I hadn't known who Klausner was either. Thanks for posting
the article.
Now how does this help?
"What's scary about doing this is the power the reader
bestows on you," says Klausner, 48. "I never forget the
responsibility I have to the readers. I have to be honest. If
I don't like a book in the first 50 pages, I won't review
it.""
Now I know I'm making way too big a deal about this one
person, but it raised an interesting question: Isn't omitting
that she disliked some books "a lie"? How helpful, or
trustworthy, is someone who likes everything?
I'm all for fans, I'm one myself. There are authors I read
that I know aren't among the best, but are fun and fuel my
love of the genre. But I wouldn't recommend them to others,
well at least not others who aren't PI junkies like myself
(for instance, though I believe the Crais books have gotten
steadily better, I seem to be in the minority for actually
enjoying the bad wisecracks for their badness).
Still, I far prefer a critical reader. Sure, I like the many
-- too many, the piles are getting higher -- tips I've gotten
from this list. However, I also value the pans and not always
as "steer clears." If nothing else, they make me think about
my preferences and many of the highly combative discussions
have helped me figure out my own taste better.
As Tad Allagash said n Bright Lights Big City, "Taste, after
all, is a matter of taste." But that taste should be strongly
held. People who like everything, or never have a bad word to
say, are boring, they clearly aren't really engaging the
text.
So I guess what I'm really saying is, Nyanh, nyanh, we're
better than she is!
Mark
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