Comments on: >Too damned long http://www.hbook.com/2009/11/blogs/read-roger/too-damned-long/ Publications about books for children and young adults Tue, 14 May 2013 13:27:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: KATE COOMBS http://www.hbook.com/2009/11/blogs/read-roger/too-damned-long/#comment-9181 KATE COOMBS Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:26:58 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=3401#comment-9181 >Very good point! >Very good point!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.hbook.com/2009/11/blogs/read-roger/too-damned-long/#comment-9180 Anonymous Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:53:50 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=3401#comment-9180 >Kate, it's when you describe "near-rambling" as a luxury that you lose me. A good review can be long, yes, but rambling, no. Rambling is a luxury for the writer, not the reader. >Kate, it's when you describe "near-rambling" as a luxury that you lose me. A good review can be long, yes, but rambling, no. Rambling is a luxury for the writer, not the reader.

]]> By: KATE COOMBS http://www.hbook.com/2009/11/blogs/read-roger/too-damned-long/#comment-9174 KATE COOMBS Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:07:55 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=3401#comment-9174 >As I said, I read and admire the HB reviews, which are excellent distillations written to a traditional length (not a platonic ideal!). But I also want to know more about a book sometimes, and then I look elsewhere, trying to find a more detailed review. This is partly because I don't have time to read books I'm not going to like, so I want more information before spending my time and money on them.<br /><br />And of course, Roger is completely right that some reviews are under-edited, just as some books are under-edited. Kind of like undercooked eggs, which are runny. >As I said, I read and admire the HB reviews, which are excellent distillations written to a traditional length (not a platonic ideal!). But I also want to know more about a book sometimes, and then I look elsewhere, trying to find a more detailed review. This is partly because I don't have time to read books I'm not going to like, so I want more information before spending my time and money on them.

And of course, Roger is completely right that some reviews are under-edited, just as some books are under-edited. Kind of like undercooked eggs, which are runny.

]]> By: Roger Sutton http://www.hbook.com/2009/11/blogs/read-roger/too-damned-long/#comment-9173 Roger Sutton Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:38:37 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=3401#comment-9173 >I think some books offer--sometimes demand--plenty of opportunity for a lengthy review. But too many book reviews (in print and online, and I'm not excepting my own or the Horn Book's) are only long because someone did not bother to make them shorter. >I think some books offer–sometimes demand–plenty of opportunity for a lengthy review. But too many book reviews (in print and online, and I'm not excepting my own or the Horn Book's) are only long because someone did not bother to make them shorter.

]]> By: Ms. Yingling http://www.hbook.com/2009/11/blogs/read-roger/too-damned-long/#comment-9172 Ms. Yingling Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:38:19 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=3401#comment-9172 >Brief description. What readers will like it. Whether I'll buy it. Needs to fit on one screen. Hope this helps. >Brief description. What readers will like it. Whether I'll buy it. Needs to fit on one screen. Hope this helps.

]]> By: IF http://www.hbook.com/2009/11/blogs/read-roger/too-damned-long/#comment-9171 IF Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:28:02 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=3401#comment-9171 >The well considered brevity of HB reviews can hardly be conflated with "quick takes" and twitters. <br /><br />Some long reviews may indeed be entertaining and potentially even enlightening. More often, I find them self-indulgent and not worth reading in their entirety. Even so, there is good to be found, and it's lovely that there is so much discussion of books. That's always a good thing, despite differing preferences about which conversations to tune in. The more the merrier. <br /><br />IF >The well considered brevity of HB reviews can hardly be conflated with "quick takes" and twitters.

Some long reviews may indeed be entertaining and potentially even enlightening. More often, I find them self-indulgent and not worth reading in their entirety. Even so, there is good to be found, and it's lovely that there is so much discussion of books. That's always a good thing, despite differing preferences about which conversations to tune in. The more the merrier.

IF

]]> By: KATE COOMBS http://www.hbook.com/2009/11/blogs/read-roger/too-damned-long/#comment-9170 KATE COOMBS Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:00:19 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=3401#comment-9170 >I love the Horn Book and other tightly composed reviews for a quick take on a book, but I write long reviews on my own blog. I would say mea culpa, but I do think this is a stylistic issue relating to audience, purpose, and what you as a writer DO with whatever word length you choose, whether it's 50 or 500.<br /><br />Then too, sometimes I feel that in a world now characterized by Twittery communications, taking the time to develop a topic in a near-rambling way is a luxury akin to reading the kinds of letters people used to write each other back before the advent of the telephone.<br /><br />--Kate Coombs (Book Aunt) >I love the Horn Book and other tightly composed reviews for a quick take on a book, but I write long reviews on my own blog. I would say mea culpa, but I do think this is a stylistic issue relating to audience, purpose, and what you as a writer DO with whatever word length you choose, whether it's 50 or 500.

Then too, sometimes I feel that in a world now characterized by Twittery communications, taking the time to develop a topic in a near-rambling way is a luxury akin to reading the kinds of letters people used to write each other back before the advent of the telephone.

–Kate Coombs (Book Aunt)

]]> By: Roger Sutton http://www.hbook.com/2009/11/blogs/read-roger/too-damned-long/#comment-9165 Roger Sutton Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:32:33 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=3401#comment-9165 >I feel about the word "scrumptious" the way singer Mel Torme felt about the word "fart." >I feel about the word "scrumptious" the way singer Mel Torme felt about the word "fart."

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.hbook.com/2009/11/blogs/read-roger/too-damned-long/#comment-9164 Anonymous Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:40:20 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=3401#comment-9164 >yet another Esperanto-sounding code word! is there some significance? who composes them? what does PATILIS mean to the initiated? >yet another Esperanto-sounding code word! is there some significance? who composes them? what does PATILIS mean to the initiated?

]]> By: BookHarpie http://www.hbook.com/2009/11/blogs/read-roger/too-damned-long/#comment-9149 BookHarpie Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:23:28 +0000 http://nyad1/wp-thb/?p=3401#comment-9149 >Okay. I like you more and more. <br /><br />The BookHarpie personally despises long reviews... particularly ones that contain lengthy plot descriptions and spoilers, or, and this is even worse, bubbling enthusiasm about how <i>scrumptious</i> some character is. I would rather read that this book 'ROCKS!!!'. At least then, the pain is over quickly. >Okay. I like you more and more.

The BookHarpie personally despises long reviews… particularly ones that contain lengthy plot descriptions and spoilers, or, and this is even worse, bubbling enthusiasm about how scrumptious some character is. I would rather read that this book 'ROCKS!!!'. At least then, the pain is over quickly.

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