Breaths Quote by Raymond Chandler
“It is wrong to be harsh with the New York critics, unless one admits in the same breath that it is a condition of their existence that they should write entertainingly about something which is rarely worth writing about at all.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, 1939
Critics should be harsh only if they acknowledge their role in making entertainment from low‑value subjects.
In simple terms: Critics need honesty and self‑awareness.
Key Takeaway
Balance critique with self‑reflection.
Themes
literary criticism
honesty
entertainment
Mood
analytical
skeptical
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- book reviews
- media analysis
- creative writing
- public commentary
Key Concepts
ethical responsibility
artistic standards
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you critique fairly?
- Can harshness be constructive?
A Different Perspective
Critics may be biased regardless of self‑awareness.
![“Hammett was the ace performer... He is said to have lacked heart; yet the story he himself thought the most of [The Glass Key] is the record of a man's devotion to a friend. He was spare, frugal, hard-boiled, but he did over and over again what only the best writers can ever do at all. He wrote…” quote by Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/882/raymond-chandler-629_dashiel-hammett_hammett-was-the-ace-performer-he-is-said_20171.jpg)
![“He [James Cain] is every kind of writer I detest...a Proust in greasy overalls, a dirty little boy with a piece of chalk and a board fence and nobody looking.” quote by Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/614/raymond-chandler-629_cain_he-james-cain-is-every-kind-of-writer-i_41185.jpg)
