Good company

I'm sure I've never before been mentioned in the same sentence as Joyce Carol Oates, even in something as trivial and misleading (out of context) as this. I actually was one of the first to champion Dubus' stories in a national publication.

Contemporary Literary Criticism | Dubus, Andre (Vol. 97) - Introduction:

"Critical Reception

Dubus has received generally favorable critical attention throughout his career. He has been particularly noted for his ability to explore the ethical contradictions of society through the perspective of ordinary people whose everyday lives are laced with ambivalence and moral conflict. Although some critics have found Dubus's work powerful and relevant but 'depressing to read,' as Charles Deemer remarked, or his characters 'resolutely ungiving and uncharming,' as Joyce Carol Oates asserted, Dubus's sensitive portrayal of the inner lives of both men and women has merited critical praise. Many reviewers have remarked on the impact of Dubus's accident on his writing, praising the wisdom and grace with which he recovered from and continues to manage the devastating changes it brought to his life."

Dubus passed away in 1999.