[CarolineW]

I've learned to stop reading as soon as I know it's by James Altucher. He's done some interesting things, he says some interesting things, but by and large, personally, I find his writings to be a net negative. What appear to be gems are often costume jewellery, and there's a lot of manure to get through to find them.

Usually I'll read things and assess them on their merits before I correlate them with their author - this article is making me reassess that approach.

[brudgers]

I read something about Thomas Pynchon the other day, so I borrowed one of his novels [from the library] and started reading. I spent about an hour and a half and went about 70 pages and it was clear why people regard his writing.

He's a very good writer and I didn't care about the story he was telling and I put it down and then took it back and I'm unlikely to pick up another of his novels. Ever. But I can appreciate why some people [including people I know] enjoy reading him.

Not judging a book by it's cover, isn't all it's cracked up to be because covers often reveal the author's name. What I appreciate about Altucher is that I know that there're going to be gems and going to be manure and the sense that he'd be the first to confess to the charge of producing a lot of manure along with the gems. What I know I'll get is not get an argument or a three point essay or an editorial.