28 Sep 2013 07:53:33
Toronto literature professor and Giller prize-longlisted author David Gilmour has found himself at the eye of a literary storm after declaiming in an interview that he doesn't teach books written by women or Chinese authors, because he's only interested in "serious heterosexual guys".
Gilmour – not to be confused with his namesake Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour – shared his views with Shelf Esteem, a blog by Random House Canada, which offers "a weekly measure of the books on the shelves of writers, editors and other word lovers".
Eyeing the rows of books in his office, Gilmour said: "I'm not interested in teaching books by women. Virginia Woolf is the only writer that interests me as a woman writer, so I do teach one of her short stories. But once again, when I was given this job I said I would only teach the people that I truly, truly love. Unfortunately, none of those happen to be Chinese, or women."
He went on: "What I teach is guys. Serious heterosexual guys. F Scott Fitzgerald, Chekhov, Tolstoy. Real guy-guys. Henry Miller. Philip Roth."
Gilmour also claimed not to have encountered any Canadian writers he admired passionately enough to teach. For women, Chinese and Canadian authors he directs his students "down the hall", to other tutors.
The comments set Twitter atwitter.
Cartoonist Evan Munday tweeted: "Great new publishing slogan: 'Down the hall from David Gilmour's office.'"
Bestselling author Jodi Picoult wrote: "Oh, how I wish this were a joke. But by all means, keep pretending there's no discrimination against female authors."
Gilmour, who teaches modern short fiction, mostly Russian and American authors, at the University of Toronto, has been longlisted for the Giller prize, Canada's largest literary award, for his novel, Extraordinary, which tells of a brother reminiscing with his half-sister about their lives and her children as they prepare for her assisted death.
In an attempt at self-defence in Canada's National Post, Gilmour explained that his editor, Patrick Crean, at Patrick Crean Editions, "was concerned that this was going to affect the general climate around the book [Extraordinary], that some women might not like the book if they think that that's my policy. And that's one of the reasons that I'm apologising. Normally I actually wouldn't."
Judging by the reception on Amazon.com, Extraordinary is going to need all the help it can get to justify its place as the lead autumn title for Patrick Crean Editions/Harper Canada. So far it has received two one-star reviews. "I can't believe this book was shortlisted [sic] for a literary award, wrote ReadingBliss. "It was so deathly boring. Nothing happened except a lot of drinking and talking, so I quit it. So very, very dull. Maybe this author should try reading some female writers to liven things up a little."
