Book Quote by John O'Hara
“Book reviewers are little old ladies of both sexes.”
About This Quote
Source Quote: Commentary on literary criticism, 1940s
O’Hara likens book reviewers to elderly women of both genders, implying they are outdated or overly cautious.
In simple terms: Reviewers are compared to old ladies.
Key Takeaway
Be aware of stereotypes in criticism.
Themes
literature
stereotype
age
Mood
cynical
observational
Type
quote
observation
When to use this quote
- publishing
- author relations
- media perception
- cultural commentary
Key Concepts
gender
bias
critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How do stereotypes shape criticism?
- What is the role of reviewers today?
A Different Perspective
The analogy may be sexist or dismissive.
![“So, you see, it's a real chore for me to write a book review because it's like a contest. It's like I'm writing that book review for every bad book reviewer I've ever known and it's a way of saying [thrusts a middle finger into the air] this is how you ought to do it. I like to rub their noses in…” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b5d/john-irving-337_air_so-you-see-it-s-a-real-chore-for-me-to-w_1152495.jpg)
