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Dave Eggers, we're in a fight.

I finally picked up one of your books. So many people I respect and adore think you're marvelous so I broke my once indefinite ban on male authors and picked up a book of short stories. Thus far, I'd enjoyed it. Interesting style and characters and all the other nice things people say about you.

Today, I ran out to catch the last dregs of sunlight and read one. It was long and got cold while I was still pages from the end. Intrigued by the characters and wanting to get a sense of closure, I persisted. I may have lifted my ban too soon.

I don't want to be too quick to anger, but is there anything at all enlightening in taking one of those cases of unacknowledged rape from the perspective of he who commits? Or perhaps, of course, it is not the responsibility of a writer to be enlightening. It is enough to just describe. Could more not have been done?

You wrote it in a way that someone such as myself can see the underwritings of how women will often allow men to have sex with them even when they aren't themselves interested and how men will sometimes (often?) take more than what was allowed anyway. But it is so.... complacently written that someone who would take more than what was offered I don't think would notice.

Is that the point? Is that why you're such a fantastic author? That you can paint something so reflective?

Well anyway. That has a lot to do with why I decided I've had enough male perspective in my life. Or well, that I can at least eject it from my "light reading."

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