Comments on: THE BLURB #13: The Anxiety of Influence http://therumpus.net/2010/01/the-blurb-the-anxiety-of-influence/ Books, Music, Movies, Art, Politics, Sex, Other Sun, 27 May 2012 16:56:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Cheryl http://therumpus.net/2010/01/the-blurb-the-anxiety-of-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-15255 Cheryl Sun, 10 Jan 2010 09:36:02 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=42278#comment-15255 I don't know if you've seen this, but Lemon Hound has been doing an interesting series on reviewing and the nature of reviewing. http://lemonhound.blogspot.com/ I don’t know if you’ve seen this, but Lemon Hound has been doing an interesting series on reviewing and the nature of reviewing.

http://lemonhound.blogspot.com/

]]> By: David Erlewine http://therumpus.net/2010/01/the-blurb-the-anxiety-of-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-15235 David Erlewine Sat, 09 Jan 2010 17:32:14 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=42278#comment-15235 f, look not like f, look not like

]]> By: David Erlewine http://therumpus.net/2010/01/the-blurb-the-anxiety-of-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-15234 David Erlewine Sat, 09 Jan 2010 17:31:13 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=42278#comment-15234 Really interesting insight. Sometimes I think reviews have to include something negative just so as not to like kiss-assish (there's a good word for that but my kids are yelling for lunch) and my wife is staring daggers. Really interesting insight. Sometimes I think reviews have to include something negative just so as not to like kiss-assish (there’s a good word for that but my kids are yelling for lunch) and my wife is staring daggers.

]]> By: Bruce Genaro http://therumpus.net/2010/01/the-blurb-the-anxiety-of-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-15218 Bruce Genaro Sat, 09 Jan 2010 02:31:44 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=42278#comment-15218 Josh, It's nice to know that you take it so seriously. I have been reviewing books myself recently and struggle with giving a bad review. I think the trick is not to give a good or a bad review, but rather an "honest" one. You know what it takes to get a book published. A lot of people had to believe in it. But there are times when, as a reader, you won't agree with them. I appreciate reading reviews where I know that the writer is looking at the big picture. He/she considers the piece objectively, not personally. I like that you contacted the writer directly. What constitutes a good review for one writer may be inconsequential to another. But, I think that ultimately, one review won’t (shouldn't) make or break a book. Anyone who bases their decision on what to read (or not) on the basis of one reviewer's opinion is probably not a very sophisticated or prolific reader anyway. Josh,
It’s nice to know that you take it so seriously. I have been reviewing books myself recently and struggle with giving a bad review. I think the trick is not to give a good or a bad review, but rather an “honest” one. You know what it takes to get a book published. A lot of people had to believe in it. But there are times when, as a reader, you won’t agree with them. I appreciate reading reviews where I know that the writer is looking at the big picture. He/she considers the piece objectively, not personally. I like that you contacted the writer directly. What constitutes a good review for one writer may be inconsequential to another. But, I think that ultimately, one review won’t (shouldn’t) make or break a book. Anyone who bases their decision on what to read (or not) on the basis of one reviewer’s opinion is probably not a very sophisticated or prolific reader anyway.

]]> By: Gina Frangello http://therumpus.net/2010/01/the-blurb-the-anxiety-of-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-15210 Gina Frangello Fri, 08 Jan 2010 21:09:05 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=42278#comment-15210 Great and honest piece, Josh. Yes, some great dialogue can come out of a "negative" book review, and I admit that sometimes they can be fun to read if you kind of agree with the snark, or even fun if you feel outraged and don't agree. But these days, with shrinking review venues--newspapers folding their Books sections, Kirkus Review dead, lit magazines going under, etc.--it seems to me that the general public needs far less the "shit filter" function of book reviews and far more the "undiscovered gem" function. More and more, I find myself sympathetic to the idea that, yeah, if you don't have anything nice to say about a book, why say anything? Unless we're talking about Dan Brown, you can probably rest assured that if you happen to read a book and it happens to suck, even if you don't shout that from the rooftops in a review forum, that book will probably languish on the vine of obscurity anyway unless it's picked by the Today Show Book Club--that its editor was probably fired last month, its imprint has folded, and the Books section that first touted it is part of a newspaper facing bankruptcy. I mean, it's a brutal world out there in publishing right now, and my purpose as a reviewer has become more similar to my purpose as an editor: actually trying to help GOOD books find their way into the world and into people's hands, when the odds seem so constantly stacked against them. Great and honest piece, Josh.
Yes, some great dialogue can come out of a “negative” book review, and I admit that sometimes they can be fun to read if you kind of agree with the snark, or even fun if you feel outraged and don’t agree. But these days, with shrinking review venues–newspapers folding their Books sections, Kirkus Review dead, lit magazines going under, etc.–it seems to me that the general public needs far less the “shit filter” function of book reviews and far more the “undiscovered gem” function. More and more, I find myself sympathetic to the idea that, yeah, if you don’t have anything nice to say about a book, why say anything? Unless we’re talking about Dan Brown, you can probably rest assured that if you happen to read a book and it happens to suck, even if you don’t shout that from the rooftops in a review forum, that book will probably languish on the vine of obscurity anyway unless it’s picked by the Today Show Book Club–that its editor was probably fired last month, its imprint has folded, and the Books section that first touted it is part of a newspaper facing bankruptcy. I mean, it’s a brutal world out there in publishing right now, and my purpose as a reviewer has become more similar to my purpose as an editor: actually trying to help GOOD books find their way into the world and into people’s hands, when the odds seem so constantly stacked against them.

]]> By: Chellis http://therumpus.net/2010/01/the-blurb-the-anxiety-of-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-15207 Chellis Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:10:35 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=42278#comment-15207 I like this review. Keep writing them. I like this review. Keep writing them.

]]> By: Joshua Mohr http://therumpus.net/2010/01/the-blurb-the-anxiety-of-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-15205 Joshua Mohr Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:27:56 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=42278#comment-15205 I totally agree with what you're saying, Anonymous, especially regarding the lack of latitude and diversity in coverage. Hopefully, the web (spots like the Rumpus, The Nervous Breakdown, 3G1B, etc.) offers not only alternative venues for books that "sneak" under the radar of the larger, elitist hubs, but might (hopefully) signal a change: will new media level the playing field a bit between the conglomerates and small presses, at the very least in terms of opportunities for review? It's too soon for us to know how new media will effect all this, as it's so nascent still, though the rate with which print reviews are folding/ decreasing in size points to a huge shift in how opinions are disseminated. I found out about the Christmas Day/ Detroit fiasco on Facebook, for god's sake! I totally agree with what you’re saying, Anonymous, especially regarding the lack of latitude and diversity in coverage. Hopefully, the web (spots like the Rumpus, The Nervous Breakdown, 3G1B, etc.) offers not only alternative venues for books that “sneak” under the radar of the larger, elitist hubs, but might (hopefully) signal a change: will new media level the playing field a bit between the conglomerates and small presses, at the very least in terms of opportunities for review?

It’s too soon for us to know how new media will effect all this, as it’s so nascent still, though the rate with which print reviews are folding/ decreasing in size points to a huge shift in how opinions are disseminated. I found out about the Christmas Day/ Detroit fiasco on Facebook, for god’s sake!

]]> By: Anonymous http://therumpus.net/2010/01/the-blurb-the-anxiety-of-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-15199 Anonymous Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:55:08 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=42278#comment-15199 I've read reviews in which the reviewer didn't care for the book, but I still went on to buy the book and loved it. That's not to say that the review should be mean and nasty (take note Michiko Kakutani). Even an unfavorable review is helpful to me (and the author, potentially) if it includes not just the reviewer's negative opinion, but lots of information about the text, such as quotes and relatively factual descriptions of the subject matter, tone, structure, and style. A bigger problem in my mind is the fact that popular reviewing venues all seem to review the same book. It's disappointing to see one book get three reviews, while other worthy contenders are left uncommented upon. If you're getting reviewed at all, that's probably good news. I’ve read reviews in which the reviewer didn’t care for the book, but I still went on to buy the book and loved it. That’s not to say that the review should be mean and nasty (take note Michiko Kakutani). Even an unfavorable review is helpful to me (and the author, potentially) if it includes not just the reviewer’s negative opinion, but lots of information about the text, such as quotes and relatively factual descriptions of the subject matter, tone, structure, and style. A bigger problem in my mind is the fact that popular reviewing venues all seem to review the same book. It’s disappointing to see one book get three reviews, while other worthy contenders are left uncommented upon. If you’re getting reviewed at all, that’s probably good news.

]]> By: Becca Horowitz http://therumpus.net/2010/01/the-blurb-the-anxiety-of-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-15170 Becca Horowitz Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:18:40 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=42278#comment-15170 I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to warn people if a book sucks? You’re not damaging the author. They did it to themselves. That’s what I’m looking for in a book review—a shit filter. Hard covers are expensive. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t want to warn people if a book sucks? You’re not damaging the author. They did it to themselves. That’s what I’m looking for in a book review—a shit filter. Hard covers are expensive.

]]> By: Lyn http://therumpus.net/2010/01/the-blurb-the-anxiety-of-influence/comment-page-1/#comment-15169 Lyn Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:30:13 +0000 http://therumpus.net/?p=42278#comment-15169 Joshua: It's obvious you love books, so keep reviewing them. Criticism is healthy. Joshua: It’s obvious you love books, so keep reviewing them. Criticism is healthy.

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