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"Spiteful book reviews" are, says William Gibson, "especially common among academics who have not written books themselves" (Letters, 11 August). Presumably, those who criticise The X Factor as mindless are just jealous that they are not "living the life". In other words, that kind of generalisation is a game anyone can play. Spite is, by definition, wrong, but sneering at critics as unworthy rather than trying to listen to what they have to say reeks of narcissism.

David Limond, Trinity College Dublin