IN a daily paper this week I read an article about books only being half read by readers and it mentioned one or two titles of books that fell into this category.

No specific reasons were given why they were not finished. But by the simple expedient of naming the authors it was made pretty apparent why this was so.

Fred Tye's letters have a similar effect on me (the latest 15 March). I only have to read the first paragraph or two in a letter of his and I cannot finish it. The utterances, tirade, bile and rudeness I find insufferable.

Readers of the Stourbridge News send in letters on subjects they feel strongly about and wish to air to a wider audience. It would be foolish of them to think that there may not be any adverse comments or criticism. But surely they have the right to express their views without being subjected to abuse and ridicule?

Obviously Mr Tye doesn't give this a thought. But he really should try. I have my doubts however.

I may be wrong, but at the back of my mind I seem to recall that he is a retired minister of the Church. If he was, God forbid, I shudder to think what his sermons were like from the pulpit. Fire and brimstone most probably.

Maybe this is the reason for the dogmatic manner in which he disdainfully dismissed out of hand any thoughts or opinions expressed by your correspondents that are at odds with his.

JB Waldron Stourbridge