Comments on: An Open Letter to Newsweek’s Richard Smith and Jon Meacham

By: Mitchell

Mitchell — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 16:09:44 +0000

Many times I wish I were a better writer or read more novels to completion. I did read Monhegan Light twice, so struck was I with its human insight concerning deluded males (a species I am a member) .
What struck me was the story’s empathy- I found nothing hateful about it and remarkable in its ability to understand and articulate something I probably would fall short trying. Thank you for defending Mr. Russo’s story so eloquently!!!

By: That Old Reading Magic : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits

That Old Reading Magic : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:27:37 +0000

[...] in today’s Chicago Sun-Times. And just to be clear on this, I filed my review weeks before I offered my thoughts on the Newsweek contretemps and before my second interview with the [...]

By: The Bat Segundo Show: Richard Russo II : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:32:38 +0000

[...] Discussed: [List forthcoming, but lots in the latter half of the show about the Newsweek piece and the perceptive problems with close [...]

By: My evening with Richard Russo… « The Book Lady’s Blog

My evening with Richard Russo… « The Book Lady’s Blog — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:23:36 +0000

[...] call it that) in which the writer accused him of being a misogynist. I’ve read a few elegant refutations of that claim by other members of the literary community, but I wanted to hear it straight from the [...]

By: David Ulin: A Books Editor to Be Deactivated : Edward Champion’s Reluctant Habits

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:19:46 +0000

[...] Wallen’s snarky assault on misfits make it into this seemingly esteemed newspaper? Much as Newsweek’s Jennie Yabroff recently declared Richard Russo a “misogynist” because o…, so too does Wallen misinterpret humanity in attempting to “take down” Jennifer Weiner. [...]

By: blondie

blondie — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:24:57 +0000

Having read all of Mr. Russo’s published books (with only the exception of this latest, I believe), I am offended on his behalf at his treatment by this reviewer.

Perhaps his main characters are men. Perhaps his male characters are more fully examined, for the most part, than his female characters. This makes his novels and stories different from what percentage of novels and stories published by male authors? To compare him with Roth and Updike in the treatment of female characters? Get real. Either the reviewer has, at best, a superficial understanding of any of the three writers, or she has a quite dull ax to grind.

If this is what such a reviewer would say of Richard Russo, I shudder to imagine what she’d say about Cormac McCarthy (assuming she has heard of him).

By: Jacob Silverman

Jacob Silverman — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:41:03 +0000

I haven’t read any of Russo’s books, but the basic mistake here seems to be the attempt to impute anything about a writer from his *fiction*. Why does a review need to judge the writer and not the work?

By: Lady T

Lady T — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:43:58 +0000

Oops,meant “have read” in the first sentence. Pardon my hasty grammar,please!

By: Lady T

Lady T — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:42:43 +0000

While I haven’t read Mr. Russo’s new book,I had read a couple of his works(plus,was fortunate enough to meet him during a event for his short story collection which I was one of the booksellers on hand)and he’s never stuck me as a member of the He Man Women Hater’s club.

I need to read this crazy review first,but something tells me that the main reason Yabroff may think that Russo is not female friendly is because most of his protagonists are male. Granted,I could be wrong about that for two reasons-a)He may have had a leading lady in his cannon that I don’t know of,having not read all of his cannon and b)she may have another axe to grind.

Either way,it would be nice if someone could just review a work of fiction without adding their own personal agendas to the mix.

By: DrMabuse

DrMabuse — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 03:44:40 +0000

Spc: It was emailed to them as well.

By: Frances Madeson

Frances Madeson — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 03:33:48 +0000

That one clocked at 95 mph. Ice that arm, Slugger.

By: Rake

Rake — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 03:00:40 +0000

There once was an author named Rich,
Who just had no love for a bitch.
Though his prose was first-rate,
His misogynist’s hate
Drove Yabroff straight into the ditch.

By: Spc

Spc — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 03:00:33 +0000

When writers & editors like this assume readers are as dumb as they are, we all lose. I’m sure russo is thrilled his intricate character-building gets reduced like this in a national magazine.
Is this just an open letter here? Because i think they’d benefit from having it sent directly as well.