If I’m not mistaken, one of the issues surrounding the GR take-down was whether a reviewer could ignore the content of a book and leave one-star and negative feedback because of who the author was or what he had done. Specifically, the issue revolved around the book “The Secret of Castle Cant: Being an Account of the Remarkable Adventures of Lucy Wickwright, Maidservant and Spy” by KP Bath. Apparently it’s a YA book and Mr. Bath is a convicted pedophile.

My wife and I happened to be having our usual interesting discussion about books and this incident came up. During the discussions I was reminded of Paul Johnson’s book, “Intellectuals.” (http://www.librarything.com/work/23357/details/102495625) In this work, Johnson takes noted “intellectuals” to task for have a personal morality not up to conventional standards (he doesn’t like progressives.)

A noted example is Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. Apparently, Mr. Carroll was somewhat of a pedophile. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1087447/Was-Lewis-Carroll-paedophile-Discovery-cryptic-letter-raises-questions-authors-relationship-real-life-Alice.html) And then there is the case of Michael Dorris, renowned author who committed suicide following a bitterly contest divorce and allegations of child abuse by his ex-wife, Louise Erdrich, and two daughters. Or how about Anne Perry, author of two very successful mystery series. She was convicted of participating in the murder of a friend’s mother in her youth for which she served time.

So what are we to make of a book whose author might have perpetrated or been accused of rather heinous crimes? Do we judge the book on its merits? Do we ignore the personal morality of the author? Should Alice in Wonderland be demerited because of Carroll’s behavior? Tchaikovsky not listened to because he was a homosexual? Or “A Yellow Raft in Blue Water” ostracized? Then again, how about Mein Kampf?

The question I posit in connection with the GR incident is whether artistic works should stand on their own or be forever judged by the behavior of their creators? Does GR have a point?

Civility as always.