chick lit

The author Curtis Sittenfeld (Prep) claimed on NPR the other day that she didn't know what chick lit was. She's a real published auteur, so she can be magnanimous and say: "Is chick lit any book by or about a young woman? Any book by or about any woman? Any book with a high-heeled shoe on its cover?" Yes, Sittenfeld, that would be right. Answer C.) Any book with a high-heeled shoe on its cover. In that spirit, I went to Edendale Library on Tuesday, which has like 200 books, including none by Paul Auster or Steve Martin (not the target audience's flava), and I squinted real hard to better see all the pink jackets. And lo and behold they were all chick lit. Bright yellow or turquise covers work just as well.

Maybe I should write Ms. Sittenself (oops, Freudian slip) a letter and tell her "To Kill a Mockingbird" is probably not chick lit. Nor is "The Well of Loneliness." Or "Bonjour Tristesse." But that's stretching it.