Dateline—above the garage in Portsmouth, 11 April (Easter)
This poor blogger did everything within his power to actually finish the book, but had to stop at page 48, so insulted was he by my stupidity.
They say there are only two reviews in the world: one in which the reviewer trumpets the author’s intelligence or one in which he trumpets his own. Alas, this review falls into the latter category.
Because I reject chaos as a guiding principle of international relations, I am guilty of psychological aberration, delving into what he calls “magical thinking” (our good doctor consults his American Psychiatric Glossary—online, of course, indicating his years of study in the field that allow him the opportunity to diagnose remotely).
The rest is too good to miss, especially his refuting my apparent inferences that former KGB are now training al Qaeda or that the elderly remnants of Baader-Meinhof are now plotting 9/11-the sequel. The logic by extrapolation is stunning. I might call it crazy, but I’m not a medical specialist like the reviewer, so I resist using such jargon. Instead, I realize now that I should have given up writing the book about the same place (page 48) that he gave up reading, discouraged and shamed as I am by this awesome display of put-downs.
I wish Tristero (ah the courage of the assumed online persona …) a happy life in the world that Richard Clarke—prognosticator of prognosticators—would build for him. He will find his civil liberties well cared-for in that alternative universe. Dick is known for his kindness to lesser beings. They should get along just fine.
I have said it before and I will say it again: my stuff tends to be a Rorschach Test for most people: they only see what they already believe. Tristero tried to be objective all the way to page 48. He should be commended for his attention span. Especially since he seems to work alone.
You know, if he and the Village Voice guy got together, they could almost review one-fifth of the book online!
Found at: http://tristero.blogspot.com/#0399151753, at the blog of Tristero.
I’m going to have to have a talk with my publicist . . ..
