AI-Generated Literature: Prejudice and Fluency

2025-05-03
AI-Generated Literature: Prejudice and Fluency

This essay examines the prejudice against literary works generated by large language models (LLMs), a prejudice analogous to historical biases against women writers. The author argues that dismissing AI writing as inherently flawed simply because it's non-human is unwarranted. The piece delves into the relationship between linguistic fluency and thought, demonstrating that much human language is habitual and non-reflective, not fundamentally different from AI-generated text. Ultimately, the author advocates for an open-minded approach to reading AI-generated works, as they may reveal unexpected and innovative forms of linguistic expression.

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The 20th Century Novel: An Explosion of Form in an Exploding World

2025-04-25
The 20th Century Novel: An Explosion of Form in an Exploding World

This review explores Edwin Frank's *Stranger Than Fiction: Lives of the Twentieth-Century Novel*, which examines the evolution of the novel in a turbulent world. Frank argues that 20th-century novels broadened their subject matter, encompassing homosexuality, alcoholism, anti-heroes, and magical realism, among other themes absent in 19th-century novels. However, the review also suggests that the depth of 20th-century novels fails to surpass the classics of the 19th century, such as works by Dickens and Tolstoy. The piece concludes with a concern about the future of the novel and its readership, lamenting the potential loss of a literary form that so deeply engages with human nature and emotion.

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The 100-Page-a-Day Reading Strategy: A Habit for Life

2024-12-21
The 100-Page-a-Day Reading Strategy: A Habit for Life

Matthew Walther, editor of *The Lamp* magazine, shares his "100-pages-a-day reading strategy." It's not a rigid plan, but a cultivated habit designed to combat the distractions of modern life and reclaim the joy of reading. Walther breaks his day into several reading slots, utilizing even fragmented time. He emphasizes diversifying reading material, balancing heavy and light books, and always carrying a book. The ultimate goal is establishing a reading habit, not strictly adhering to a page count.

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