Dona: Book talk time. We had another book review recently. Isaiah's "Trying to read about comics? " covered MARVEL SUPER HEROES UNKNOWN FACTS, X-MEN GRAND DESIGN and MARVEL COMICS GROUP AND THE SILVER AGE OF COMICS: VOLUME ONE: 1961-1965. What's your feeling regarding KINDLE?
Isaiah:
I'm sure some people are served by the books I find disappointing. If
you're in 3rd grade, for example, you might like . But it goes to the
fact that KINDLE promises so many books but a number of them -- a large
number -- just aren't worth reading.
Dona: And explain the criteria you're judging by.
Isaiah:
I don't care about the books politics or partisan nature. And I'm not
reading to be told I'm right. I'm reading to learn. If your 'book' is
little more than photo captions passed off as writing, we have a
problem. And, again, labeling those embarrassments as 'books for kids'
might be better. Otherwise, that garbage needs to be pulled by KINDLE.
I'm not trying to be mean, I just shouldn't have to wade through that
garbage while attempting to find a book to read. I keep coming across
these lousy 'books' that end up being about ten pages of writing. And
don't think they're picture books. They might have one or two
illustrations. These are not books and the people who get credit for
them are not writers.
Dona: Are you keeping your KINDLE subscription?
Isaiah: So far. But things like this will make me think otherwise. There needs to be a way to filter out the garbage.
Ava:
When C.I. and I finished up the weekly reports were doing on KINDLE,
that complaint started coming in. Over and over. That there are a lot
of substandard books. And, of course, there are poorly published
versions on KINDLE. Rebecca read a Joan Collins autobiography that left
out one word or one sentence after another.
Isaiah:
That's a real issue with the books they have about comic book history
-- words left out, sentences started that you go to the next page and
it's something else. There's not a lot of effort to proof read these
things.
Dona: Ava and
C.I., there's talk that in 2023 we might go back to a review every week
at a community website. If that happened, would you both agree to
return to interviewing the week's book reviewer?
Ava:
C.I. and I'd be find with that. But I do think the reviewers last time
were feeling exhausted by the time the year wound down.
C.I.:
That is correct. It became less exciting and more of a chore as the
year drew to a close. That's one of the reasons it concluded at the end
of 2021.
Isaiah: I'd agree with that.
Dona: Okay, readers want it back so how we can do it and improve it?
Ava:
I'd say accept that their might not be a weekly review. That way
people won't feel like they are being pressured to write a review -- or
to read a book. There's a lot going on.
C.I.:
I agree. I'd add something else. If they read a physical
book, they shouldn't feel that's a penalty. We can discuss that book
and contrast the physical with KINDLE, for example. Or not even
compare it to KINDLE at all.
Ava: I'd also argue that at this site, 3RD, we could see more participation from Jim, Jess and Ty.
Dona: And me. If you two come back and do this, I'd gladly hand it over to you.
Ava:
One thing I do want to clear up, Ty got a ton of e-mails about how
there wasn't a wrap up on the KINDLE feature. C.I. and I did interviews
each week on the status. The raw material was there for a THIRD
piece. We -- C.I. and myself -- never said we'd write it.
Dona: That sort of thing does tend to get dropped at your door.
Ava:
And we're as tired as everyone else. More so this week. We both have a
nasty cold and just want to sleep all day as a result.
Dona:
And let me deal with that because there are a lot of e-mails. Ava and
C.I. usually have their media feature done by Sunday. Sometimes, event
will force to rewrite it. But sick or well, they have their piece
done. And sometimes to help us get an edition completed, they will then
write a second piece. That's expecting a lot and we're trying to move
away from that. Thank you to Isaiah, Ava and C.I. for participating in
this discussion.