Hemingway seems to be in a funny position. People nowadays can't identify with him closely as a member of their own generation, and he isn't yet historical.

I think the pattern of my essays is, A funny thing happened to me on my way through Finnegans Wake.

It's funny to be a critic.

I find it so funny that people find me so interesting.

Great, big, serious novels always get awards. If it's a battle between a great, big, serious novel and a funny novel, the funny novel is doomed.