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About This Blog
Michael Merschel: Michael Merschel edits books coverage for The Dallas Morning News. November 2010
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Amid the panic over the future of professional book criticism, the refrain of "Well, what about the reviews you get for free on Amazon.com?" has come up repeatedly. To answer that question, let me just post these genuine Amazon customer reviews I gathered earlier this year. I think the poster -- whom, alas, has disappeared from the site -- writes with tounge firmly in cheek. But the point is still made: If you rely on random strangers for reviews, well, this is the advice you might get:
Hugely dissapointing. I bought this having been a huge fan of the cartoon series, but Mr Joyce has taken a winning formula and produced a prize turkey. After 20 pages not only had Ulysses failed to even board his spaceship, but I had no idea at all what on earth was going on. Verdict: Rubbish.
Get it out of my sight.., If this book proves anything it's that there is one born every minute. Christopher Columbus discovered America and no amount of crackpot theories put forward by the author in order to make a cynical dollar will alter that fact. Avoid. Where Is Baby's Belly Button? by Karen Katz Good but easy! Although this was fun while it lasted, I can't help but feel there was a lack of any real challenge in this book. You can see it on the front cover for Pete's sake! Stick to Where's Waldo. And then there was his review of 1984 that decried it as a terrible history saying, as I recall: "Mr. Orwell, I remember 1984 vividly, and it was nothing like this!" Here are a few more, which aren't book-related but worth sharing: Casper (Widescreen Special Edition) Call this horror? Maybe it's because I don't frighten easily but I just did not find this film scary. In my opinion, the scriptwriters have made a schoolboy error here by making the ghost friendly. I only jumped up from my seat in terror once during the whole two hours and that was when we first encountered Casper. After that, diddly squat. Whoever made this should take some lessons from the director of the terrifying High Spirits. Verdict: only for wimps! It's a Wonderful Life It's a wonderful film! What a charming and heart-warming piece of movie history this is. It's nice to think what a positive difference we can make to other peoples lives without realising it! I am truly touched every time I see this film. Unfortunately I am forced to deduct three stars as the film is in black and white.
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Poet and playwright Kevin Killian has been playing with the Amazon review form for some time. Visit his profile and reviews here. Info on his published book of reviews is here:.
www.amazon.com/gp/cdp/member-reviews/A30TK6U7DNS82R