Dwight Macdonald's War on Mediocrity

The late, great literary and social critic Dwight Macdonald (1906-82) was on the receiving end of some of the best literary insults of the 20th century. Gore Vidal said to him, â??You have nothing to say, only to add.â? Leon Trotsky reportedly declared, â??Every man has a right to be stupid, but comrade Macdonald abuses the privilege.â? Paul Goodman cracked, â??Dwight thinks with his typewriter.â?