Collected Miscellany

For a long while, I have thought about asking the top reviewer on Amazon.com, Harriet Klausner, for an interview. As with most things, I missed my chance. Today, there’s a feature story in the [Wall Street Journal]. Booksquare addresses it personally, saying he has emailed her before.

Is Harriet a vital force in the bookselling world? Well, maybe not vital, but a contending or influential force among many others. If she was a blogger, she would (or should) be one of the most recognized. But can we take her seriously when she does not appear to have reviewed anything by Wodehouse?

*just kidding*

Whenever I get a chance I like to stop by the discount bookstore at the outlet mall and pick up what I like to call random books. The concept is you pick out books that you know nothing about but sound interesting just from reading the dust jacket. At the discount store you can pick up hard back books for just a couple of bucks each (the outlet mall store has a buy four get the fifth free deal). Quite often I stumble upon some good books in this manner (see here and here for previous installments).

In my last trip I picked up Tom Gilling’s Sooterkin but never managed to read it. Since it was the only work remaining from that trip I thought I should finish it so I could cross it off the list (yes I am weird like that). I must admit that I was disappointed. Despite some rhetorical flourishes and funny characters, the novel really never takes off. It reads like a series of character sketches and comedic situations, rather than a compelling story.

Continue reading →

Whenever I get a chance I like to stop by the discount bookstore at the outlet mall and pick up what I like to call random books. The concept is you pick out books that you know nothing about but sound interesting just from reading the dust jacket. At the discount store you can pick up hard back books for just a couple of bucks each (the outlet mall store has a buy four get the fifth free deal). Quite often I stumble upon some good books in this manner (see here and here for previous installments).

In my last trip I picked up Tom Gilling’s Sooterkin but never managed to read it. Since it was the only work remaining from that trip I thought I should finish it so I could cross it off the list (yes I am weird like that). I must admit that I was disappointed. Despite some rhetorical flourishes and funny characters, the novel really never takes off. It reads like a series of character sketches and comedic situations, rather than a compelling story.

Continue reading →

**This is the first in a series of “quick hit” reviews. Since I seem to be able to read books faster than I can post reviews, I figured I would post some short (500 words or less) reviews that give you a basic idea of the book’s content and merits but not much else.**

I know what you are thinking: “Why is Kevin reading a book on starting a business?” Well, for one, I have some entreprenurial ideas up my sleave believe it or not. And two, it sounded like and interesting book.

The book is The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki. Despite my interest in starting a business, I am not neccesarily the best judge of a book on the suibject. I have almost no experience in the actual money making sector of the economy (with a history degree? Yes, shocking I know). So I can only judge the book by its clarity, readability, perceived usefullness, etc. Under those criteria I found it too be worthwhile. It is a concise, readable, and thought provoking look at the challenges of entreprenurialship.

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Deidre Donahue in a review for USA Today of Ian McEwan’s Saturday claims literary excellence is darn hard. “Few writers can sustain excellence, particularly if they publish more than one book a decade. The widely admired best-selling British writer Ian McEwan, author of the acclaimed Amsterdam, which won the 1998 Booker prize, proves no exception. His new novel, Saturday, can only be described as dull.” The book is heartless, she says, written with skill, not feeling.

Many reviewers disagree, but what do you think about her opening claim on excellence? Has McEwan maintained a literary excellence over the past decade? Has anyone else, even if the measure of that excellence differs a bit (i.e. Terry Pratchett may be excellent, but not the same excellent as McEwan.)?

Speaking of book reviews and their function, I just stumbled across a humorous but rather sad example of different expectations concerning a book review. In this story, a reviewer accepts an ARC with the caveat that positive reviews are not guaranteed, etc. Turns out she didn’t like the work and gave it a negative review. What follows is not pretty even if it makes for humorous reading: the book’s publicist didn’t like said review and couldn’t refrain from sending a snarky email to the reviewer; reviewer replies politely reminding publicist of agreed up rules; publicist gets even more snarky; etc.

Word to the wise for small press publicists out there: don’t do this!