Thursday 19 May 2011

philip roth and carman callil

The Man Brooker prize (yawn) has been emroiled in controversy (yawn), as Philip Roth won the £60,000 prize, but Carmen Callil, the founder of feminist publishers Virago Press (yawn) walked from the panel, saying she did not rate Philip Roth's work at all. If she does not like his books, that's fair enough, but she was on a panel (of only three people - why?), so she should have stated her reasons for liking (or not liking) whatever books were to be judged, the same as everyone else on the panel. They then choose a winner after all the arguments have been put forward. That is what the panel is there for, which she obviously knew in advance. To then walk off in a strop, quitting on the eve of the announcement, because you disagreed with the panels choice is pathetic (the other two loved the Roth book). Probably just doing it to get publicity, so l am actually assisting her in my own small way. Damn!!
Nearly forgot - She also said no-one would read Philip Roth in 20 years time. Well l loved Portnoy's Complaint when l was a nipper, and that was over 20 years ago. I think Roth will be read in the future a lot more than she will. Bloody woman, she gives feminists a bad name.

toodle pip

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