《纽约时报》的一则有关格雷厄姆·格林(Gra-ham Greene,1904— )是“当代最伟大的英国小说家”的评论使美国作家约翰·厄普代克颇为恼火,他因此写了一首诗。诗的开头是: “你真魁伟,格雷厄姆老爹,”一位青年书迷这样领赞。“你身躯确实庞大臃肿; 可笔下的‘杰作’却如此的干瘪空洞——你会取得这样大的成功?”对美国中产阶级来说,这首诗简直不亚于当年的亵渎神灵罪。因为格林所享有的声誉是当今任何作家无法比拟的。正象他的护照上可以毫不费力地印上各国地名一样,“最伟大的”这一形容词也自 A New York Times commentary on Gra-ham Greene (1904-), “The Greatest British Novelist of the Current Times,” annoyed American writer John Updike, wrote A poem. The beginning of the poem is: “You’re so regrettable, Graham Daddy,” a young book fan who likes this. “Your body is really bloated; what can be described as a ’masterpiece’ is so hollow - will you achieve such great success?” For the American middle class, this poem is no less a blasphemous crime of the past year. Because Green’s reputation is unmatched by any writer today. Just as the name of each country can be easily printed on his passport, the “greatest” adjective