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''[dale] peck may not be right about his scorched-earth policy,'' the novelist jeffrey eugenides has said. ''but his essay moves the discussion from the small idea (is this a good book or not?) to the large one (where should literature be headed?). that's what makes it criticism.' ... hostile reviews represent ''a critical attempt to compete, on an entertainment level.'' in other words, critics like peck can be more fun to read than the books they review. opprobrium resonates in a way that praise seldom does. witness the recent storm over martin amis's new novel, ''yellow dog,'' which even before its publication date was inviting praise and derision in the london press. '''yellow dog' isn't bad as in not very good or slightly disappointing,'' wrote tibor fischer, a rival novelist (who had a novel of his own coming out the same day). ''it's not-knowing-where-to-look bad.'' fischer suggested that reading the book was like discovering ''your favorite uncle being caught in a school playground, masturbating.''
- james atlas, "the takedown artist," new york times magazine october 26, 2003
posted October 26, 2003 in print. 2005200420022001