Sending the Literary Brats Packing

Bret Easton Ellis tells us he’ll “be able to make a living off of writing.” Tama Janowitz doesn’t care what people say, she just wants them to buy her book (“Author Bret Easton Ellis: Writing His Own Rules” and “Literary Brat Pack--Bright Lights, Big Advances” by Nikki Finke, Sept. 13).

These statements tell us all we really need to know about U.S. media stars posing as writers. Ignorant of even the rules of English, they have learned to manipulate the trendy Eastern media with the professional help of agents and publicists.

As a reader one can only hope that American literature will survive the Literary Brat Pack, just as the movies are growing up beyond the Hollywood one.

HARRY PARKER

Venice