The Man Who Reads Books For a Living (One Every Two Days)
Clarke Speicher is a professional reader who must read a novel every two days and prepare a detailed memo for potential film adaptations. Despite the allure of his job, he faces financial instability and the pressures of the fragile film industry. Currently, he continues to work in Brooklyn, balancing his passion for literature with the realities of his profession.
- ▪Clarke Speicher reads novels quickly to prepare memos for film adaptations.
- ▪His job exists on the margins of the entertainment industry, making it a labor of love.
- ▪He lives in Gowanus, Brooklyn, near industrial sites that affect his living conditions.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
As with any editor, reading is part of my job. But never have I been asked to do what’s expected of Clarke Speicher: read a novel in two days (or sometimes one), and prepare a lengthy memo detailing how it might be adapted into film. Sounds like a plush gig, right? Not so fast. Although Speicher enjoys his work, it exists on the margins of the lucrative entertainment industry, making it a true labor of love. For Lit Hub, Julien Levy profiles the man who reads everything. As long as humanity is still valuable to the process of adaptation, Clarke will have work. That doesn’t mean he’s whipping around the Hollywood Hills in a convertible or power-lunching. Clarke lives in Gowanus, Brooklyn’s mostly industrial neighborhood.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Longreads.
