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Perfumed popinjays

The collective work of a single author: Behind the individual writer's name on a title page lies the invisible labour of many different people. A new way with words: The traditional division between the novel and short story is becoming increasingly blurred. The importance of being dandy: Narcissistic, superficial, decadent: These perfumed popinjays may not always write the best books, but they are masterpieces in themselves. If we refuse to acknowledge good writing because we disapprove of the way the artist behaves, the loss will be immense, and it will be our own. Check out Ducts, the webzine of personal stories. Blogging saved critics from extinction: Lyn Gardner was in danger of becoming a dodo, but the blogosphere has breathed new life into the dying art of reviewing. To those familiar with the ongoing debate in the book world, Rushdie's meaning could hardly have been clearer: Blogs aren't the enemy.