audio, you can also see a small bit of back-and-forth in the comments section.)
A local writer, Brianne Goodspeed, wrote a very good review for the Valley News earlier this month, highlighting the role that Norwich’s wealth has played in its successes and how that was perhaps downplayed in the book.
There’s also these observations (and an excellent cow pun) about Norwich’s latest debates around the Town Plan and affordable housing. The “glowing NYT profile” refers to an excerpt of the book that appeared in the Times. Featuring former Kimball Union Academy history teacher Dean Barker and Rutland Herald journalist (and fan of UV INDEX) Roger Carroll:
So much for that glowing NYT profile a couple weeks ago. Hmm. https://t.co/MSBLOLBSdz
— Dean Barker (@deanbarker) January 24, 2018
Yeah, it’s a farming community, according to the NYT piece. They just don’t want any working-class folks to MOOOOVE in.
— Roger Carroll (@NewsGuyRog) January 24, 2018
I like Norwich just fine, but that piece was problematic in more than a couple ways.
— Dean Barker (@deanbarker) January 24, 2018
True. In fairness, it’s not everybody. But enough.
— Roger Carroll (@NewsGuyRog) January 24, 2018
Wow. This is an amazing review that contrasts some reality against the conceit of that Norwich book. #UpVal https://t.co/7mFuBx3puZ
— Dean Barker (@deanbarker) January 24, 2018
*Also worth noting, the excerpt of the book published on the On Point website appears to play up the limitations of “the power of Norwich as a model” more vigorously than the prologue that was printed in the book. For example, the printed version of the book describes Norwich has having a “median household income of eight-nine thousand dollars,” while the On Point version describes that income as “upwards of $90,000.”