C.I.T.O.K.A.T.E.

Ok, further thoughts: While I appreciate a rant for rant's sake, to respond seriously I think the key you left off the list is that for some people, wordcraft and dramacraft IS a reason to read a book -- a mental experience wholly aside from the others you listed. While I think an afternoon spent doing nothing but reading RPG sourcebooks can be a happily spent one indeed, there are also authors -- such as Bradbury, Mark Helprin, or John Crowley -- who I seek out for their ability at dramacraft and wordcraft. Some of them are also good at creating mythopoeic thought, laughter, sentimentality, etc (indeed i tend to think so) but when I think of them I do think of their ability to write beautiful prose before I think of any other writing skills they have.