Category: Vanessa Springora

French Literatis’ Group Think Turns to Side With Decency

Commentary Whenever I watch animals interact, I think of human analogies. This is not because I believe that the theory of evolution has much, or indeed anything at all, to teach us about the conduct of our lives, but because such analogies rise spontaneously to my mind. The other day, for example, I observed a…


On the Tolerable and Intolerable Vices of Authors

At the beginning of January, 2020 (I was tempted to write “At the beginning of January, 2020 BC,” that is, Before Covid), a book was published in France that caused a great stir. It was written by Vanessa Springora, a publishing executive, and it was called “Le Consentement,” “Consent.” It recounted her sexual exploitation as…