In this morning’s New York Times Will Blythe reviewed Jennifer Egan’s unfortunately titled but otherwise attractive sounding latest work of fiction, A Visit From the Goon Squad. He had this to say:

“Whether it is a novel or a collection of linked stories is a matter for the literary accountants to tote up in their ledgers of the inconsequential.”

As much as I appreciate Blythe's comment (in place of reviewers who spend too much time quantifying the author’s adherence to genre as a measure of literary "excellence"), it is now accountants of all stripes, whether in marketing or in retail, that have the biggest hand in what gets read and what does not.