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From: Nancy Silverrod <nsilverrod_at_sfpl.org>
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:39:54 -0800
X-EC0D2A8E-5CB7-4969-9C36-46D859D137BE-PartID: 17D53154-01A7-4679-BE86-7BB20E96527E
I both read and select from reviews, as well as review and blog about books. Reviewing presents a number of interesting challenges, many of which have b een discussed here. One of my blogs focuses on LGBT books written for childr en and young adults, and I am currently having a dialogue with an author who se book was very interesting, but which I felt was marred by some incidences of homophobic speech that did nothing to propel the story forward. He feels , as a writer, no obligation to make his characters likeable or politically correct, and I concur with this. However, as a reviewer who is reading his b ook within the context of all the LGBT books published for young readers sin ce 1969, and as someone who might influence others in their purchasing decis ion when looking at the title for its LGBT content, I feel a responsibility to comment on this aspect of the book, and to unfortunately give it a lower rating than I would have without the language in question.
Nancy Silverrod, Librarian San Francisco Public Library 100 Larkin St. San Francisco, CA 94122-4733 nsilverrod_at_sfpl.org 415-557-4417
Our heads are round so that thoughts can change direction. -Francis Picabia, painter and poet (1879-1953) Our memories are card indexes consulted and then returned in disorder by aut horities whom we do not control. -Cyril Connolly, critic and editor (1903-19 74) A closed mind is like a closed book: just a block of wood. -Chinese Proverb
Official SFPL use only
Received on Tue 10 Nov 2009 11:39:54 AM CST
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:39:54 -0800
X-EC0D2A8E-5CB7-4969-9C36-46D859D137BE-PartID: 17D53154-01A7-4679-BE86-7BB20E96527E
I both read and select from reviews, as well as review and blog about books. Reviewing presents a number of interesting challenges, many of which have b een discussed here. One of my blogs focuses on LGBT books written for childr en and young adults, and I am currently having a dialogue with an author who se book was very interesting, but which I felt was marred by some incidences of homophobic speech that did nothing to propel the story forward. He feels , as a writer, no obligation to make his characters likeable or politically correct, and I concur with this. However, as a reviewer who is reading his b ook within the context of all the LGBT books published for young readers sin ce 1969, and as someone who might influence others in their purchasing decis ion when looking at the title for its LGBT content, I feel a responsibility to comment on this aspect of the book, and to unfortunately give it a lower rating than I would have without the language in question.
Nancy Silverrod, Librarian San Francisco Public Library 100 Larkin St. San Francisco, CA 94122-4733 nsilverrod_at_sfpl.org 415-557-4417
Our heads are round so that thoughts can change direction. -Francis Picabia, painter and poet (1879-1953) Our memories are card indexes consulted and then returned in disorder by aut horities whom we do not control. -Cyril Connolly, critic and editor (1903-19 74) A closed mind is like a closed book: just a block of wood. -Chinese Proverb
Official SFPL use only
Received on Tue 10 Nov 2009 11:39:54 AM CST
