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nonfiction book reviewing
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From: Susan Thomsen <c_spaghetti_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:15:09 -0800 (PST)
Dear Lisa (and everyone),
when you say that books must be fact-checked, I'm assuming you mean post-publication. (I'm familiar with pre-publication fact-checking for magazine articles.) If you were writing a review for a print (or online) journal, would you fact-check the book? I am new to this discussion and following it with great interest.
Someone else mentioned Amazon, and I have to say that I do not trust Amazon reviews, unless it's by someone I already know to be a good critic. I am buying for myself, my kid, or a friend, though, and not for a library. I'd check a reputable book blog's review before using Amazon. But that's just me! Susan Thomsen
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Dear Rogue Librarian and all
I do think that non-fiction/information books are take more time in what one would call the review process. In part it is the time consuming process of fact-checking. Whether a picture book format or fourteen chapters, facts must be checked- it might be as simple as "Did she really say that?" to gosh I better send this off to an expert in the field. That is where multiple years of observing Notable Children's Book Committee and serving on the Bank Street Book Committee have given me the courage to say," I don't know but who does" The community of readers whose advice I turn to include psychologists (Is the subject of this book developmentally appropriate?) and math professors (Does this make sense to you?) I have passed books to iron workers, horse trainers, historians and naturalists. As a result of this training, I am never afraid to ask for help. As an informed librarian, I don't need to fact check the new book about marsupials to know that I was dissatisfied with the lack of pictures of the animals' youn g and source notes.
One form of reviewing that has not been brought up in this discussion IS committee work. The gift of sharing one's thoughts aloud in front of a group of colleagues. To prepare one's presentation and sometimes advocacy of a title. To have an extended network of experts as a result is also valuable- this one knows a Civil War buff, that one knows a scholar of the bus boycott. If I am struggling for a way to put my thoughts into words, I do not hesitate to bring a book to the table. A second read is not something all reviewers have the luxury of. (of course sometimes there is just that darn deadline clarifying my thoughts) The YALSA and ALSC committee lists, The Best Books from the Children's Book Committee, CCBC, Capitol Choices, Best Books for the Teenaged, NYPL One Hundred Best Children's Books are all selection aids that I value when decided to spend my limited resources.
Received on Sun 15 Nov 2009 05:15:09 PM CST
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:15:09 -0800 (PST)
Dear Lisa (and everyone),
when you say that books must be fact-checked, I'm assuming you mean post-publication. (I'm familiar with pre-publication fact-checking for magazine articles.) If you were writing a review for a print (or online) journal, would you fact-check the book? I am new to this discussion and following it with great interest.
Someone else mentioned Amazon, and I have to say that I do not trust Amazon reviews, unless it's by someone I already know to be a good critic. I am buying for myself, my kid, or a friend, though, and not for a library. I'd check a reputable book blog's review before using Amazon. But that's just me! Susan Thomsen
---------------------------------------
Dear Rogue Librarian and all
I do think that non-fiction/information books are take more time in what one would call the review process. In part it is the time consuming process of fact-checking. Whether a picture book format or fourteen chapters, facts must be checked- it might be as simple as "Did she really say that?" to gosh I better send this off to an expert in the field. That is where multiple years of observing Notable Children's Book Committee and serving on the Bank Street Book Committee have given me the courage to say," I don't know but who does" The community of readers whose advice I turn to include psychologists (Is the subject of this book developmentally appropriate?) and math professors (Does this make sense to you?) I have passed books to iron workers, horse trainers, historians and naturalists. As a result of this training, I am never afraid to ask for help. As an informed librarian, I don't need to fact check the new book about marsupials to know that I was dissatisfied with the lack of pictures of the animals' youn g and source notes.
One form of reviewing that has not been brought up in this discussion IS committee work. The gift of sharing one's thoughts aloud in front of a group of colleagues. To prepare one's presentation and sometimes advocacy of a title. To have an extended network of experts as a result is also valuable- this one knows a Civil War buff, that one knows a scholar of the bus boycott. If I am struggling for a way to put my thoughts into words, I do not hesitate to bring a book to the table. A second read is not something all reviewers have the luxury of. (of course sometimes there is just that darn deadline clarifying my thoughts) The YALSA and ALSC committee lists, The Best Books from the Children's Book Committee, CCBC, Capitol Choices, Best Books for the Teenaged, NYPL One Hundred Best Children's Books are all selection aids that I value when decided to spend my limited resources.
Received on Sun 15 Nov 2009 05:15:09 PM CST
