Comments on: [Sunday Salon] : John Updike’s six ‘golden’ rules for book reviewing http://robaroundbooks.com/2009/02/sunday-salon-john-updike%e2%80%99s-six-%e2%80%98golden%e2%80%99-rules-for-book-reviewing/ ...ahhh for the love of words Fri, 18 May 2012 07:24:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rob http://robaroundbooks.com/2009/02/sunday-salon-john-updike%e2%80%99s-six-%e2%80%98golden%e2%80%99-rules-for-book-reviewing/comment-page-1/#comment-3416 Rob Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:59:13 +0000 http://robaroundbooks.com/?p=3805#comment-3416 <b>@Sandra</b> - Both of these seem like good titles to pick up then? I'll keep my eyes peeled. <b>@Gautami</b> - Glad it was of some use to you. <b>@Karen</b> - My pleasure, although I was a little embarrassed to point it out in case you considered me a know-it-all :o). As I live in the UK I've seen little in the way of tributes for John Updike. Sure the usual book orientated newspapers such as the Guardian and Independant have been running a lot of material, but there has been absolutely nothing on the tv :o( <b>@Literary Feline</b> - It's a shame that his death has reminded us that we should be reading his work, but I'm sure we will both get to him one day and discover why so many people are enamoured to him. <b>@Samantha</b> - My pleasure. Glad you found it of some use. <b>@Robin</b> - Again, my pleasure! <b>@Memory</b> - I couldn't agree with you more. Eight years of academic essays has taught me to be as succinct as possible with my quotes. That said, if you're trying to give other readers a taste of the work your reviewing then a decent size quote is needed. I tend to post a quote at the end of my reviews, under the heading of 'notable quote' so the reader gets a good sample of the book in question, but it doesn't interfere with my review <em>per se</em>. Best of both worlds? Maybe :o) <b>@Seachanges</b> - Nice to hear from you too :o) I absolutely couldn't agree with you (or Mr. Updike) more when it comes to giving away spoilers. It's a fine art being able to tell people just enough about the book in order to inform them and hold their interest, but without giving away too much. It's a major 'bugbear' of mine when I read a book review ahead of reading it myself and someone basically tells me the entire plot..arrgghh!!! The worst one for me lately was finding out ahead of time, who killed the dog in Mark Haddon's <em>'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time'</em>. I'f you've read the book then you'll know that this is an integral part to the story, at least in the first half of the novel, and I was livid for days :o) <b>@Alexa</b> - I'm sure I will enjoy <em>Norwegian Wood</em>, and thanks to you that now may well be sooner rather than later....grrrr!! o) <b>@Nymeth</b> - You really look to be the kind of reader who 'reads between the lines' :o), and I couldn't agree with you more. It seems politics are often more of a motivation than simply just delivering a honest and frank review. Thank you everyone for your input! Warmest Rob @Sandra – Both of these seem like good titles to pick up then? I’ll keep my eyes peeled.

@Gautami – Glad it was of some use to you.

@Karen – My pleasure, although I was a little embarrassed to point it out in case you considered me a know-it-all :o ). As I live in the UK I’ve seen little in the way of tributes for John Updike. Sure the usual book orientated newspapers such as the Guardian and Independant have been running a lot of material, but there has been absolutely nothing on the tv :o (

@Literary Feline – It’s a shame that his death has reminded us that we should be reading his work, but I’m sure we will both get to him one day and discover why so many people are enamoured to him.

@Samantha – My pleasure. Glad you found it of some use.

@Robin – Again, my pleasure!

@Memory – I couldn’t agree with you more. Eight years of academic essays has taught me to be as succinct as possible with my quotes. That said, if you’re trying to give other readers a taste of the work your reviewing then a decent size quote is needed. I tend to post a quote at the end of my reviews, under the heading of ‘notable quote’ so the reader gets a good sample of the book in question, but it doesn’t interfere with my review per se. Best of both worlds? Maybe :o )

@Seachanges – Nice to hear from you too :o ) I absolutely couldn’t agree with you (or Mr. Updike) more when it comes to giving away spoilers. It’s a fine art being able to tell people just enough about the book in order to inform them and hold their interest, but without giving away too much. It’s a major ‘bugbear’ of mine when I read a book review ahead of reading it myself and someone basically tells me the entire plot..arrgghh!!! The worst one for me lately was finding out ahead of time, who killed the dog in Mark Haddon’s ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’. I’f you’ve read the book then you’ll know that this is an integral part to the story, at least in the first half of the novel, and I was livid for days :o )

@Alexa – I’m sure I will enjoy Norwegian Wood, and thanks to you that now may well be sooner rather than later….grrrr!! o)

@Nymeth – You really look to be the kind of reader who ‘reads between the lines’ :o ), and I couldn’t agree with you more. It seems politics are often more of a motivation than simply just delivering a honest and frank review.

Thank you everyone for your input!
Warmest
Rob

]]> By: Nymeth http://robaroundbooks.com/2009/02/sunday-salon-john-updike%e2%80%99s-six-%e2%80%98golden%e2%80%99-rules-for-book-reviewing/comment-page-1/#comment-3412 Nymeth Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:27:15 +0000 http://robaroundbooks.com/?p=3805#comment-3412 I really, really like his rules. Especially this: "Never, never (John Aldridge, Norman Podhoretz) try to put the author "in his place," making him a pawn in a contest with other reviewers. Review the book, not the reputation." This is advice some professional reviewers should keep in mind...it's not that rare to see a review be used as an excuse to dismiss an author or even an entire genre or medium. Thanks for sharing the link. I really, really like his rules. Especially this: “Never, never (John Aldridge, Norman Podhoretz) try to put the author “in his place,” making him a pawn in a contest with other reviewers. Review the book, not the reputation.”

This is advice some professional reviewers should keep in mind…it’s not that rare to see a review be used as an excuse to dismiss an author or even an entire genre or medium.

Thanks for sharing the link.

]]> By: Alexa http://robaroundbooks.com/2009/02/sunday-salon-john-updike%e2%80%99s-six-%e2%80%98golden%e2%80%99-rules-for-book-reviewing/comment-page-1/#comment-3411 Alexa Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:29:40 +0000 http://robaroundbooks.com/?p=3805#comment-3411 Very interesting thanks for the links! Hope you read (and love) Norwegian Wood :) Very interesting thanks for the links!

Hope you read (and love) Norwegian Wood :)

]]> By: Seachanges http://robaroundbooks.com/2009/02/sunday-salon-john-updike%e2%80%99s-six-%e2%80%98golden%e2%80%99-rules-for-book-reviewing/comment-page-1/#comment-3410 Seachanges Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:36:25 +0000 http://robaroundbooks.com/?p=3805#comment-3410 That's an interesting link - I like the advice and it's something I do try and keep to: never give away the plot and the outcome because it's a spoiler. I so agree. Like you, I haven't read too much Updike. I keep telling myself to read some of his latest books but then was put off by the reviews of his latest novels as not being up to scratch. Good question therefore: should you trust reviewers?? That’s an interesting link – I like the advice and it’s something I do try and keep to: never give away the plot and the outcome because it’s a spoiler. I so agree. Like you, I haven’t read too much Updike. I keep telling myself to read some of his latest books but then was put off by the reviews of his latest novels as not being up to scratch. Good question therefore: should you trust reviewers??

]]> By: Memory http://robaroundbooks.com/2009/02/sunday-salon-john-updike%e2%80%99s-six-%e2%80%98golden%e2%80%99-rules-for-book-reviewing/comment-page-1/#comment-3408 Memory Sun, 01 Feb 2009 18:28:07 +0000 http://robaroundbooks.com/?p=3805#comment-3408 Very interesting. I'm not so sure I agree with quoting long passages, though. I can see why it would be useful, (and why so many people do it), but I find that I usually just skim on past block quotes unless they're very, very short. I'd rather hear what the reviewer thought about the book; if it sounds like something I'd enjoy, I'll read the novel itself. Very interesting. I’m not so sure I agree with quoting long passages, though. I can see why it would be useful, (and why so many people do it), but I find that I usually just skim on past block quotes unless they’re very, very short. I’d rather hear what the reviewer thought about the book; if it sounds like something I’d enjoy, I’ll read the novel itself.

]]> By: Robin of My Two Blessings http://robaroundbooks.com/2009/02/sunday-salon-john-updike%e2%80%99s-six-%e2%80%98golden%e2%80%99-rules-for-book-reviewing/comment-page-1/#comment-3407 Robin of My Two Blessings Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:39:38 +0000 http://robaroundbooks.com/?p=3805#comment-3407 Rob, Those are wonderful links - I thoroughly enjoyed reading Virginia Woolf's essay and John Updike's rules. Thanks Robin Rob,

Those are wonderful links – I thoroughly enjoyed reading Virginia Woolf’s essay and John Updike’s rules. Thanks

Robin

]]> By: Samantha http://robaroundbooks.com/2009/02/sunday-salon-john-updike%e2%80%99s-six-%e2%80%98golden%e2%80%99-rules-for-book-reviewing/comment-page-1/#comment-3406 Samantha Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:37:30 +0000 http://robaroundbooks.com/?p=3805#comment-3406 Thanks for sharing this! I really liked the advice he gave and will keep it in mind when writing my own reviews! Thanks for sharing this! I really liked the advice he gave and will keep it in mind when writing my own reviews!

]]> By: Literary Feline http://robaroundbooks.com/2009/02/sunday-salon-john-updike%e2%80%99s-six-%e2%80%98golden%e2%80%99-rules-for-book-reviewing/comment-page-1/#comment-3405 Literary Feline Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:15:02 +0000 http://robaroundbooks.com/?p=3805#comment-3405 What a nice tribute! John Updike is one of many authors whose name appears on my must-read-someday list. I was saddened to learn of his death. Thank you for posting the link to his rules for reviewing. I'm sure I'd read it before but couldn't tell you when or where. What a nice tribute! John Updike is one of many authors whose name appears on my must-read-someday list. I was saddened to learn of his death. Thank you for posting the link to his rules for reviewing. I’m sure I’d read it before but couldn’t tell you when or where.

]]> By: karen h. http://robaroundbooks.com/2009/02/sunday-salon-john-updike%e2%80%99s-six-%e2%80%98golden%e2%80%99-rules-for-book-reviewing/comment-page-1/#comment-3404 karen h. Sun, 01 Feb 2009 16:14:39 +0000 http://robaroundbooks.com/?p=3805#comment-3404 I posted my thanks for your correction on my blog, but wanted to pop over and say thanks here, too! I love Updike's rules for reviewing, too. There was a great retrospective on Updike's life on our Sunday morning show today. It featured an interview with Updike 10 years ago where he said he wanted to leave a legacy of beautiful writing and an appreciation for the everyman. Wonderful!! Happy Sunday, Karen I posted my thanks for your correction on my blog, but wanted to pop over and say thanks here, too! I love Updike’s rules for reviewing, too. There was a great retrospective on Updike’s life on our Sunday morning show today. It featured an interview with Updike 10 years ago where he said he wanted to leave a legacy of beautiful writing and an appreciation for the everyman. Wonderful!!

Happy Sunday,

Karen

]]> By: gautami tripathy http://robaroundbooks.com/2009/02/sunday-salon-john-updike%e2%80%99s-six-%e2%80%98golden%e2%80%99-rules-for-book-reviewing/comment-page-1/#comment-3403 gautami tripathy Sun, 01 Feb 2009 10:13:41 +0000 http://robaroundbooks.com/?p=3805#comment-3403 Seem like good advice to me. <a href="http://readingandmorereading.blogspot.com/2009/02/tss-january-was-wellvery-productive.html" rel="nofollow">January was well...veryproductive</a> Seem like good advice to me.

January was well…veryproductive

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