The 30 Harshest Author-on-Author Insults in History

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entropic island

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Very interesting. It seems to be a trend for famous male authors to bash on Austen for some reason.
 

Azure

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I've always loved Hemingway's quote about Faulkner - I think because of the truth it contains.

Says something, though, doesn't it? I mean, the fact that pretty much everyone on that list is regarded as brilliant in their own right, yet even they have staunch critics.
 

quicklime

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I'm waiting for it to open, but wondering if any of the slams on Brown are in there; I recall some English writer calling his work "stool-water" and someone else describing one of his books as his "thrilling manual on how not to construct a sentence" or something similar
 

Lyra Jean

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I'm waiting for it to open, but wondering if any of the slams on Brown are in there; I recall some English writer calling his work "stool-water" and someone else describing one of his books as his "thrilling manual on how not to construct a sentence" or something similar

There is one on Browning. I think the only current author on the list was J.K. Rowling.
 

seun

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I'm waiting for it to open, but wondering if any of the slams on Brown are in there; I recall some English writer calling his work "stool-water" and someone else describing one of his books as his "thrilling manual on how not to construct a sentence" or something similar

I can't open the link for some reason so I don't know if it's on there, but I always liked Stephen Fry's quote about DVC:

"Arse gravy of the worst kind."
 

JC Romel

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Wow! I had no idea classical authors were such bitches! Me-ow!

Seriously, though, the best comeback was Hemingway's retort of Faulkner's ridiculous criticism. Lord Byron on Keats was bad, but how about Twain starting out all meek and mild with the "I haven't any right to criticize books, etc..." and ending by digging up her corpse and braining her with her own shinbone?

And would somebody get a muzzle for Nabakov already? Sheesh!
 

Phaeal

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Very interesting. It seems to be a trend for famous male authors to bash on Austen for some reason.

Which is that they are terminally envious.

I don't know. I generally feel sorrier for the insulter than the insultee. Bile is so unattractive. Well, except in the professional cats, like Oscar Wilde. ;)
 
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lindseyanne

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15. William Faulkner on Ernest Hemingway“He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary.”
14. Ernest Hemingway on William Faulkner
“Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words?”

That made me laugh. Actually, the entire article made me laugh. Lots of childish insults there.
 

Libbie

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Man...I kinda yearn for the day when this sort of thing happened. It's amusing.

Very interesting. It seems to be a trend for famous male authors to bash on Austen for some reason.

Er -- there were exactly as many digs against Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce on that list as there were against Jane Austen.
 
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Libbie

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I have to say, this one made me chuckle a little bit, even though I loved Don Quixote:

17. Martin Amis on Miguel Cervantes
“Reading Don Quixote can be compared to an indefinite visit from your most impossible senior relative, with all his pranks, dirty habits, unstoppable reminiscences, and terrible cronies. When the experience is over, and the old boy checks out at last (on page 846 — the prose wedged tight, with no breaks for dialogue), you will shed tears all right; not tears of relief or regret but tears of pride. You made it, despite all that ‘Don Quixote’ could do.”

Plus, the exchange between Hemingway and Faulkner was awesome, and I am so glad they included some Oscar Wilde. He was the High Lord of Suave Insults. It must have been hard to choose from all he had to offer.
 

JayMan

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Awesome list. I also loved the Hemingway/Faulkner exchange.

My favorite recent author insult was not included on the list, but it's Stephen King on Stephenie Meyer:
"The real difference is that Jo Rowling is a terrific writer and Stephenie Meyer can't write worth a darn. She's not very good."
 

Phaeal

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:roll:

Stephen King is ordinarily so positive, he must have hated Twilight with the burning ardor of a thousand supernovas to have said anything as nasty as "not very good" about the author. Plus he said "darn!"
 

entropic island

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Man...I kinda yearn for the day when this sort of thing happened. It's amusing.



Er -- there were exactly as many digs against Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce on that list as there were against Jane Austen.

Recently another Nobel Prize winning author insulted Austen. Forget his name.
 

Amadan

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Recently another Nobel Prize winning author insulted Austen. Forget his name.

V.S. Naipaul.

:roll:

Stephen King is ordinarily so positive, he must have hated Twilight with the burning ardor of a thousand supernovas to have said anything as nasty as "not very good" about the author. Plus he said "darn!"


Stephen King isn't exactly vitriolic, but when he doesn't like a book, he'll say so. Which I find refreshing, since the prevailing mood in publishing right now seems to be that no author should ever criticize another author's work because someone's fee-fees might get hurt.
 
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Stephen King isn't exactly vitriolic, but when he doesn't like a book, he'll say so. Which I find refreshing, since the prevailing mood in publishing right now seems to be that no author should ever criticize another author's work because someone's fee-fees might get hurt.
It is such a damn relief to hear someone say that. Okay, read someone type it. You knew what I meant.

God forbid writers should actually, y'know...have an opinion on someone else's work.
 
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Which is that they are terminally envious.

I don't know. I generally feel sorrier for the insulter than the insultee. Bile is so unattractive. Well, except in the professional cats, like Oscar Wilde. ;)
Oh look. Accusations of envy against those who dare to not like Austen.

Maybe it's just that they thought she was shite? It's allowed, you know.

Since when was not liking an author's work bilious?
 

Amadan

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It is such a damn relief to hear someone say that. Okay, read someone type it. You knew what I meant.

God forbid writers should actually, y'know...have an opinion on someone else's work.

Stop that! You're agreeing with me again!
 

CaroGirl

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People insult each other all the time. Writers just do it with more style.
 

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Sirion

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:roll:

Stephen King is ordinarily so positive, he must have hated Twilight with the burning ardor of a thousand supernovas to have said anything as nasty as "not very good" about the author. Plus he said "darn!"

At least he found the inner strength to stop short of physical assault. o_O
 
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