<p><a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2140636/nav/tap2/%5B/url%5D">http://www.slate.com/id/2140636/nav/tap2/</a></p>
<p>Nice article.</p>
<p>Smart post, Ricardo.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, a minor point of information, but for those who are convinced that the book contract helped Viswanathan get into Harvard, I believe it was the other way around: Acccording to the Boston Globe, <a href="http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2006/02/22/the_six_figure_sophomore/%5B/url%5D:">http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2006/02/22/the_six_figure_sophomore/:</a> "Arriving at Harvard as a freshman in September 2004 would have been challenge enough for most young people. But a month later another little project presented itself. Out of the blue came a contract for close to $500,000 from publisher Little, Brown & Co. for a first novel she had only started and a second she had barely imagined. She was 17."</p>
<p>lastbastion-</p>
<p>It was really funny reading over the gushing Boston Globe article that described her as the "hottest new young fiction writer" just two short months ago. Great read, thanks.</p>
<p>Gracie, I really think you need to take a chill pill.:)</p>
<p>This story just keeps getting better and weirder. Did anyone catch the fact that Katherine Cohen was Ms Viswanathan's "college counselor"?!. Here's Ms Cohen's blurb from an article featuring her RIGHT HERE IN COLLEGE CONFIDENTIAL(look at homepage link "Searching for Ivy Success - An Interview with Katherine Cohen"):</p>
<p>" Kat, as her awestruck proteges call her, is part of a prosperous new breed of private counselors who are helping the children of the rich attain their birthright of getting accepted to the Ivy League college of their choice despite the ever-mounting odds against them. Cohen's "platinum package," which includes 24 sessions and an hour of phone time per week, typically spread over junior and senior year, costs $28,995...."</p>
<p>Anyways, read the rest of the link before we reconstruct this classic tale of good old american hucksterism (with the added topical twist of an ambitious immigrant family as the protagonists): "How Kaavia Viswanathan got IVYWISED, HOWGIH'ed, and Got a Life (sorta kinda life)" ----"Life in the fast lane, Life in the fast lane will surely make you lose your mind"- Eagles</p>
<p>Who could blame Kaavya's low key, do what makes you happy neurosurgeon dad, or the mother who witnessed the young genius' development, for wisely choosing a backup plan? Why let the vagraries of a young artist's tender developmental years interfere with chances of admission to an Ivy League University? Why not call an expert? Thus they called Kat, who was certainly "IvyWise", for help on the thorny subject of How O(K)aavya Will Get Into Harvard (HOWGIH for those of you who have not read the book). Kat started working early, probably junior year with the following advice: "If you can write well about yourself and your personality and voice shine through your essay, this will make your application come alive for the reader and may tip you in over someone equally as qualified..." Well, Kaavya wrote something that impressed Kat so much that Kat called her own agent, MS Gluck. Not being a literary connoisseur, who could blame Kat for selling to her agent what Harvard had found so valuable? Perhaps a finders fee is to blame, or Pygmalions pride? </p>
<p>The agent, obviously somewhat better versed at detecting monetary value than literary value missed one key flaw (originality), but quickly honed in on the manuscript's other two weaknesses: Substance and style. First it was the substance, it was "too dark... in the vein of 'The Lovely Bones', the 2002 best seller by Alice Sebold". So the packaged candidate allayed herself to "Alloy" a "book packager": "They thought it would be better if I did a lighter piece. They thought that was more likely to sell." And who could blame the bright and ambitious Kaavya for preferring the allure of fame and fortune over dark matters in the vein of bones, lovely literature as that may be?</p>
<p>Kaavya labored penuriously (unlike physics, math, or athlete scholars who labor effortlessly) until she externalised what she had internalised and produced a lighter product that could sell (a "Second Helping" of the same subject matter?). This substance was right, but the style was...ummm...in need of help. Not to worry, the book was sold to Little, Brown where Ms Asya Muchnik did indeed much nikpicking on the young Asian's book to get it into selling shape. And who could blame Ms Muchnik for doing her job? She did it well, didn't she? </p>
<p>And now the proud parents of Kaavya, who only wanted to make sure her daughter did what she wanted, can reflect on the excellent adventure wrought by the IvyWise packaging of her daughter as she was kissed by Fortune's capricious lips and delivered to Harvard and the tumultuous world beyond.</p>
<p>Woah, Ricardo, a little too enthusiastic about this whole controversy?</p>
<p>What I am very curious about is how she landed a $500,000 book deal. As someone pointed out earlier, that is unheard of for a young, untested writer. Why so much money -- I'm sure there is more to this story. My DD would take $1 just to see something she's written published. I don't buy it that they offered her so much because she is young. And while the book is amusing, it's not really great writing. I can't help thinking that there's more going on there -- this kid is a little too much like Opal -- a product of careful packaging by the adults around her.</p>
<p>The names, (Asya Muchnik, Alloy), the hall of mirrors quality not only about Opal and Kaavya, but to College Confidential, IvyWise, and our own impulses(I, for one considered hiring one of those private counselors, but didn't in the end), the money, the true pathos, the comedy, the twisted "immigrant comes to America to find success" trope, the lessons to be learned, etc. Somebody ought to make a movie! Or write a book!</p>
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</p>
<p>LOL! I think you are treating this whole sorry incident with the seriousness it deserves. Good catch on finding the direct tie-in to CC.</p>
<p>if i were on the administrative board at harvard, i'd be very worried that that same photographic memory of hers that caused her to unconsciously and innocently internalize ms. mccafferty's words might also cause her to innocently "internalize" other works and externalize them in her assignments for courses.</p>
<p>"What I am very curious about is how she landed a $500,000 book deal. As someone pointed out earlier, that is unheard of for a young, untested writer. Why so much money -- I'm sure there is more to this story."</p>
<p>May be some one other than the publisher channeled the money. Hey this could be another who done it novel.</p>
<p>Ricardo - you beat me to it :) I was amazed to hear a "college application packaging consultant" helped her with the book. The lack of raised eyebrows at this revelation makes me believe this is more of a norm than not???? Good god, just how much does one have to do to get into the school of their choice???</p>
<p>The LA Times carried an article this morning on this whole sorry mess. "Viswanathan was able to write on her application (to Harvard) that she had a literary agent, though she would not sign a book contract until her freshman year." Maybe we should all get our kids literary agents in high school to boost their college apps! Is there no honesty and integrity left in this country? Or does the end always justify the means?</p>
<p>Ricardo pretty much nailed it. </p>
<p>I'll make a pitch to Dreamworks about the idea; after all, they're going to have to replace their newest teen movie somehow...</p>
<p>Wow. I just can't believe how unfair this is. It's true: as long as you have lots of money and pushy parents, you can get anything you want--including an Ivy League education and a book deal.<br>
And yes, plagerism DOES mean you're a bad writer. And a liar.
If she wasn't a bad writer, she wouldn't plagerise. It's as simple as that.
(And I know that this is kind of below the belt, but even if she hadn't plagerized, it would still be a crappy book. You think this is a rant? Ask me what I think of "chick lit".)
She deserves punishment. I don't think anyone is calling for her to be ostricized from society--which wouldn't happen anyway, due to her family's ample funds and connections--but she should pay for what she did.
No matter how much colleges try to steer the admissions decision away from economic circumstance, there are always people who manage to steer it back. It makes me angry that people on this thread keep suggesting that this issue isn't that big a deal. It is. First of all, it's a big deal to REAL writers--people who work hard to produce eloquent literature using their OWN passion and intellect and ideas. Most of these people will never enjoy as much success as this girl. It's also a big deal to anybody who has recently or will soon apply to college, because it brings up just how much can be bought in this very important process. Then, it's also a big deal to their parents, who give everything they have to help their children be successful. Sometimes, though, a 25,000 dollar college advisor is out of their reach.
Lastly, it's a big deal to anyone who values honesty and integrity.</p>
<p>The fact that she wrote this on her app, or that a consultant told her to do it, does not tell us anything about why she got into Harvard. The mere fact of having an agent is pretty meaningless; the agent could be a parent's friend. I would be extremely surprised if the decision turned on something like that.</p>
<p>What's the big deal? It was a great book and so what if she got all that money. That's her publishers problem/</p>
<p>It's finally been uncovered who actually wrote the "Opal Mehta" book;</p>
<p>Awesome.</p>
<p>Publisher to Recall Harvard Student's Novel
<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/28/books/28author.html?ex=1146369600&en=0d47357d7cf74278&ei=5087%0A%5B/url%5D">http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/28/books/28author.html?ex=1146369600&en=0d47357d7cf74278&ei=5087%0A</a></p>
<p>I love how the times called it the "harvard student's novel" when its not really hers..and I was looking forward to reading it..</p>
<p>All the emphasis on her college connection is just more evidence - as if any was needed, of Harvard's iconic status.</p>