Naipaul reckons female authors inferior

Naipaul dismisses 'sentimental' women authors

Oh boy, this is really asking for trouble.

Nobel-winner V.S. Naipaul declared Thursday that he does not regard any female authors as his equal, not even the fabulous Jane Austen.  Too 'sentimental,' says he.

They are also not the 'complete master of the house.' (Well, that wins the prize for the enigmatic statement of the week.)  They have too narrow a view of the world, to boot.

Maybe it's his age.  He's seventy-eight, well into grumpy old man territory.

Even his publisher, Diana Athill, became the brunt of his attack.  She was a great editor, he reckoned, but 'when she became a writer, lo and behold it was all this feminine tosh. 

'I don't mean this in any unkind way,' he added.

What other way can it be taken, pray?

He's 'losing his grip,' said Diana Athill.

I agree.