Jonathan Franzen: Michiko Kakutani Is 'The Stupidest Person in New York City'
Speaking at Harvard yesterday during a discussion with literary critic James Wood, Jonathan Franzen said that "the stupidest person in New York City is currently the lead reviewer of fiction for the New York Times.”
He was referring, of course, to Michiko Kakutani, who presumably got on Mr. Franzen's bad side with her brutal review of his recent memoir, The Discomfort Zone. In that review, Ms. Kakutani wrote: "there is something oddly preening about [Franzen's] self-inventory of sins, as though he actually reveled in being so disagreeable." Also: "Just why anyone would be interested in pages and pages about [Franzen's unhappy marriage] or the self-important and self-promoting contents of Mr. Franzen’s mind remains something of a mystery."
During the talk with Mr. Wood—described in the Harvard Crimson as a face-off between Mr. Franzen and one of his fiercest critics—the Corrections author is also quoted as saying" “The reviews tend to be repetitive and tend to be so filled with error that they’re kind of unbearable to read, even the nice ones .... The most upsetting thing nowadays is the feeling that there’s no one out there responding intelligently to the text .... So few people are actually doing serious criticism. It’s so snarky, it’s so ad hominum [sic], it’s so black and white.”
It's true! She is so stupid! It is a bit hard on the "intelligent reader" that such a prolific reviewer is never ever to be trusted.
The stupidest person in NYC is Chuckie Schumer when he's in town. When he's not, it's Sheldon Silver. When he's in Albany it's Barbara Walters. When she's in LA getting her face lifted it's Eliot Spitzer.
Shall I go on?
The stupidest person in NYC is Chuckie Schumer, when he's in town. When he's not, it's Sheldon Silver. When he's in Albany it's Barbara Walters. When she's in LA getting her face lifted it's Eliot Spitzer.
Shall I go on?
Michiko Kakutani is only maintaining that honorable New York Times tradition of giving the paper's major critical positions to solid 24-karat mediocrities--Ben Brantley, Vincent Canby, Bosley Crowther, you-fill-in-the-gap. Jeez, give Kakutani a break: she's just following her job description.
Franzen is being much too modest.
Any of New York's second rate colleges has better reviewing talent than Kakutani--sometimes even among the students! Readers are sick of the mediocrity of Times book reviewers. They have beefed up the film reviews with A.O. Scott and Dargis, but the book reviews are embarrassing. No wonder the paper's readership is dropping.
Syllogisms for Mediocrities:
I got a bad review, therefore the reviewer is stupid.
Anti-mediocrity Rule #1: Never respond to your critics (it only makes you look bad).
Franzen is and always has been a pretentious asswipe. His work is boring. It's about time somebody pointed out the obvious.
Better to remain silent and do your work, Franzen. If your stuff will last then it will last. If it won't, it won't. Commenting on reviewers whether good or bad is a evasion of your job which is to write.
He's pissed she didn't like his book. Yeah, so?
He's pissed she didn't like his book. Yeah, so?
Franzen is another one of those writers who seems to his work is smarter than the audience and his critics. enough with the whining in public, go write something good instead.
Wait a minute, Jonathan--don't YOU live in New York?
I'm curious as to why is nothing mentioned regarding the discourse/ "faceoff" between "fiercest critic" Woods and Franzen?
Jonathan:
We remain amazed at what a self-absorbed cry baby you are (we attended that reading in Portland, OR when your Oprah dustup happened.) Forget your reviews - bad as they always are - and try to improve your writing.
Mel & Emogene
How odd, this is the second woman of color he's disparaged in some way. Are there no literary white men he'd like to publicly spank?
Does he get this much air time when he's not criticizing women of color?
Franzen doesn't seem to accept that he is a major BORE. Quit whining. Just because you're white doesn't mean you are automatically superior to women of color. If your writing was interesting, you might get some positive reviews. As for Michiko Kakutani, her reviews are far more intellectually honest, incisive and insightful than Franzen's drivel. Keep it up Michi!
Thanks, now I'll be sure not to read anything of yours.
A writer should never be so thin-skinned. The fact is that book reviewing is a subjective exercise and no two readers are going to like the book equally. Franzen should know this and simply write his way, regardless of what the critics say. I personally love reading Martin Amis, but many of my friends find him boring and pretentious. We are all different. Accept that fact,Mr.Franzen, and you'll be able to deal with criticism better.
Yeah, but James Wood rocks my f*ing socks. Or f*'s my rocking socks... er, every February 29th.
[yawn]
Hey anonymous upthread --
Why mention Kakutani's race? Franzen's dislike of her has to do with her reviews of his book, not her skin color.
There's nothing wrong with Kakutani. Most of those commenters dismissing her reviews simply are mad they don't have her job. As for Franzen -- I enjoyed 'The Corrections' -- but I must agree with one comment on this article -- Saying a reviewer is stupid because they don't like your book is childish. I mean, not everyone is going to like a book. Franzen grow up. (I take it he probably doesn't want anyone to edit his work either. God forbid someone touch all his golden words.)
kakutani is old and washed up. the next round of layoffs at the ailing nyt, she's gone. what the old people dont get is that we dont care what she likes or doesnt like. we dont want kakutani's job lady, you are out of touch with reality. she's a decayed thing at a dying newspaper. the world doesnt belong to her anymore if ever it did
Kakutani's review of THE DISCOMFORT ZONE was childish. She may be disinterested in the reflections of an award winning author, but why foist her meanspirited digs on the subscriber? One expects more from a writer at the NYT, or used to.