The 10 Grumpiest Writers

[munley]

Here is the link:

http://flavorwire.com/283530/the-10-grumpiest-living-writers?all=1

My  personal opinion is that  the article writer, Emily Temple, is more interested in displaying what she apparently considers her wit with words than saying anything of substance. For example, her comments on V.S. Naipaul's statements on women writers being far inferior are indicative of a far more serious problem than just being some old crank who makes you "want to roll your eyes and say “'oh, Grandpa.'"

Seems that Ms. Temple picked a theme (cranky old writers), penned some slight variations of its expression, and stuffed every writer she notes into the prefabricated cubbies of her cutesy, dismissive phrasing, ultimately trivializing everything she tells us they had to say on various topics.

Oh, I didn't like what or how she wrote. I must be an old crank. 

[LateToTheParty]

I agree with you and I also believe most essay writers, (on any topic) are toting a party line. This is singularly the biggest reason I switched majors just shy of my BA in English Lit. I refuse to read/write according to department politics.

[munley]

I actually enjoyed getting a BA in English, since most of the reading was original works of literature. Grad school, though, had us reading more literary critics than original works, plus those critics criticizing each other or ego stroking each other. Ugh.
Very tedious stuff.

I didn't like it when some famous literary critic would take a line from a great poem and use it for the title of a lengthy work of criticism. One such critic was Cleanth Brooks, who stole a line from a poem by Keats. Brooks called his book, "The Well-Wrought Urn." One cynical professor of mine used to call that book, "The Well-Wrought Crock."

[raballard]

Just passing trough, checking to see if my name is on the list.