How Kaavya Viswanathan Got [Insert Witticism Here]

Since I'm designated cat-sitter for The Babu and Partner, and since they're off putting their feet up and eating prawn curry in undisclosed locations, I thought I might as well do a spot of blog-sitting too.

The New York Times, which wrote about the book earlier this month, now tells us that Ms Viswanathan has been accused of plagiarising parts of the book and that she will change those passages in the future editions.

Heh. So she's expecting future editions.

Maud Newton links to a metafilter comment:

Kaavya was my student last spring (in a section where I was a TA). I was surprised to learn she had written a book, as her writing was awful-- I had given her low grades on her papers.

I feel bad for her, even though she was always falling asleep in section (as if you don't notice a snoozing person sitting at a conference table for ten). Plagiarizing from chick lit has to be some kind of double whammy against artistic integrity.

Via Grumpy Old Bookman, here's the Harvard Crimson page that I hear broke the story (and an updated version here.) Ms V has subsequently apologised.

And yes, the litblogosphere has lots to say.

Enjoy.