Boycott of ‘Psycho’ Publisher Debated

The National Organization for Women’s boycott of Random House for publishing “American Psycho” proves that the left can be just as self-righteous and intolerant as the right (“An ‘American Psycho’ Drama,” Dec. 11).

Writers must be free to explore the darknesses of the human mind. Nabokov entered the mind of a pedophile in “Lolita” and made great art. Violence against blacks, Jews and other groups has provided the subject for powerful works by Toni Morrison, William Styron and others. Although one might hesitate to classify Bret Easton Ellis with these masters, logic forbids allowing only proven achievers the opportunity to achieve.

If NOW gets its wish--scared publishers and self-censoring authors--we will end up with only pap to read.

STEPHEN DIERKES

Burbank