Is There a Misogynist in the House?

Today's New York Times Book Review features seven works of fiction. All written by men.

I guess women just aren't writing books these days. Oh, wait. According to The Times' own best seller lists in the back of the issue, four out of the top ten hardcover books were written by women, as were six out of the top ten trade paperbacks. In mass market paperbacks, it was an even split.

Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on The New York Times for its editorial decisions. After all, women are fine for frothy books about silly things like the relationships between human beings, but aren't quite up to the task of serious literary thought. Only this leaves me wondering why four of the seven reviews are written by women.

I can't quite bring myself to believe that a newspaper as educated and liberal as The New York Times is run by Spanky and Alfalfa. I'm left to assume that the editors are so traumatized by the erstwhile success of chick lit that they're trying to level the playing field with some kind of misguided anti-affirmative action tactic.

Time to grow up, boys.