Poll

wht about a romantic fantasy?

It could be a good idea but we should have a requirement that anyone who thinks Twilight is a good book or that Stephenie Meyer can write should be excluded from contributing.

Why should they be excluded?

Yes, just because they think Twilight is a good book doesn't dismiss their ability to recognize adequate literature

Timothy wrote: "Yes, just because they think Twilight is a good book doesn't dismiss their ability to recognize adequate literature"

Of course I tend to disagree on two counts: first, I have no problem with anyone enjoying the book, but I do have an issue with anyone who thinks that it is well written. In fact, I think this is a matter of mechanics and construction rather than anything else.

Thus you understand my somewhat tongue in cheek argument, intended to playfully incite some fireworks more than be serious, that the inability to recognize good literature implies that one could not recognize when one has written good literature. I think that argument is still true, even though you may disagree with the premise.

Second, on the matter of grammar, although English grammar once defaulted to the masculine, since the rearing of the feminist movement, it no longer does so. However, using the plural, "they" is not acceptable. Hence it is not "they think" but rather "he or she thinks" which is proper English. Of course, "their ability" ought to be rather "his or her ability." Frankly, it makes me yearn to return to simpler times, at least grammatically speaking. It is difficult today to write in gender neutral terms, but it is much easier to do so.