Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Noam Chomsky has responded irritably to John Gray's poor review of his latest book, claiming "The stunning irrationality of [Gray's] inferences renders comment superfluous". Here's a recent history of other literary handbags:
Alain de Botton, to Caleb Crain of The New York Times, who criticised de Botton's, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work (2009) "I will hate you till the day I die and wish you nothing but ill will in every career move you make."
Martin Amis, regarding a reviewer of Yellow Dog "Tibor Fischer is a creep and a wretch. Oh yeah: and a fat-arse."
Niall Ferguson, following a review of his book Civilization by Pankaj Mishra (2011) "If he won't apologise for calling me a racist, I will persecute him until he does... it seems to be becoming de rigueur for mediocrities to build their fame on attacking those more successful than them."
Alice Hoffman, who tweeted in anger 27 times following a review of her novel The Story Sisters in The Boston Globe (2009) "Roberta Silman in the Boston Globe is a moron. How do some people get to review books?... Now any idiot can be a critic."
Ayelet Waldman, wife of Michael Chabon, tweeting about negative reviews for her husband's book The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man (2011) "To the fucking MORON Amazon reviewers giving Awesome Man 1 star [because] 'It would be good for, like, a 2 year old' IT WAS WRITTEN FOR LITTLE KIDS"
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments