---
title: "I think that unless a reviewer gets their facts completely wrong, the… — James Branch Cabell Quote #46 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "I think that unless a reviewer gets their facts completely wrong, the author should shut up (and even then, the author should probably let it go - al… — a quote by James Branch Cabell."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # I think that unless a reviewer gets their facts completely wrong, the author should shut up (and even then, the author should probably let it go - although I'm a big fan of a letter that James Branch Cabell wrote to the New York Times pointing out that their review of Figures Of Earth was bollocks. ... For most authors, not being James Branch Cabell, it's probably wisest after reading a particularly stupid or vicious or bad review to mentally compose your letter to the editor, fill it with your sharpest and most cutting and brilliant bon mots, and then, having made it up, to successfully resist the urge to put it to paper, and to return cheerfully to work.

[James Branch Cabell](https://quotesby.net/James-Branch-Cabell)\#46[WhatsApp (opens in a new tab)](https://wa.me/?text=%E2%80%9CI%20think%20that%20unless%20a%20reviewer%20gets%20their%20facts%20completely%20wrong%2C%20the%20author%20should%20shut%20up%20%28and%20even%20then%2C%20the%20author%20should%20probably%20let%20it%20go%20-%20although%20I%27m%20a%20big%20fan%20of%20a%20letter%20that%20James%20Branch%20Cabell%20wrote%20to%20the%20New%20York%20Times%20pointing%20out%20that%20their%20review%20of%20Figures%20Of%20Earth%20was%20bollocks.%20...%20For%20most%20authors%2C%20not%20being%20James%20Branch%20Cabell%2C%20it%27s%20probably%20wisest%20after%20reading%20a%20particularly%20stupid%20or%20vicious%20or%20bad%20review%20to%20mentally%20compose%20your%20letter%20to%20the%20editor%2C%20fill%20it%20with%20your%20sharpest%20and%20most%20cutting%20and%20brilliant%20bon%20mots%2C%20and%20then%2C%20having%20made%20it%20up%2C%20to%20successfully%20resist%20the%20urge%20to%20put%20it%20to%20paper%2C%20and%20to%20return%20cheerfully%20to%20work.%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20James%20Branch%20Cabell%20https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FJames-Branch-Cabell%2F46%2F)[X (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%E2%80%9CI%20think%20that%20unless%20a%20reviewer%20gets%20their%20facts%20completely%20wrong%2C%20the%20author%20should%20shut%20up%20%28and%20even%20then%2C%20the%20author%20should%20probably%20let%20it%20go%20-%20although%20I%27m%20a%20big%20fan%20of%20a%20letter%20that%20James%20Branch%20Cabell%20wrote%20to%20the%20New%20York%20Times%20pointing%20out%20that%20their%20review%20of%20Figures%20Of%20Earth%20was%20bollocks.%20...%20For%20most%20authors%2C%20not%20being%20James%20Branch%20Cabell%2C%20it%27s%20probably%20wisest%20after%20reading%20a%20particularly%20stupid%20or%20vicious%20or%20bad%20review%20to%20mentally%20compose%20your%20letter%20to%20the%20editor%2C%20fill%20it%20with%20your%20sharpest%20and%20most%20cutting%20and%20brilliant%20bon%20mots%2C%20and%20then%2C%20having%20made%20it%20up%2C%20to%20successfully%20resist%20the%20urge%20to%20put%20it%20to%20paper%2C%20and%20to%20return%20cheerfully%20to%20work.%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%94%20James%20Branch%20Cabell&url=https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FJames-Branch-Cabell%2F46%2F)[Facebook (opens in a new tab)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fquotesby.net%2FJames-Branch-Cabell%2F46%2F)

## More from James Branch Cabell

1. > The Silver Stallion, Jurgen, The High Place: Eighteen volumes of beautiful, worldly-wise writing by a forgotten American master. The books aren't all in print,…

[Permalink to quote \#45](https://quotesby.net/James-Branch-Cabell/45/ "Permalink to quote 45")
2. > In the early part of the 20th century, there was a fantasy writer named James Branch Cabell who had a theory of writing as magic. His books (highly recommended…

[Permalink to quote \#44](https://quotesby.net/James-Branch-Cabell/44/ "Permalink to quote 44")
3. > A book of dreams it is, and of very wonderful dreams.

[Permalink to quote \#48](https://quotesby.net/James-Branch-Cabell/48/ "Permalink to quote 48")

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