Monday, December 05, 2022

Book Talk

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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.