A Note on Methodology

erudite: an adjective conveying the meaning of learned as in scholarly; having to do with words, letters, commentary or a person with the quality of erudition (scholarship, learning).

A shame no dictionaries made it to the top 100 or perhaps someone would have noticed that your usage of erudite in reference to a list may have established a precedent, given that no list, especially a "top" books list, has heretofore qualified for the term in public discourse.

"Learned list?" Nah.
"Learned Top 10/100 books list?" Nah.

Bravo.

Can you spell "pretension?"

Next time, check with Oprah.

OK. Maybe this is too easy.
If you know anything about books and literature; about art, sound and sense, perhaps you may consider in the future consulting writers and those who read, teach literature, or even a few bright bulbs who sell books.

Certainly, NEWSWEEK has done itself and its readers no favor by publishing such a ridiculous "methodology," as if the "metrics" could ever justify this execrable fiasco.

The method you reveal here is even more ridiculous than expected. I would not hire this group for any project which included thinking, taste, or judgment, much less an understanding of the creative process beyond software programming. And maybe not even that.



You owe serious readers of the world an abject apology.



Let it stand as the final word for now that this abomination is beneath contempt, beyond further
comment.

Probably seemed like a good idea at the time.

Brilliant.