Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Sherman Alexie's avatar

This is great commentary but I still sense you have a specific definition of courage based on your particular political beliefs. The literary world is an oligarchy led by the center left. Isn’t a more conservative novelist who is to the right of the center left also courageous?

Expand full comment
Postliberal Book Reviews's avatar

I think the problem is audience: literary fiction is speaking to a fundamentally reactionary (liberal) audience—readers are older, educated, more female, more invested in the paradoxical status quo of left-liberal “rebellion” against oppression that isn’t actually dangerous. I think there are fierce and sincere regime critics out there—but they are on platforms filled with lunatics and obsessives: Unz, Rumble, etc. Linh Dinh comes to mind.

Expand full comment
34 more comments...

No posts