Short Story Lacks Quality, Clarity
By James Lynch
University of California, San Diego

At such a prestigious place of learning as Pomona College, I'm amazed that you print such tripe as "A Very Short Story," by Peter Cook. Really, it should be titled "A Very Bad Story." The premise for the story is boring and absurd. What kind of dolt would go to a topless beach and not know this immediately upon arrival. Cook uses his verbosity to alienate readers. Who on this earth, but a writer insecure in his story-telling abilities, says something like, "evoked the delicate, nacreous spiral of the nautilus, most mysterious of shells?" For God's sake, that's just absurd. He attempts to draw on basic and natural sexual imagery that is not cliche, but falls on his face by making a reference that not even the most knowledgeable marine biologist would care to notice.

Then, Cook goes on to explain "Belinda's" response to "Edsel's" stupidity by spouting some Gender Studies theory that he obviously doesn't understand. Finally, for being a copy editor, I would expect not to see copy mistakes in the piece but there were several. Cook's form is abominable and the story is boring. I hope that Peter Cook does not plan on making his living in the literary field because he will be the epitome of the starving artist if he relies on his pen for his livelihood. The story is simply so bad that I find myself at a loss for more things to say about it. The Student Life should demand better of its writers.