Good for Bob. I'm very glad he brought this up.
Actually, Bob's on a roll. Here's a nice skewering Billy Collins: Collins keeps it light at lecture.
Read the whole thing.... Collins, 67, is the duke of deconstruction, the prince of the dramatic pause, the light beer of the American poetic tradition. And light beer outsells the heavy stuff.
The Post Gazette reviewer makes two points upon which I would like to comment. First, as a reviewer for a variety of print and online outlets, I live by the rule that I will not write a bad review of a book; if the book deserves to be raked over the coals, and many do, then I simply prefer not to be the bearer of bad news. Second, I cannot wait to get my hands on the Mon Valley novel which ought to make me a bit homesick since I grew up there--in the midst of the still belching steel mills--but have not been there in nearly four decades. Well, the bottom line is this: Thanks for the great posting on your blog.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting. I tend to agree, and made my book review column a recommendation column for that reason (also, as Bob indicates, reading a book you don't like is an awful way to pass the time). But, every now and then, one must report on a bad one, and I have been known to lay about stoutly on occasion.
ReplyDeleteYes, I should have been more accurate in my statement about positive versus negatives reviews (and my avoidance of books that call for the latter). While I do not have your pedigree as a reviewer, I have written some reviews for a few magazines and some online sites. I have two anecdotes to share: (1) A local newspaper invited me to write reviews, and the editor sent a batch of dreadful, regional books for which he wanted the best enthusiasm that I could muster; I could muster no enthusiasm, so my relationship with the newspaper ended rather quickly. (2) A magazine for whom I had been writing regularly for several years began insisting that future reviews be somehow more positive, even though I had on occasion bent over backwards to find something positive to say about some marginal books; the editor and I sorted it out (and my affiliation ended) by me telling her that I preferred to be a bit more honest in the reviews. As a university instructor who reviews simply as a diversion, I like the freedom that I have in staying away from hurting a hopeful author's feelings.
ReplyDeleteToo bad you didn't get a chance to review for me. I think most of my reviewers found it congenial.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the gracious thought.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the wonderful work on your blog. It is a much needed oasis in the midst of too much that is not very refreshing on the web.