it isnt

However... if you just mean author, Dan Brown rips this.

If you mean bard, then its too early to say... Toni Morrison. But she can write, and its last century. (damaging in the sense of making you think whether you wish to, or not)

Maya "Oprah" Angelou?

It's almost certainly because I am American, but I actually have a signficant amount of respect for both Angelou's and Morrison's earlier work. Their "Oprahization" is a different issue, and something to be decried.

Which leads me to note that Ms. Winfrey very much deserves a mention herself for actively promoting many of the more appalling trends noted by other posters. Perhaps not hoolie lit, but give her time . . .

I can't believe Dan Brown can be the worst, as he isn't prolific. That is the thing with Picoult - she turns out a book a year, and it is always best-selling hideous dross. A recent one was some twist on Columbine or somesuch - it was nothing like the standard you get on the topic (Lionel Shriver's We need to talk about Kevin for instance).

In a wonderful show of principles, the lady hand has refused to work on the forthcoming Tila Tequila book that her label is publishing. It doesn't stop her going into an incandescent rage about the topic, but I appreciated her taking a stand (it was easy to get someone else to do it).