From: Ruth I Gordon <druthgo>
Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2002 16:18:13 -0800

I'm pleased that my ? has been so well framed by so many thoughtful folk in the CCBC world.

Here's a personal anecdote: When I was writing my doctoral dissertation I made the error of trying to add a bit of humor where I thought it would elucidate my subject's personality and the situation in the S.F. Bay Area. You can bet that the academics removed it in a flash. I was informed that should my work (my field is the history of printing, publishing, and bookmaking ((NO--not book making))) be published as a book I could add wit, humor, and the like. It didn't; I didn't and I am left with a lucid, if not very lively, study of interest to, perhaps, 38 people in the galaxy.

When I edited nonfiction I always begged the authors to add as many personalizing anecdotes as possible and try to recover from graduateschoolitis syntax, style, and passive voice.

Enough.--Big G.

"You may not be able to change the world, but at least you can embarrass the guilty." Jessica Mitford (191796)
Received on Tue 02 Apr 2002 06:18:13 PM CST