Earnest vs. Humorous

November 14, 2014 | 1 book mentioned

“Maybe our anointed literary books just have to be earnest ones because earnest ones showcase that soupçon of intelligence. Maybe humor isn’t felt to indicate a genuine commitment to looking smart.” Year in Reading alum Lydia Millet talks with Jenny Offill about humor writing, what books are “anointed” as modern classics, and Millet’s new book, Mermaids in Paradise.

is a staff writer for The Millions. She lives in New York and every so often writes things at kaulielewis.wordpress.com.