Well, well, well indeed

Disturbing confirmation if it were needed that the world of the literary reviewing establishment which Professor John Sutherland was defending to the hilt on Radio 4 yesterday, as an honourable national treasure to be revered and protected at all costs, may not be quite as honourable as we had all vainly hoped.
Susan Hill has received this e mail from the literary editor of a national newspaper which she has very honourably chosen not to name.

"Dear Susan Hill

After reading your Blog about Book Review pages, I would like you to know that no book either published or written by you will in future be reviewed on our Literary Pages.

In the light of your expressed views, I  am sure you will neither be surprised or distressed.'

Yours etc.

I find it quite shocking actually because how do we know that Susan isn't the only author they may have taken this stance with? Are decisions being made about which books we will be allowed to read reviews of, no matter how good or dire the book, all on such arbitrary and flimsy criteria as "You've upset us"? Will the readers be informed?
Throwing the toys out of the pram is putting it mildly but this is censorship by any other name and of the worst possible kind.
I think it also ensures a bigger and wider audience around the book blogging world for Susan's books and Long Barn books generally. I have much to thank Susan for with her encouraging words on dovegreyreader scribbles and the opportunity to be a judge in the Long Barn First Novel Prize and even more exciting things in the future. I have been fortunate enough to meet her and let me tell you this.
My life is spent working with people; without necessarily wishing to be so, I have inadvertently become something of a summer-up of character because my job requires it of me.
I warmed to Susan instantly.
Forget even the remotest hint of a prima donna.You will be very hard-pushed indeed to meet a more normal, grounded, genuine, generous and caring person in the literary world. I know she says she has very broad shoulders and this won't have interrupted her stride one iota, she has a voice and she uses it for the common good.
You can expect to see all the books reviewed here and I make no apology whatsoever for that.
Nor can Susan help the fact that she doesn't like Strictly Come Dancing.I will even forgive her that because I'm feeling in a generous mood myself this evening.