the kicker

NYT’s Incomplete Snark Review

February 23, 2009

Yesterday, the New York Times reviewed David Denvy’s book, Snark… minus the chapter (yes, chapter) taking down Times columnist Maureen Dowd. (h/t, Eric Boehlert)

Of Dowd’s Bush-era columns Denby asks: “Did it ever occur to Dowd that her chummy, high-schoolish, I-can-see-your-undies routine might be bizarrely beside the point?” Of Dowd’s work during the Democratic primary Denby writes, “Her writing was a desperate, disjointed, and demoralized performance…”

The only mention of Dowd in yesterday’s Times review, written by Walter Kirn:

When he finally reaches the present era, Denby pronounces Tom Wolfe and Maureen Dowd masters of “snarky mimesis…”

Related: CJR’s James Marcus interviewed Denby last month (Dowd did not come up).

Liz Cox Barrett is a writer at CJR.