The Critic and Her Publics

This was so great until the truly tedious bit on Zoe Leonard’s incredible piece.

Would I consider myself a literary person, no.. Do I enjoy learning about the subject, different pieces of work and those who critique, absolutely! I enjoy the back and fourth between Merve and her guest. I enjoy the entire process and have actually purchased more than one book either mentioned or based on the author mentioned. If you love learning this is an easy listen and something for everyone. I do love to read and learn about topics I may not go to naturally. This is a great podcast for women who want to challenge themselves.

I really appreciate the idea of this show and I do enjoy reading Emre’s writing. But she conducts each interview as if she is the teacher and inevitably brings the conversation to be about her or her own teaching /writing. This is fine for an episode but gets repetitive week after week. Please keep the focus on the guests.

This really is quite poor. I so wanted to like it, be captivated, be enlightened. But the tone is close to unbearable: cloying, self-absorbed, unctuous. And there hasn’t been a single moment that goes anywhere beneath the surface. The questions are beyond bland and anodyne, and the guests respond in kind. Everyone comes off seeming like the most self-absorbed, shallow bores I’d run screaming from at a party. The pity is that I’m sure at least some of the participants are far more interesting than they seem here.

Immense respect for this project, but the vibe… ça m’énerve