The Book of B: Bloom, Bathsheba and the Book
Written for Commonweal, November 9, 1990. Bloom had declared the "J" writer to be a woman, thinking himself daring. But Jack Miles argues he should have named J as Bathsheba herself. Bloom later did just that in his book The Western Canon, but lacked the nerve to name the author of the idea, calling Miles only "a shrewd reviewer".
Written for Commonweal, November 9, 1990. Bloom had declared the "J" writer to be a woman, thinking himself daring. But Jack Miles argues he should have named J as Bathsheba herself. Bloom later did just that in his book The Western Canon, but lacked the nerve to name the author of the idea, calling Miles only "a shrewd reviewer".
"Harold Bloom may have a lot of nerve, but then again he may not have nerve enough."
