Double Fold

Nicholson Baker, Double Fold

I read this book in 2002 as part of a small experimental undergraduate course in Trade Publishing and the Control of Cultural Information. We read not only Double Fold, but also The Size of Thoughts, The Mezzanine, and several articles by Nicholson Baker. Near the end of the term, Nicholson Baker came to our 20-person class for a day to answer our questions. He brought with him beautiful old newspapers, and I found him more affable in person than in writing. I struggle with Double Fold. For the most part, I agree with Baker. But it’s the same sort of relationship I have with Michael Moore: I wish neither man were quite so abrasive. At the same time, I realize that the extremities in position and personality might be exactly what allow their messages to be widely disseminated. Reading Double Fold for the second time, I found my opinions largely unchanged, with the exception that I’ve now had practical work in a library environment where we engage in scanning and where space is a real concern. For the most part, we’re scanning in old articles and making newer copies of them for our paper archive—so we’re tossing copies, but we’re tossing photocopies. I don’t think Baker would mind. We still have our card catalogs (though possibly not forever) and haven’t thrown a book away in anyone’s recent memory. For more, ask about my book review due next week.