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That horrible book I alluded to last month, as an Oprah-blessed scrap of modern literature, stomach-turning as it is, is a novel–it is about real people dealing with real situations, however ugly.

F.Y.I. here is what Anwyn had to say about the book in the earlier article:

''Did you ever try reading any of the modern stuff people are considering "literature?" Self-proclaimed literary judge Oprah Winfrey has put her stamp on a lot of books–I’ve read exactly one of them. It was newly out, it was newly endorsed by the big O, and the librarian of the high school where I was working bought it, read it, and put it in the library for our teenagers to read. I was on a quest for something new and the librarian wanted my opinion, so I picked it up and went through it. Never have I wished more that a batch of words had not entered my brain. I suppose it was all very realistic and well-written and thought-provoking and gripping, but the plain truth of the matter was, it was disgusting. Full of graphic depictions of abuse, physical, verbal, and sexual; full of the trashy thoughts and lewd behavior of what I suppose was meant to be an "underdog heroine;" concluding with a seeming sort of redemption that felt hollow and in no way made up for all the torture of the previous ninety percent of the book. I was literally sickened at times–and this, people are calling literature, while Tolkien-lovers are freely bashed?''

Self-proclaimed literary judge Oprah Winfrey has put her stamp on a lot of books–-I’ve read exactly one of them. . . . . Never have I wished more that a batch of words had not entered my brain. . . . Full of graphic depictions of abuse, physical, verbal, and sexual; full of the trashy thoughts and lewd behavior of what I suppose was meant to be an "underdog heroine;" concluding with a seeming sort of redemption that felt hollow and in no way made up for all the torture of the previous ninety percent of the book.

Bet it was White Oleanders. I hated that freakin book.

I suppose it was all very realistic and well-written and thought-provoking and gripping, but the plain truth of the matter was, it was disgusting.

Very true. People often forget that something inherently repulsive does not become less so if it is done well. It becomes more so.

That is my basic reaction to a lot of recent movies, among them American Beauty, Pleasantville and 8 Mile. All are well made, but that only points up the inherent shallowness and depravity of what they are saying.

Poor kid. You're in for it...

Your job is to convince people that your definition of "novel" is the prevailing one. Just as the term "liberal" shifts, so would "novel." And I don't think I'd enjoy your idea of novels--I hated "Catcher in the Rye" with great energy, and won't even look at anything that says, "coming of age."