As long as "abusive" criticism doesn't get confused with mere snark (eg. see David Denby's book by that title), which it all too often does.
Not too long ago I strongly agreed with Bly's comments on the matter. (Which come from, or are repeated in, "American POetry: Wildness and Domesticity.") But on the blogosphere lately? I see far more snark and abuse than I do honest criticism.
Perhaps what we're really still waiting for is honest criticism, not the pendulum swinging back and forth.
I think what you say about honest criticism is correct. I don't like writing negative reviews, actually, because it's too easy, but sometimes you have to. I found Elizabeth Kostova's The Swan Thieves to be very disappointing -- and said so. And that turned out to be hard to write, because I didn't just want to be snarky.
It is hard to write a negative review, and unpleasant. Beyond the concern that one might be giving pain to authors (even if they richly deserve it) is the more self-interested worry that you might run into these people, or that they might run into you (see http://bu.tt/7hj for an egregious example). It's a small world -- one of the contributors to my new book is a heavily honored poet I dissed in a review for a very sloppy and lazy "translation."
Some of the more famous names rightly need spanking. I've gone on the record saying nasties about books that were universally feted, but on the whole I think I've pulled more punches than I've landed. My bad.
It is hard to write a negative review, and unpleasant. Beyond the concern that one might be giving pain to authors (even if they richly deserve it) is the more self-interested worry that you might run into these people, or that they might run into you (see http://bu.tt/7hj for an egregious example). It's a small world -- one of the contributors to my new book is a heavily honored poet I dissed in a review for a very sloppy and lazy "translation."
Some of the more famous names rightly need spanking. I've gone on the record saying nasties about books that were universally feted, but on the whole I think I've pulled more punches than I've landed. My bad.
As long as "abusive" criticism doesn't get confused with mere snark (eg. see David Denby's book by that title), which it all too often does.
ReplyDeleteNot too long ago I strongly agreed with Bly's comments on the matter. (Which come from, or are repeated in, "American POetry: Wildness and Domesticity.") But on the blogosphere lately? I see far more snark and abuse than I do honest criticism.
Perhaps what we're really still waiting for is honest criticism, not the pendulum swinging back and forth.
I think what you say about honest criticism is correct. I don't like writing negative reviews, actually, because it's too easy, but sometimes you have to. I found Elizabeth Kostova's The Swan Thieves to be very disappointing -- and said so. And that turned out to be hard to write, because I didn't just want to be snarky.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to write a negative review, and unpleasant. Beyond the concern that one might be giving pain to authors (even if they richly deserve it) is the more self-interested worry that you might run into these people, or that they might run into you (see http://bu.tt/7hj for an egregious example). It's a small world -- one of the contributors to my new book is a heavily honored poet I dissed in a review for a very sloppy and lazy "translation."
ReplyDeleteSome of the more famous names rightly need spanking. I've gone on the record saying nasties about books that were universally feted, but on the whole I think I've pulled more punches than I've landed. My bad.
It is hard to write a negative review, and unpleasant. Beyond the concern that one might be giving pain to authors (even if they richly deserve it) is the more self-interested worry that you might run into these people, or that they might run into you (see http://bu.tt/7hj for an egregious example). It's a small world -- one of the contributors to my new book is a heavily honored poet I dissed in a review for a very sloppy and lazy "translation."
ReplyDeleteSome of the more famous names rightly need spanking. I've gone on the record saying nasties about books that were universally feted, but on the whole I think I've pulled more punches than I've landed. My bad.