I've never understood the appeal of Hawthorne's starchy prose and tin ear for dialogue. If Henry James hadn't propped him up at the right time I wonder if he would be remembered at all.
Sort of like James Joyce, his "Ulysses"(sp?) dribble, and the push,push,push, I'm-gonna-make-you-a-literary-giant-whether-you-like-it-or-not-damnit!-so-sobber-up! patroness Peggy Guggenheim.
19 posted on 06/27/2006 8:23:01 AM PDT by yankeedame
("Oh, I can take it but I'd much rather dish it out.")