Overdog Cities

ON THE EAST COAST in trendy neighborhoods one senses the difference between intellectuals here-- narcissistic poofs-- and those in Detroit. Many in the east seem more like chic Europeans than Americans. It's true: too much of today's U.S. literary scene is badly out of touch with this country. There's much delicacy present but not enough red-blooded American writing.

My aim is to put the American back in American literature.