:) SOMETIMES. I just want to talk a lot about books. But I never know where I can do it where people might actually want to hear (well, more like read) it.

re: reader analysis vs. author intent - I (usually) enjoy that aspect of criticism, that ability of a reader to draw their own meaning from a text that was not intended to be there by the author. But I find it irritating when critics start to throw around phrases like "Clearly the author was aware..." It smacks of pretentiousness and close-mindedness.