We have to see the chimp playing hockey! That's hilarious! The ice is so slippery, and, and monkeys are all irrational. We have to see this!

Anya ,'Bring On The Night'


We're Literary 2: To Read Makes Our Speaking English Good  

There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."


erikaj - Apr 13, 2004 12:05:08 pm PDT #2188 of 10002
Always Anti-fascist!

Yeah...he's so brilliant. I need to read K&K...I've only read "Wonder Boys" but it really cracked me up.


Jess M. - Apr 13, 2004 12:23:33 pm PDT #2189 of 10002
Let me just say that popularity with people on public transportation does not equal literary respect. --Jesse

I'm not sure if this article has been linked before, but it seems to spell out some of Deb's arguments against anonymous reviews at Amazon.

If I'm putting words in your mouth, Deb, please let me know, and I'll edit or delete! I thought it was an interesting article, personally.


deborah grabien - Apr 13, 2004 2:49:06 pm PDT #2190 of 10002
It really doesn't matter. It's just an opinion. Don't worry about it. Not worth the hassle.

Jess, it wants a registration.


Jessica - Apr 13, 2004 3:09:34 pm PDT #2191 of 10002
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset

How weird -- it doesn't want one from me. (I was going to try buffista/foamy and salon/tabletalk to see if either of those worked.)


Hil R. - Apr 13, 2004 3:10:22 pm PDT #2192 of 10002
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l

It won't let me in without a registration, either.


deborah grabien - Apr 13, 2004 3:10:51 pm PDT #2193 of 10002
It really doesn't matter. It's just an opinion. Don't worry about it. Not worth the hassle.

Huh. Trying again...

edit: I wonder if it's something to do with having cookies enabled?


deborah grabien - Apr 13, 2004 3:23:49 pm PDT #2194 of 10002
It really doesn't matter. It's just an opinion. Don't worry about it. Not worth the hassle.

Ah - it let me in using buffista/foamy.

About the article: Jess, he makes some damned good points, and with the voice of authority as well; after all, he worked there when all this was beginning to really take shape.

But to clarify - I have no earthly problem with anonymous reviews, none at all. I see some drawbacks, sure, but really just the same as with something like Publishers Weekly, where the reviewer isn't required to put their name on it. The author, if slammed, has no recourse.

No, my problem with reviewing at Amazon is two-fold, and neither has to do with anonymity. The first one has to do with continuity: I take those reviews seriously, as feedback, to make me a better writer, or see if I can pinpoint areas that I might need to address. As long as "Donkey Kong in Long Island" uses the same tage every time he/she reviews something of mine, I can use it, because I have the continuity of opinions as a function.

The second problem is straightforward economics: like it or not, publishers read those reviews, and they often buy or don't buy with that as a contributing factor. So there's the bottom line aspect of it, crashing headlong into the editorial aspect. If Donkey Kong in Long Island voices an opinion at Amazon that is going to be considered as a determining factor in whether or not my next book is bought right along with PW or Booklist or whatever, then I'd like he/she to take some responsibility for the effect they're having.


Hil R. - Apr 13, 2004 3:29:38 pm PDT #2195 of 10002
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l

If Donkey Kong in Long Island voices an opinion at Amazon that is going to be considered as a determining factor in whether or not my next book is bought right along with PW or Booklist or whatever, then I'd like he/she to take some responsibility for the effect they're having.

Could you clarify what you mean by "take some responsibility"? I think that last time this came up, I realized afterwards that I was probably interpreting that phrase differently than you were.


deborah grabien - Apr 13, 2004 3:54:26 pm PDT #2196 of 10002
It really doesn't matter. It's just an opinion. Don't worry about it. Not worth the hassle.

Could you clarify what you mean by "take some responsibility"?

Think before they post, essentially, and after they do, cop to the fact that they're having effects elsewhere than just among a few people.

I don't value their review or take or praise or crit any less than I do the guy at PW or Booklist or Kirkus; difference is, the so-called professonals know that what they're doing is influencing, not so much other potential commercial readers, as bookstore chain buyers, libraries, etc. The average reader doesn't subscribe to Publishers Weekly, and PW knows it.

All I'm saying is, the power to have one's voice widely heard or widely read comes with some responsibility for the effect of one's statement. I'd like to see more people who write reviews at Amazon at least cop to that, or admit they're aware of it.


Hil R. - Apr 13, 2004 4:01:06 pm PDT #2197 of 10002
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l

cop to the fact that they're having effects elsewhere than just among a few people.

I guess I don't get how this would happen. I mean, anyone might or not be aware of the effects their review was having; how would this awareness be demonstrated? How would their behavior change so that you'd know they were copping to that fact?

t edit: "copping to that fact"? Somehow, "copping" just seems wrong. Or perhaps I need a nap. Last night, I was at the department until 2 AM studying; I finally decided it was time to go home when I wrote the sentence, "We can see that M is loopless," then spent five minutes giggling over the word "loopless."