Orpheus by Don Paterson 80pp, Faber, £12.99 Masterworks, those rare pieces of writing held in practically universal regard, regularly develop a thin coating of dust derived from precisely that regard: considered, praised and appraised, they seem gradually obscured by all that handling.
Establishing herself well before the HBO drama aired, the singer/songwriter self-released her sophomore album The Avenues a year ago, and off the bat, everyone from Rolling Stone to NPR All Things Considered praised it.
Some best practices to consider: Praise in public, criticize in private.
For example, "you're good at this" was simple praise, while "you're incredibly good at this" was considered inflated praise.
"You're a good Do Bee" was considered high praise.
His announcement that the United States would expel thirty-five Russian diplomats, shutter two Russian facilities in the United States, bolster corporate security, and take other unspecified actions was greeted by prominent Republicans with what would be considered faint praise in any other context but sounds like an ode in this time of extreme antagonism between the political parties.
He considered the praise he received for his pictures of trolls and princesses to be "a nice pat on the head for making funny pictures for children".
Author Joyce Carol Oates said there should be no question about Dylan's work being considered literature, praising the academy's "inspired and original choice".
Imagine the truly radical impact Sontag might have had on her cultural circles, on her times, if she had considered and praised actual rock stars, or Jerry Lewis and John Wayne and Joan Crawford, or Samuel Fuller and Vincente Minnelli.
It is a complex story, but to keep it simple: In the beginning of the 1990s journalists were considered messiahs, praised for telling the truth.
Some humility might be in order, considering the praise analysts heap on the company and its managers.
