Interesting article in the Boston Phoenix yesterday noted the growing improtance of hotness to what we consider literary talent, which makes it the only article I've ever read in the newspaper that caused me to make a haircut appointment:
"Literature, unlike so many other media industries, is technically a meritocracy. But that won’t stop book marketers, bloggers, critics, and the literary community at large from collectively slobbering over a pretty author. No, the literary rules changed ages ago. Books no longer need to be serious in order to be published; there are fewer and fewer venues available for reviews (rendering competition more intense with every passing catalogue season), and critics aren’t doing their job unless they are merciless."
