Allow me to join the "oh no he di'nt" chorus of praise for A.O. Scott's deft, deadly takedown of the Dave Eggars/Vendela Vida-penned Away We Go. A sample:
And even though they express themselves with a measure of diffidence, it’s clear that they are acutely, at times painfully, aware of their special status as uniquely sensitive, caring, smart and cool beings on a planet full of cretins and failures.
Now, Scott's nothing if not a consummate professional [why, in all the years I've levied criticisms of his work he's never once returned the favor--in any forum I have access to, at least]. But there's still part of me that wants to trace his venom back to some real/perceived slight visited upon him by his fellow Brooklynites while the chief critic of the New York Times was working his shift* at the [self-consciously virtuous confines of the] Park Slope Co-op.
To that end I did a search for Scott and "co-op" and came upon the following ancient entry left on a message board by his spouse:
Thing is, said update was left on the site for the [Harvard] Dudley House Co-op, a.k.a. the Center for High-Energy Meta-Physics [note those initials], known locally as a gorgeous house on Mass. Ave near Sacramento simply teeming with a bunch of overprivileged, undergrad, patchouli-scented pot-heads playing at being dirty hippies. So now I don't know what to think.
*Fun fact recently learned from one of the 'Fesser's contacts. /stalkery aside
