I would not employ an author to referee a Ping-Pong match. By their very nature they are biased and bloody-minded. Better put a fox in a henhouse than to ask an author to judge his peers. (in a letter to the Governor General about the GA's Literary Awards & his issue--among others--with the judging system, 1981) Jack McClelland
About This Quote

A book critic is someone who analyzes a book in detail. They look at the plot, the characters, and the writing style. This is what makes them such an important part of society. Their job is to analyze and get inside the mind of the author and judge whether or not they like the book.

However, people who write books are biased and bloody-minded, which makes it impossible for them to judge their peers. Not only is this unfair to the authors who were nominated, but it also disregards all of the hard work that has gone into writing a book.

Source: Imagining Canadian Literature: The Selected Letters

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