Comments on: The First Thing We Do, Let’s Kill All the Book Reviewers. http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/ Publisher/Editor/Author -- Cranky Critiques & Random Rants Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:32:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Descartes http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-154170 Descartes Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:35:36 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-154170 I'm one of those bloggers that reviews a lot of books in a year's time. My real job often has me traveling, where I listen a lot of books on CD that I would not otherwise have the time to read. I also read a lot-and I don't review everything I read. There is no pay for this work, with exception of the occasional Amazon affiliate payment for a few cents. I love books and I to talk about them on my blog. Some books I hate, some I love, and some I am indifferent about. I tend to blog about the ones I feel strongly about. I didn't read The Know It All, but I did read The Year of Living Biblically-it was fun and also filled with a world of useless information. Book and Movie reviews used to mean a lot more than they do now. There are millions of people writing reviews about anything and everything that comes down the pike. Back in the day when there we two or three newspapers in town you had some choice of which review to believe and which book to pick up next. The internet changed all that-it's that democratization you keep hearing so much about. The fact of the matter is that I seldom, if ever, agree 100% with any review I have ever read. We all take our own personal baggage with us, and that makes each book a personal experience. It doesn't help me decide on a book to read a review written by someone with a two doctorates in literature or one written by a third grade drop out. But they can both be fun to read. There is never going to a perfect reviewer for each reader. When I find a reviewed that I hate, I don't necessarily want to kill them, but I will try not to read them again. I’m one of those bloggers that reviews a lot of books in a year’s time. My real job often has me traveling, where I listen a lot of books on CD that I would not otherwise have the time to read. I also read a lot-and I don’t review everything I read. There is no pay for this work, with exception of the occasional Amazon affiliate payment for a few cents.

I love books and I to talk about them on my blog. Some books I hate, some I love, and some I am indifferent about. I tend to blog about the ones I feel strongly about.

I didn’t read The Know It All, but I did read The Year of Living Biblically-it was fun and also filled with a world of useless information.

Book and Movie reviews used to mean a lot more than they do now. There are millions of people writing reviews about anything and everything that comes down the pike. Back in the day when there we two or three newspapers in town you had some choice of which review to believe and which book to pick up next. The internet changed all that-it’s that democratization you keep hearing so much about.

The fact of the matter is that I seldom, if ever, agree 100% with any review I have ever read. We all take our own personal baggage with us, and that makes each book a personal experience. It doesn’t help me decide on a book to read a review written by someone with a two doctorates in literature or one written by a third grade drop out. But they can both be fun to read.

There is never going to a perfect reviewer for each reader. When I find a reviewed that I hate, I don’t necessarily want to kill them, but I will try not to read them again.

]]> By: New York Times Bestseller List http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-136400 New York Times Bestseller List Sat, 21 Feb 2009 10:43:49 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-136400 If you're a true book lover, and a speed reader, you will not only believe that 95 books in a year is possible, but 365 are as well. It's said Roosevelt finished a book a day before breakfast. If you’re a true book lover, and a speed reader, you will not only believe that 95 books in a year is possible, but 365 are as well.

It’s said Roosevelt finished a book a day before breakfast.

]]> By: News of a sort - World Class Ebooks http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-86253 News of a sort - World Class Ebooks Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:59:29 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-86253 [...] Crumbs. Read Lynne Scanlon’s beat-up on book reviewers and you will never dare to write a review again. Not till next week, anyway. (Hands off — Saturday night? What kind of book is that?) [...] [...] Crumbs. Read Lynne Scanlon’s beat-up on book reviewers and you will never dare to write a review again. Not till next week, anyway. (Hands off — Saturday night? What kind of book is that?) [...]

]]> By: Big Bad Book Blog » Blog Archive » Big Bad Book Blog Newsfeed::8-14-07 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-35741 Big Bad Book Blog » Blog Archive » Big Bad Book Blog Newsfeed::8-14-07 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:44:18 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-35741 [...] :: The Publishing Contrarian: The First Thing We Do, Let’s Kill All the Book Reviewers [...]

]]> By: Jakob http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-31720 Jakob Mon, 23 Jul 2007 06:09:11 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-31720 This is exactly what I expected to find out after reading the title First, Let's Kill All the Book Reviewers.. Thanks for informative article This is exactly what I expected to find out after reading the title First, Let’s Kill All the Book Reviewers.. Thanks for informative article

]]> By: dorothy_parka http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-23030 dorothy_parka Thu, 17 May 2007 17:07:08 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-23030 Aww. I swear _some_ of us read the whole book. Although it was hard with "Special Topics in Calamity Physics." I try to be pretty objective when I review, but even if I am not digging something I can usually recognize something that may appeal to others' tastes. Overall, us book reviews are getting little to nothing for our work. PW, for example, pays $30 per review. If a book takes you 4 hours to read, and then at least another hour to write an informative review, that's $6/hour. A person makes more at Starbucks. I review because I love to read, and I love to gush about the books I like. But I learned quickly from my editors that I'm not the only person in the world and I need to think about the other people reading the reviews. If you're a good reviewer, you're reviewing genres you know well, offering valid literary criticism and giving the review reader a good idea of whether or not a book may appeal to them. Most of us are not writing for the NY Times, where they get to act out their personal dramas and destroy perfectly fine books. So, I see your point, but, I'd like a pass ;) But, yeah, that Updike review of the Einstein book was a waste of paper! Aww. I swear _some_ of us read the whole book. Although it was hard with “Special Topics in Calamity Physics.”

I try to be pretty objective when I review, but even if I am not digging something I can usually recognize something that may appeal to others’ tastes.

Overall, us book reviews are getting little to nothing for our work. PW, for example, pays $30 per review. If a book takes you 4 hours to read, and then at least another hour to write an informative review, that’s $6/hour. A person makes more at Starbucks.

I review because I love to read, and I love to gush about the books I like. But I learned quickly from my editors that I’m not the only person in the world and I need to think about the other people reading the reviews. If you’re a good reviewer, you’re reviewing genres you know well, offering valid literary criticism and giving the review reader a good idea of whether or not a book may appeal to them. Most of us are not writing for the NY Times, where they get to act out their personal dramas and destroy perfectly fine books. So, I see your point, but, I’d like a pass ;)

But, yeah, that Updike review of the Einstein book was a waste of paper!

]]> By: Marilyn Barnicke Belleghem http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-23026 Marilyn Barnicke Belleghem Thu, 17 May 2007 16:22:05 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-23026 I can determine a lot about a reviewer by how they reveal themselves in the review. If the reviewer has a bias or two or three it usually peeks or snarls out between the lines they write. As an author looking for, of course, good reviews, finding reviewers who are open to hearing about my work and making a decision to actually read and review my book is a blessing. I have had reviews where I know the reviewer never read the book. I have also had reviews where my writing touched a nerve and while the reviewer didn't agree with my ideas they were thoughtful and respectful. I agree that reviewers in mass marketed media could build trust in their words if the readers knew more about the reviewer. Is the a review of reviewers? Just a thought. Marilyn I can determine a lot about a reviewer by how they reveal themselves in the review. If the reviewer has a bias or two or three it usually peeks or snarls out between the lines they write.

As an author looking for, of course, good reviews, finding reviewers who are open to hearing about my work and making a decision to actually read and review my book is a blessing.

I have had reviews where I know the reviewer never read the book. I have also had reviews where my writing touched a nerve and while the reviewer didn’t agree with my ideas they were thoughtful and respectful.

I agree that reviewers in mass marketed media could build trust in their words if the readers knew more about the reviewer.

Is the a review of reviewers? Just a thought.

Marilyn

]]> By: Lynne http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-22814 Lynne Tue, 15 May 2007 12:33:28 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-22814 Internationally acclaimed blogger, Michael Allen, has also posted about this situation, and he has linked to other postings as well. VERY interesting.

Grumpy Old Bookman 

 

]]> By: Susan Balée http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-22243 Susan Balée Thu, 10 May 2007 19:50:07 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-22243 If a book is really bad, I won't review it. To me, that's like shooting fish in a barrel. On the other hand, if a well-known (and respected) author writes a lousy book, they're fair game. (I hated Alice Walker's "The Way Forward is with a Broken Heart" and had no problem enumerating its many problems -- including a pretty mean-spirited rendering of her ex-husband.) My rationale: Such authors should know better. Indeed, I'm sure they do, but they're being pressured by agents and editors to get something out or, worse, they have an axe they're dying to grind. If a book is really bad, I won’t review it. To me, that’s like shooting fish in a barrel. On the other hand, if a well-known (and respected) author writes a lousy book, they’re fair game. (I hated Alice Walker’s “The Way Forward is with a Broken Heart” and had no problem enumerating its many problems — including a pretty mean-spirited rendering of her ex-husband.) My rationale: Such authors should know better. Indeed, I’m sure they do, but they’re being pressured by agents and editors to get something out or, worse, they have an axe they’re dying to grind.

]]> By: Phil W http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-22211 Phil W Thu, 10 May 2007 16:26:55 +0000 http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2007/05/07/the-first-thing-we-do-lets-kill-all-the-book-reviewers/#comment-22211 All of this makes me question the negative book reviews I've written. I remember disliking a novel from a popular Christian suspense writer. A strong start, weak finish, and my wife accurately predicted the bad guy by noticing he was the only character presented in a bad light. All of the other characters were essentially the same, male and female. I expected better than this, which is what I said on my blog and on Amazon. Would it better for everyone if I had held my tongue? All of this makes me question the negative book reviews I’ve written. I remember disliking a novel from a popular Christian suspense writer. A strong start, weak finish, and my wife accurately predicted the bad guy by noticing he was the only character presented in a bad light. All of the other characters were essentially the same, male and female. I expected better than this, which is what I said on my blog and on Amazon. Would it better for everyone if I had held my tongue?

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