Over-exposed
Sir: What has Miss Olivia Manning done to throw Maurice Capitanchik this way? His piece about her novel The Play ROOM (11 April) seems to show a lack of judgment. I read and admired the novel and also have read a num- ber of glowing reviews and listened to the enthusiastic discussions on the programme The World of Books. Nothing said about this novel by other reviewers bears any relation to Mr Capitanchik's statements. Is his native language English? One is led to wonder how one of your reviewers could show so little appreciation of a pure vivid style and a pene- trating portrayal of English provincial life.
If you ask what right have I to comment, I can only say that I am only too conscious of this type of smart, irrelevant and destructive criticism in my own profession made by those who have failed clinically and accepted routine uncommitted academic posts.
I am mainly concerned because this review might be read and taken seriously because it appeared in the SPECTATOR by people who had not had the pleasure of reading Miss Man- ning's other works. The only debatable point is whether The Play Room is up to her own unique standard. It is irrelevant that I think it is.
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